Rachel Olson is creative media manager of Quality First Home Improvement, Inc., a Diamond Certified Company since 2008. She can be reached at (877) 297-8594 or by email.
Rachel Olson: Creative Ambition
By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter
While Rachel Olson started out as a newsletter editor for Quality First Home Improvement, Inc., her creative ambition soon led her to grow into a bigger role. “Gary Kluck, the CEO and my stepfather, needed someone to handle the company newsletter, so he offered me the job,” she recounts. “Soon after I started, I realized the company didn’t have any social media presence. This was 2012, so social media and online marketing were starting to become major aspects of sales. So, I took on the social media marketing and also helped update and streamline the company’s branding. I kind of molded myself into my current position, which is Creative Media Manager.”
While Rachel was excited to branch into these new areas, it came with increased responsibility and a lot of learning. “I’m a very hands-on person, so I think learning by doing was the best thing for me,” she affirms. “I took a lot of online courses on subjects like social media marketing, graphic design and search engine optimization. I also learned a lot from working with our executives, especially the marketing director and the chief operating officer. I’m grateful for the great mentors who helped me along the way.”
Today, Rachel says her favorite aspect of her job is the teamwork. “I enjoy working with the different departments and helping them be successful. For example, today I met with a few of the sales managers to go over some new sales emails I’ve been working on. I really find satisfaction in making my teammates’ jobs easier with digital, whether by emails, flyers or inbound marketing.”
A resident of Sacramento (where she lives with her son, Theodore), Rachel spends her time outside of work on a variety of active pastimes. “I like to stay physically active,” she details. “I play volleyball every week at the community center and go to the gym regularly for weightlifting, cycle class, and yoga. I also love playing video games, working on my personal social media and flying my drone around.”
Regarding a professional philosophy, Rachel cites the power of positivity. “‘Positive things happen to positive people’—that’s something Gary says a lot, and I’ve put it into practice,” she explains. “No matter what comes at you, if you maintain a positive mental attitude, you can achieve your goals. Even when you feel like you’re sinking, it can keep you afloat. I’ve certainly struggled to manage all the aspects of my job, but keeping a positive attitude helped me succeed in the end.”
A decade since she first joined the Quality First Home Improvement team, Rachel looks forward to continued growth in the future. “It’s exciting to finally see the results of the work I’ve been doing all these years,” she says. “I’ve actually been able to hire a couple of assistants, so it’s very encouraging to see that growth and progress. I look forward to seeing my department, and the company as a whole, continue to grow and flourish in the coming years.”
Ask Me Anything!
Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
A: Queen Sheba in Sacramento.
Q: Do you collect anything?
A: I collect random stickers and buttons, mostly related to anime, video games and movies.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
A: Get cozy and watch a movie with my son.
Q: If you could transport yourself to any fictional world, where would you go?
A: The world of Harry Potter. I want to be a wizard!
Q: What was your favorite Halloween costume growing up?
A: When I was 12, I dressed up as the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra. I remember loving that costume so much.
