Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenica Oliver.
Hi Jenica, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory
My journey to entrepreneurship has taken me down long and winding roads at times, but I think it is the path that was created for me. Marketing has always been my passion. I received a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Texas Tech University, then went on to receive a Master of Business Administration, also in marketing, from Southern Methodist University a few years later. While attending graduate school, I received my first brand management role, which in essence, launched my consumer packaged goods marketing career.
Working for a lean organization afforded me a number of opportunities that I don’t think I would have gotten so early in my career otherwise. From leading strategic initiatives for organizations to developing innovative incubation programs that churned out countless new product propositions, all of those experiences in Corporate America prepared me for business ownership. In 2016, after suffering a major personal loss, I returned to work – the one place I felt I could lose myself and focus on something other than what my family had just endured – to find that my position had been eliminated. In a matter of weeks, I’d be unemployed for only the second time in my entire career. To say that I was devastated would be an understatement. I was numb, heartbroken and honestly lost. I pushed those feelings to the side and pushed forward, trying to focus on what to do next. I knew for sure that I didn’t want to make a rash decision, but at the same time, I desperately needed something to keep my mind busy. That’s when my career as a consultant was reborn. I was intentional about the people that I networked with and reached out to. I wanted to find the “right” opportunity with the “right” company, not just any job. If I’m honest, I had probably stayed at my previous company for too long. Too many promises for advancement were made to me, yet unfulfilled. Although I’d like to say that I dove headfirst into entrepreneurship, the reality is that I was pushed! Had it not been for the layoff, I likely would have stayed even longer. Getting laid off was probably the best thing that could have happened to my career.
In a matter of months, I was engaged in some really exciting consulting opportunities! I relaunched Blueprint Marketing Group, a company that I started in 2008 as a way to support small businesses and non-profit organizations in need of marketing expertise, and converted it to an LLC in 2017. I specialize in fractional (or on-demand) marketing consulting services, which include brand marketing, innovation/product development, consumer insights, shopper marketing and brand promotions. I’m extremely proud of the fact that the company is certified women-owned and minority-owned, as well as a host of other minority business designations.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I wouldn’t say the road has been easy, but it’s been an adventure. Prior to becoming self-employed, I firmly believed that if I worked hard, the recognition for a job well done (including raises and promotions) would come. I’ve had some great mentors along the way and I can easily point to trajectories in my career that they influenced. I’m so grateful that God placed these wonderful leaders, both men and women, in my path. Each time a promise for advancement was made, just to be followed by the disappointment of those promises not materializing, it was my “village” that got me through. The fact that the C-Suites of the companies I worked in weren’t diverse or there were no, or very few, women (let alone women of color) didn’t deter me. I think it actually motivated me. I wanted to be the face of hope for other black and brown women that followed me, and I was on a mission to be the change I wanted to see. I just didn’t realize that I was going to have to create my own company to do it!
