My time at 5&1 Consulting Group INC.

Working at 5&1 Consulting Group, Inc. gave me a great foundation for working in a fast-paced environment. We were a startup digital marketing agency, so we were open to working with all kinds of industries while trying to find our niche. Our clients included nonprofit organizations, an internet service provider, tattoo artists, musicians, janitorial services, and more. As the Lead Digital Strategist, this was my first time managing a team. There was definitely a learning curve, but it allowed me to grow quickly and get hands-on experience in many different areas of digital marketing.

At 5&1, I was busy from the beginning to the end of the day, and no two days were the same. I worked on research and analytics using tools like Tableau and Google Analytics, performed website and keyword research, worked on RFP proposals, helped develop 5&1's branding, met with clients, participated in discovery meetings, and managed Google Ads and Meta Ads campaigns. I also got to experience the business development side of marketing. There was even a point where I was going door to door and cold calling businesses to introduce them to our agency. I really got a little bit of everything, which helped me understand just how many different parts go into running a digital marketing agency.

One of my favorite clients I had the opportunity to work with was an internet service provider that wanted to bring reliable internet access to communities that did not have it, including areas like Charles City County, Virginia. This project was especially important to me because I understand how easy it can be to feel left behind without access to the internet, especially when so much information, education, and opportunity is online.

For this client, I worked on several different parts of their marketing strategy. I created mailers and signage, helped build their website, and set up targeted advertising aimed at people in the specific areas they wanted to reach. We worked with the client for months, getting everything prepared for the launch. Unfortunately, due to circumstances outside of our control, the service was ultimately unable to launch.

Even though the campaign never made it to the finish line, it was still one of the projects I enjoyed the most. It gave me experience working on a project with a very specific audience and a goal that went beyond simply selling a service. More importantly, it showed me how marketing can be used to connect people with resources and opportunities that can genuinely make a difference.

My time at 5&1 ultimately played a big role in where I went next. I enjoyed having the freedom to work across different areas of marketing, work directly with clients, and figure things out as I went. It was one of the experiences that gave me the confidence to eventually start working freelance and branch out into other opportunities in digital marketing.