As the most recent addition to the Sandstorm team, I figured I would just speak about my current experiences at Sandstorm as if I have been working here for a very, very long time. I mean, time is nothing but an illusion anyway (shout-out to my fellow philosophy majors). So, here it goes:

Ah, as I look back fondly on that first day I came in to work at Sandstorm, I can hardly believe a full three days has passed. Where did the time go? It seems like just yesterday I was walking up the stairs to the third floor of this office building for the very first time. In truth, it was the day before yesterday, but the vivacity of my memories betrays the vast gulf of time that separates me from those distant events.

Sounds good, right?

Not only was my first day at Sandstorm very recent, but it was also very eventful - full of highs and lows. High: we got free lunch! Low: mine didn’t get delivered. I’m choosing to believe the restaurant messed up and it wasn’t some kind of Sandstorm hazing. In fact, Sandy herself offered up her bread roll to hold me over until my food arrived, so I’m sure there was no intended ill-will.

In all seriousness, I am very excited to be the new Digital Coordinator at Sandstorm. In the past, I have done a little bit of everything - from content writing to house demolition - and I look forward to continuing that tradition of wearing many hats in my new role in the world of marketing strategy.

One of the unique things that I am most proud of as a Sandstormer is our warrior spirit. This is not the kind of company where people say “that’s not my job”. It’s the kind of company where people say “what can I do to help?”

One day I came back into the office from using the restroom to find several people in the kitchen pulling together garbage bags and spraying Lysol. I found out that the garbage smelled funny, and 4 people just got up from their desks and started handling the situation. I asked if I could help, as the de facto “Office Manager” this is sorta my responsibility, but I was assured that it was all good.

At just about any other company, someone would send an angry email to someone like me, or there’d be someone elected to add this task to my plate. At Sandstorm, when the garbage needs to go out, it just gets done.

It was the same the day Janna and Laura brought in a Kia-load of things from IKEA. A group of us just made our way down to the loading dock, and pulled everything into the freight elevator. We brought it up and pretty much the whole office started pulling apart boxes and assembling things.

It extends beyond garbage detail and putting together Swedish furniture. Our wonderful Digital Strategists keep an eye on our workload and there have been many busy days where I come to find out a few large chunks of my project work has been handed off to someone else. Similarly there are those days where a project shows up end of day, or a simple project grows 6 heads right before it’s due, and folks spring into action to help each other out. Similarly, it’s not unusual for someone with a light day to simply come forward during our morning meeting and say they have time to help today, or in the middle of the day to start asking around to see if anyone needs any other help.

It’s the kind of team spirit that makes you WANT to help others, because you know they will be there when you need help next. It also inspires a certain level of self-reliance, at least in me, because I know everyone is busy, much of the time, so I only want to raise my hand when I need it. I’m proud to work for a digital marketing firm where “nobody gets left behind on the battlefield” and I can’t wait for the challenges of the New Year!

Earlier this year, a few of us had the fortunate opportunity to work with Dick and Emily Axelrod, of The Axelrod Group, offering marketing strategy around their latest book, Let’s Stop Meeting Like This. (If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it. It’s a workplace productivity book that doesn’t feel like a stale, dusty textbook that you’ll be quizzed on later).

This project was special because we were able to truly have a good time with the client, felt the impact of our marketing plan and content strategy, and watched them succeed to great heights.

Keeping Time with Clockman

The Axelrods also introduced us to Clockman. Their timesaving superhero. I won’t spoil the book, but Clockman always finds a way to step in a give you the most important bits of information you need to know. He’s stuck with me since. I always find myself picturing the little guy when I start to get too verbose and ramble during a meeting.

One of the things I am most grateful for in 2014 is getting the chance to work with this dynamic duo and learning about ways we can all save in our workday by getting down to what is most important. As if all of that wasn’t cool enough - Clockman’s also a rockstar (see above).

Coming from a small agrarian community, I have always wanted a small plot of land here in the city to grow a few veggies and herbs among the weeds. Sadly, this past, cool summer did not enable my tomatoes to flourish and the squirrels decided to feast on the small crop I was able to grow.

Germinating Brands for Years to Come

As 2014 comes to a close, I realized my green thumb was most bountiful here at Sandstorm. Instead of sowing seeds for nourishment, the Sandstorm Team and I were able help plant and cultivate the strategic seeds for three new brands. Even though these three projects all started with user research, competitive analysis and positioning deliverables, the resulting strategies were truly personal. The Sandstorm Team was able to capture the spirit and uniquely position each organization that included an awesome sales enablement platform, an association all about awards and an amazing credit union focused on delivering the unexpected.

A Diverse Mix of Branded Crops to Sprout Lots of Green

This wide range in businesses is just a glimpse into what makes each day (or year) at Sandstorm truly different. Being able to partner with my fellow Sandstormers and these three organizations to bring their individual brands and marketing strategies to life has been an incredible experience and my highlight for 2014.

Looking ahead to 2015, maybe I will have some tomatoes to go along with the launch of these three new brands. That is if the Polar Vortex stays north and the squirrels are willing to share.