Meet Voomie Melanie Olson
Marketing Coordinator
In our ongoing series featuring Voom employees, we sat down with Melanie Olson, Marketing Coordinator, to learn more about her role and how she brings her Marie Kondo-like skills to life. Connect with Melanie at melanie@voomcreative.com and meet our entire Voom team online!
What brought you to Voom Creative?
I met Melissa McGath, Founder and Principal of Voom, in April of 2019, through a mutual friend. I began working on a contract basis researching media vendors on the East Coast and organizing media plans. A few months later, I was offered a full-time position.
What is a typical day like in your role?
I spend a lot of time creating and executing media plans for clients as well as trafficking advertisements (internally, to clients, to publishers). I also research advertising opportunities in markets nationwide and research prospects for business development. The rest of the day is rounded out with special projects, filing or billing.
What’s one thing that surprised you about working at Voom?
One thing that surprised me about working at Voom is how close our team is – like family. Each of us shares many of the same core values and attributes. We are all willing to help each other out and go above and beyond our typical responsibilities to complete projects. We all have a deep mutual respect for each other and our clients and take great pride in our work. A common saying around Voom is, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” That motto is a daily reality for us. We all share a great sense of humor and enjoy each other’s company both inside and outside the office. We have made many life-long memories together, both at work and in our travels together. While working remotely due to the pandemic, I was surprised at how much I missed my wonderful colleagues!
What led you to your career & what do you love most about it?
What I love most about my career is my ability to use my organizational skills daily. I LOVE spreadsheets and organization systems. At Voom, I’ve been able to help create processes that keep us all organized.
Who or what inspires you?
Stories of people who have overcome adversity have always inspired me. They are a great reminder to have an attitude of gratitude for the life I have been given and count my blessings. It is inspiring to see how those who have persevered, had faith and worked hard have accomplished goals that may have seemed impossible.
If you weren’t working in marketing, what would you be doing?
I would go to culinary school. Not to work in a restaurant, but I would want to show regular people that food can be approachable, delicious, and healthy all at the same time. I didn’t have a very adventurous palette growing up, and now I love trying new things – especially at home. I would love to teach families how they can eat “real” food at home, both easily and inexpensively.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. I obtained my B.S. degree in Education and was a licensed child care provider for 12 years when my children were small. It was very rewarding to be such a large part of the lives of so many children and families. I have a love of learning, so it was wonderful to instill that curiosity and inquisitive nature in children’s lives. While I have taken a different career path in the past few years, I am still able to learn new things daily at Voom and teach at times as well.
What is something about yourself you could brag about but usually don’t?
I could totally brag that I am currently on level 5480 on Candy Crush. I don’t usually brag about it because it is embarrassing to think about how much time I’ve spent playing this game! However, when I have shared this fact with others, most people respond with, “Wow! I didn’t know Candy Crush levels went that high!”
If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be and why?
I would have dinner with Rachael Ray or Taylor Swift. I am huge fans of them both and secretly wish they were my best friends. 🙂
What one song could be your anthem?
“Fight Song” by Rachel Platten. This song has been an anthem when I have faced anxieties and tribulations in my life. It gives me the energy and confidence to get through whatever obstacle is in my way.
Your bio on the Voom site says you have “Marie Kondo-like skills.” How do you stay organized personally and professionally?
I have many lists and spreadsheets! I make lists for daily to-dos, goals, books to read and things to look up. I love writing things down on a list and having an organized way of remembering things so I can de-clutter my mind. The goals that aren’t reached on my daily list are moved to the next day’s list. I use this same system both personally and professionally, and it helps me stay on top of things and complete tasks and goals in a time-efficient manner.
What are the things that spark the most joy for you?
Things that spark the most joy for me are generally tied to a person or memory. I don’t have a lot of clutter (knick-knacks) and such, so if an item makes it to being displayed, it has to be super important for me. Right now, my favorite item displayed in my house is my Grandma’s bowling trophy from the 1960s. It is a 3-inch tall wooden bowling pin with her name on it. I was super close to her all of my life, and she passed away at age 96 two years ago. When I notice it on the shelf, it always makes me smile.
You’re also well-known for your “extreme love” of the Minnesota Vikings. Tell us about that.
I wouldn’t say it’s more extreme than other fans necessarily; however, the Minnesota Vikings completely dominate my time during the fall months. I never schedule anything on Sundays during football season, and I watch every football game – not just the Vikings. I do wear my lucky shirt and socks every Sunday as well. As far as my Fantasy Football team goes, I will NEVER, EVER, draft someone from the Green Bay Packers, no matter how good they are. 🙂