This year’s group of DMN 40Under40 winners have a few things in common. Well yes, they’re under 40. Also they have a proven track record of marketing excellence and leadership, whether they’re in roles supporting global brands, or leading their own thriving start-ups. Over the next few weeks, you’ll get to know our winners, and what they’ve accomplished.
Jenna Weinerman is the Marketing Director at Updater
What has been your proudest career accomplishment to date?
In my five years at Updater, we’ve accomplished a lot. We became the smallest VC-backed tech company to ever IPO, successfully scaled the business to reach a $700M+ valuation with fewer than 100 employees, and raised $100M in funding. We built something that actually eases the lives of millions of people every year and even won awards for it.
My proudest moments, though, come two or three times per year when we say goodbye to our interns. I also run Updater’s nationally-ranked internship program and it’s nearly impossible to describe the joy I feel when our talented students go on to graduate and lead successful careers. Many come back and thank us for transforming their lives. We’ve formed an intern alumni group that allows us to stay in touch and create opportunities for them to come back and visit us. The group has allowed our interns to see how Updater has grown, but more importantly, for us to see how they have grown. It’s incredible to know that our efforts make such huge impact on their careers.
What’s the best piece of advice you can give to future 40Under40 honorees?
There’s no substitute for hard work. Go out there and create your own opportunities because no one is going to hand them to you. Always remember to market your own personal brand with as much care and thought as you do your company’s brand.
What do you hope to accomplish in the next 5 years?
My 37-year-old future self would glow with pride if most, if not all, people moving in America used our software to coordinate their move.
I’ve spent a large portion of my career working in relocation technology – I know way more moving tips than any normal person should! I also had a few traumatic moves from one home to another as a child. Maybe experiencing that pain is what subconsciously led me to dedicate my career to helping people move more easily. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to make this stressful time an easier one for the millions of Americans that move every year. For years, I’ve been working toward the goal of creating a moving experience so good that consumers will want to use it. To see this goal achieved within five years would be a huge professional accomplishment.
What is one interesting fact about you that few people know?
Here are three items on my bucket list: dogsledding the Yukon Trail, owning a boat, and attending Oktoberfest in Germany.
Click here to learn more about the DMN 40Under40 Awards.
