Have you ever seen an old friend after a long period of time and been surprised that they look completely different than you remembered them? That’s how I feel when I think about the time before I started work at Nuera. I haven’t grown a slight paunch and I still have a full head of hair (vainly looks in the mirror to confirm), but I approach things much differently. A lot has happened in that time, and I’m better for it.
Things move pretty fast over here, but I wanted to take some time to reflect on some of the things I’ve learned working with our talented team.
A Good Idea is Only As Good As Its Execution
I used to have this habit of thinking that a good idea was something that needed to be executed as quickly as possible. I would get excitable and push a project that capitalized on the strength of the idea while sacrificing quality over expedience of delivery. It didn’t take long for me to realize how antithetical that approach was to Nuera’s core ethos. At Nuera, you may have a good idea that delivers good results for the client, but that pales in comparison to a great idea that delivers great results. Why rush a good idea when you can analyze the data around it, collaborate with coworkers, and fine-tune every detail before you launch it as a great idea?
At Nuera, we’re only as good as the results we deliver for the clients, and that means exercising every means at our disposal to consistently exceed their expectations.
There’s Organized and Then There’s Nuera-Organized
I liked to think that I had a fairly decent concept of what it was like to be organized (a statement anyone that has ever employed me will admittedly take umbrage to), but it took all of a week at Nuera Marketing to realize that the team took it to a whole new level. In an industry where things can change seemingly by the minute, the Nuera team quantifies, conceptualizes, and identifies all of the minutia of each project before moving forward. What initially seemed like overkill has now become a saving grace that ensures for complete accountability and promotes an atmosphere of collaboration that’s made us all better marketers.
My boss at my first “real” job once gave me an employee review that was phenomenally positive save for a comment about a need to be more organized. As a 22 year old, I thought he was being a little ridiculous, but after six months at Nuera, I really wish I could just tell him “Dude, I had no idea what organization was until now.” I’m not quite dreaming of Basecamp at night, but it is my second most visited website on Chrome (behind only email).
San Marco Is An Amazing Neighborhood
I’ve lived in Jacksonville for just over three years now and rarely ever made my way into San Marco. Had I known what an amazing neighborhood it is (except for that train that ALWAYS seems to be passing by right when I’m rushing to a meeting), I would have been here constantly. Even in the most stressful of workdays, our team can go for a walk, play basketball, or visit some of the bars and restaurants for a respite. We’re friendly with all of the businesses in our neighborhood, and we’re proud to be a part of such a thriving and vibrant community.
You Can Always Learn More
I’ve worked at both large and small companies before, but I’ve never seen a group of people express such a vested interest in helping one another evolve in their respective areas of expertise. It sounds like it might be obtrusive but it’s born of a genuine curiosity, and being sent suggestions, ideas, and resources to help better serve our clients makes us much better marketers. In a world where the concept of marketing evolves on a seemingly daily basis, it’s helpful to have a team that tries to grow their knowledge of every facet of our business, even when it doesn’t directly concern their position.
The Work/Life Balance Is Important
One of the biggest selling points of Nuera for me was that the team was flexible about working from home or just taking some time off should I need it. Working at a marketing agency can be stressful at times and I appreciated that it was obviously important to everyone at Nuera that each employee be able to take a breather if needed. While I’ve certainly taken a bit of time, a funny thing happened after about a month of working here. Rather than sitting at home and working with Saved By The Bell in the background, I found myself coming into the office more on weekends to get a head start on the coming week. While the option to take some time off is always there, it’s nearly impossible to see the effort each team member makes on a daily basis and not aspire to perform at that level.
At the end of the day, it helps that we all really like one another. A successful campaign for a client is a great incentive to go the extra mile, but so is having a mutual respect and admiration for your colleagues. It has been exciting to watch Nuera Marketing’s evolution over these past few months and I’m looking forward to evolving more right alongside this amazing team.
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