Photo Courtesy of Zellus Marketing
Today we talk with Carl Holden the Creative Director, and one of the founders, of Zellus Marketing. Carl is a UAH alumnus who helped start this company while he was an undergraduate studying Marketing. He shares about how Zellus came to be and the importance of putting your clients first. Read below to hear more about this awesome marketing firm.
1. What was it like helping to start a marketing company directly after graduating from UAH?
I actually started it while still a student. I recognized that education was important but experience was paramount.
2. Tell us the story of how Zellus Marketing came to be. What led to this happening?
I searched for internships and found Craig Stults of Gorilla Indoor. We did some work together. He was turning away marketing work! So we decided to start a marketing company while I was finishing school. It was very part-time at first.
3. What is your work atmosphere like?
Fairly laid back. We put on polos with our logo for clients but most days we sit in front of computers with a t-shirt and jeans.
4. On your LinkedIn we see that you are heavily involved in the Video Game Design Club at UAH, and you use this club to interact with local kids in the community. Could you tell us a little bit more about this and why you think community engagement is important?
Any job you do has good parts and boring parts. I love working at Zellus but it helps to have something to break up your work. Some people play sports. I teach game design to kids. They are our future workforce, future leaders! We teaching coding, graphic and sound design, writing, and more to kids ages 8 to 18 from across the valley. Sessions are Tues, Weds, Thurs, 6 to 8pm.
5. What is the best part of your work?
The “I’m my own boss” cliche is flawed. Each client is my boss. I am the “manager of my time.” Entrepreneurship is about controlling your destiny on a daily basis. I like that every day is usually fairly different. I meet a lot of people and get to work on a huge variety of marketing projects. In the last 7 years, I’ve worked for 100+ companies in varying degrees.
6. What kinds of qualities are most attractive in a potential employee?
Independence. I didn’t get into this to be a manager. The people who need me or Craig to look over their shoulder constantly don’t normally stick around. I like people who, if they don’t know how, will teach themselves how to do something and find a solution.
7. How can students better engage with you and your company?
They can visit https://www.zellusmarketing.com/contact to get me or Craig. I tend to be the one who manages interns.
8. Do you have any overall advice for students, being a UAH alum, on how to pursue a professional career?
Get experience! Everyone else at school is getting the same degree as you. Learning is great, doing is greater!
9. Do you have any fun workplace stories that describe who you all are as a company/describe your team dynamic?
You get some really weird requests and emails. I get a lot of spam emails and some of it is quite comical. We just like to joke around together. We take our work seriously, when others are watching!
10. What do you believe is one of the best kept secrets at UAH?
UAH has a lot of programs and opportunities. I wish I had gotten more involved and there seems to be way more than when I was there.
11. How did your time at UAH shape you into the businessman that you are today?
I took what I learned and tried to apply it. Concepts are as ethereal as unicorns unless you can try them out on something. Start an ecommerce business. Do freelance work. Take your learning and go use it!
We love our friends at Zellus Marketing and are so grateful for all that they do for this campus and community. A huge shoutout to Carl for taking the time to share with our students some important lessons in business and career advancement. If you are interested in Zellus Marketing, be sure to reach out to them!
Photo Courtesy of Zellus Marketing
Carl Holden, Creative Director (Left) with Craig Stults, Managing Director (Right)
