Lauren Fitt joined Croud’s AU office as a Biddable Account Executive a year ago. She has spent the last 12 months at our Sydney office getting to know the ins and outs of Croud.
When I was asked to write about my first year at Croud, I felt honoured that I was given the opportunity to write about this great organisation that I had joined. Read on as I reflect on the different aspects of what I experienced and learnt, while in my first year.
What does it mean to be a Biddable Account Executive at Croud?
As a Biddable Account Executive, I support my account manager team members from an implementation perspective on a variety of clients, and also act as a second set of eyes on the accounts. No two days are the same, and there are a lot of different responsibilities that come with the role, which is what I love about my job at Croud. Some of my day-to-day responsibilities include completing search query reports, finding ways to optimise a client’s campaigns, and writing new ad copy to support a campaign launch.
I also manage a few of my own clients completely, which I really enjoy because it entails more client-facing responsibilities and I’m 100% a people person. However, with that comes challenges in the form of multitasking and ensuring that you are giving each of your clients attention and delivering five-star service. You do not want to leave any client feeling like they haven’t been attended to or work hasn’t been well-executed, regardless of how big or small the company is. This is something I always aim to prevent, and I do that at the start of each week by planning out my daily activities for each client.
How was it working through a lockdown?
Although we were hit with a lockdown during the middle of the year, I was lucky enough to have been able to work in the office prior to that, and meet the amazing individuals that make up the Croud AU team. This allowed me the chance to solidify my bond with the team before we had to part ways for a few months, and only see each other virtually.
When you think of working remotely as a team, words like ‘disconnected’ or ‘isolated’ are usually thrown around. However, thanks to the power of technology and the passionate group of people that make up the AU team, we were able to break the stereotypes around the work-from-home experience and establish a connected network, even while working remotely. During the lockdown in Sydney, Croud hosted a number of virtual social events for the team, like a heart-pumping Zumba class and a cocktail masterclass (to name a few), allowing us to maintain the social side of the company.
What is the culture like at Croud?
Company culture is fundamentally one of the most important aspects of a business. It is one of the key factors I take into consideration when joining a company, as without it, it wouldn’t make work enjoyable or exciting. For me, Croud has had one of the healthiest and most fun work cultures I have ever experienced. We organise regular social events, a few from this year including an Easter Egg Hunt, team dinners, and competitive games of go karting. I also have the privilege of working with a team that genuinely cares about me and a managing director that supports us in any way he can. It is a workplace where I feel enthusiastic about the work I do, and it drives me to be the best team member I can be.
“It is a workplace where I feel enthusiastic about the work I do, and it drives me to be the best team member I can be.”
Staying connected globally
I also do not feel this overwhelming support from just the direct team in Australia, but our colleagues in the UK and US are always willing to extend a helping hand, as well. Whenever one of us Aussies have a question that we can’t answer, the team overseas are always more than willing to help and have discussions with us so we can stay connected. I’m also lucky enough to have a buddy in the US, who I have regular catch ups with, to not only discuss work, but be social with and get to know. This has allowed me to get to know members of the wider team, who I may not speak to on a day-to-day basis.
What have I learnt in my first year?
Already in my first year at Croud, I have learnt a number of things which I will carry with me, from now and into the future.
Learning how to be a leader
One of the key lessons I’ve learnt was how to manage people. In my prior roles, I have always been the person to be managed, but never the individual to manage others, or even play a hand in it. Coming to Croud, I have been given the opportunity to train and upskill a young professional, who had minimal experience prior to joining. This has led me to be able to understand different individuals’ psyche, and how they need to be approached based on that. Not one person can be managed the same way as another.
Seizing opportunities to learn
Another thing I learnt is to always be on the lookout for ways to upskill yourself. This is in line with one of Croud’s other key focuses, which is ensuring their team members are constantly learning and familiarising themselves more with areas that are of interest. For example, Croud has an amazing training platform called Croud Campus, where I can go to learn about all things digital. Through this learning hub, I was able to pick up a course on programmatic to advance my skills and knowledge on this channel.
The business also encourages us to make sure we are up-to-date with all the latest industry news and trends. This has been instilled in all the teams from the get-go, and has now allowed me to develop this positive habit.
Final thoughts
What a year it has been! In such a short span of time, I have been able to grow and develop so rapidly. I look forward to the many more years to come at Croud, and seeing what those next few years will look like.
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