Today we continue our "Meet the Sharks" special blog series with one of our Business Growth Consultants, Cindy Paradiso. Cindy works each day to drive results for our clients so they can experience new leads, enhance their sales processes, and deliver great customer experiences.
Tell us a bit about your background?
CP: I’m originally from Albany, New York where I was born and bred, then graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in advertising. After college, I moved back to Albany and worked at the FOX affiliate TV station in the Traffic Department, where I scheduled commercials. It was an interesting first job that also entailed volunteering as an extra in commercial shoots and wearing furry cartoon character costumes for station-sponsored kids’ events. And, boy, do I have some stories to tell about those experiences!
Moving on from television, I started working for a pool and spa chemical manufacturer, and stayed in that industry for the next 10 years -- not necessarily working for the same company, but working with the same owners and their next business ventures. In 2005, I moved to Grand Rapids with my husband Nick and our two children, Samantha and Max. Not knowing anyone here and having no extended family in Michigan, it was a bit of an adjustment, but we quickly settled in, made great friends, rescued our dog Gunther, and we now consider Grand Rapids our home.
What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
CP: My age. I’m older than most people think (and, sorry, I’ll keep people guessing), but I credit it to a small stature and good genes. While it can be both a blessing and a curse -- though I’m not complaining -- I find it humorous that I still occasionally get carded and have actually been mistaken for my 18-year old daughter from a distance.
What do you like to do outside of work?
CP: When you’re a mom of two active teenagers, my life outside of work usually revolves around them, which I love, because they grow up so fast! I’m usually attending one or both of their sporting events or school activities after work or on Saturdays. Samantha just graduated so she’ll be heading off to college soon (sniffle, sniffle), but Max will still keep me busy for the next couple of years. Other than that, we like to spend time as a family or with good friends at our cottage in Spring Lake (and a glass of wine, of course).
What exactly do you actually do as a Business Growth Consultant at ManoByte?
CP: At ManoByte, we help clients grow their businesses through inbound marketing, sales, and customer experience strategies. It is a collaborative effort as far as strategy and implementation, but my job is to be the project manager and communicator between the client and the ManoByte team to ensure expectations are met from both sides.
Tell us about what ManoByte was like when you interviewed for your job?
CP: Company culture has always been important to me, so when ManoByte ranked pretty high in that area in my pre-interview research, it definitely caught my attention. When I first stepped into the office for my interview, ManoByte already seemed like a cool place to work with its shark theme, relaxed atmosphere and amazing fish tank. Then, after talking with Kevin, with his complete openness and honesty about anything I asked him -- about the company, his vision, and even non-work-related things like our favorite music -- my first impressions about ManoByte were confirmed.
What is your favorite part about your job?
CP: Based on my previous answer, clearly it’s the company culture. There is mutual trust, respect, and accountability within the team that allows us to have such a flexible work environment that is both productive and accommodating. But I also love the learning opportunities we are encouraged to take advantage of in order to stay on top of all the latest changes in marketing.
What is something you find challenging about your position?
CP: Whenever you work with a number of clients, the ebb and flow of workload can sometimes be a challenge, especially when 2 or 3 come to you needing something super quick.
If you could suggest just one thing companies today should be doing with their inbound marketing, what would you suggest?
CP: Technology is constantly changing, and therefore how we interact and do things is constantly changing too. Marketing needs to adjust to these changes in consumer behavior. Look at how video and voice technology are affecting things. Companies need to stay on top of these changes and adjust their marketing accordingly.
What’s been your favorite project you’ve been a part of?
CP: Anything out of my normal realm always adds variety and excitement, so I would say the video we did to celebrate the HubSpot Impact Award has been my favorite project. Other than that, I also enjoy developing our standard processes and infrastructure. I see the amazing growth potential for ManoByte, so it’s important that we set up a scalable infrastructure.
What is one thing you think business owners get wrong with their marketing?
CP: I believe many business owners don’t spend enough on marketing because results aren’t as apparent or immediate. They will invest more in sales efforts because results are directly reflected in the sales numbers. But marketing actually supports sales efforts, allowing the sales team to be more productive. Therefore, there must be better alignment between marketing and sales.
What do you think someone would be surprised to know about ManoByte?
CP: We sometimes lie down on our couches, kick off our shoes and put our feet up while we work. We are allowed to work however we are comfortable, and occasionally we’ll even have a beer, wine or Sangria.
Anything else you’d like to add that we haven’t asked you about?
CP: I’m excited to be a part of ManoByte team. I had typically been the inside marketing person on the client side and was always curious about HubSpot. Now knowing first-hand what an amazing tool it is, I regret not using it sooner in my past roles. It really does streamline your sales and marketing efforts together into a nice, convenient hub.