One thing that I learned is that I have the best network! I would never have imagined the number of people that advocate on my behalf. Every consulting engagement that I’ve been presented has come from someone in my network that I either worked with or helped along the way. I believe that’s a testament to my work, my value and my personal brand. I love the quote from Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, that says, “A brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room”. That’s what has made the difference for me. Until the pandemic hit, I was engaged in what could have easily been considered a full-time job and a half. I was supporting multiple clients and launching a new promotional products service to further add value to my client relationships. Things were really kicking into high gear, I was planning for what was supposed to be my biggest revenue year yet… then everything stopped. Proposals that I’d been working on were put on hold, one multi-city retailtainment event that I was orchestrating just stopped and several huge tradeshow events that my clients were en route to were canceled! For the first time in four years, I felt like I was unemployed again. While others were pivoting, I was just trying to remain visible to my clients. The promotional products service that I launched in 2019 proved to be the opportunity to do just that. I’ve managed to stay busy supporting my clients as they transitioned to work-from-home environments, virtual conferences and recognition events. What started as a value-added service to support my clients ended up being the life-raft that I needed to stay afloat during the pandemic. I also used the downtime to check off another “to-do” on my 2020 operating plan – minority business certifications. My company was approved for Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) certification through Women’s Business Council – Southwest, Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) certification through Dallas-Fort Worth Minority Supplier Development Council and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certifications through North Central Texas Regional Certifying Agency. These affiliations have given me access to countless resources and has proven to be the Community that I didn’t know I needed on this journey. It’s honestly been one of the best investments I’ve made in Blueprint Marketing Group LLC since its inception.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
When I started Blueprint Marketing Group in 2008, my hope was to be a resource for small businesses and non-profit organizations that didn’t have access to marketers or agencies to help grow their businesses. It was mainly project work vs. on-going engagements, but it was a passion project for me. I never thought it would be more than a side-hustle because I loved working in corporations. Well, I was wrong. One thing I know for sure is that although people think that marketing is easy, and it is not. It’s a discipline like everything else and should be treated as such. Just like you’d hire an attorney for a legal issue or an accountant for financial advice, marketing leadership is no different. I focus on fractional marketing consulting and promotions. My expertise includes brand marketing, innovation/product development, consumer insights/research, shopper marketing and promotions. When companies lose their head of marketing for one reason or another, I serve as an executive marketing consultant that keeps things moving until the new vice president or chief marketing officer is identified and brought on board.
For mid-sized companies with junior-level marketing managers and lean budgets, I’m able to craft a service agreement that gives them on-demand access to my 20+ years of marketing expertise without the expense associated with hiring a full-time executive. Most of the time, people outside of the organization don’t realize I’m a consultant, so it’s efficient and cost-effective. One of my clients was courting private equity investors and needed to ensure the brand was attractive and retained its value throughout the process. I supported them on a fractional basis for over three years, evaluating positioning strategies, leading consumer research, creating the marketing strategy and annual support plans, generating new product propositions and taking a few initiatives into the test market. Once the sale was complete and the new leadership was on-board, I remained in place until they were fully staffed. I’d like to think that my presence provided continuity and eliminated the bumps in the road that might have crippled them for a period of time. Another consumer packaged goods (CPG) client that I partnered with for well over a year utilized fractional executives in several leadership positions across the company. Using fractionals was their staffing solution of choice. As their CMO, I led marketing strategy, innovation, consumer promotions and social media with internal employee resources as direct reports supporting me on the day-to-day responsibilities. I led their marketing efforts and supported sales and operations delivering some key strategic wins! In my first 90 days, the company was faced with a national product recall. In a matter of hours, I was able to leverage my professional network to quickly connect the company with a PR company, craft the response plan and support the CEO and CSO with talking points and guidance to manage the situation. While I was there, we even commissioned a National Day that will forever be attributed to my client.
That’s what sets me apart from a temporary employee or an agency. As a fractional chief marketing officer, I partner with my clients to identify the best approach for them. No two client relationships are alike, so it puts them in the driver’s seat by allowing them to choose the service level and budget that is most beneficial. They can scale up or down as business dictates and determine the length of time my support is needed. The flexibility built into my service model creates a win-win scenario for them and for me.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I enjoy helping companies realize the true value and potential for their brand or product. Each client relationship is tailor-made in partnership with the client, so it’s the right fit for their needs. I’m able to scale up or down as needed, and I’m able to pull in resources as needed to execute the plans and programs we develop. My clients benefit from my network of creative resources, consumer insights partners, public relations firms, shopper marketing agencies and more when they engage with my company. Often times, these are resources they wouldn’t otherwise have access to or be able to afford on a retained or on-going basis. I have been fortunate to have never had to make cold calls or even advertise. I’ve benefitted from the power of my network and I appreciate each and every referral and introduction that is made on my behalf. For the readers that are ready to engage a marketing professional to help grow their brand or service and my model sounds like the right solution, I’d love to hear from them.
Contact Info:
- Email: contactus@blueprint-mktg.com
- Website: https://www.blueprint-mktg.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/customizedbyblueprint
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blueprintmktg
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blueprint-mktg/
Image Credits
Advertising Specialty Institute
