Kristen Kaefer
Senior Director, Digital Marketing, NetApp Inc.
Winning ways: It takes a special level of discipline and drive to complete one marathon. Kristen Kaefer has completed five. It’s no surprise then that Kaefer had worked her way up to senior director of digital marketing at a Fortune 100 company by age 35. She has successfully managed teams of more than 100 people, across multiple job roles and six countries. Kaefer’s expertise in creating digital experiences has influenced more than 70% of sales opportunities at NetApp.
Defining moment: “Making the move over to NetApp. At the time, there was no email marketing program at all and I was asked to make one from scratch. That propelled me into the digital space.”
Words to live by: “Work extremely hard and smart, and try not to be a jerk while you’re doing it.”
Head swivel: “Mobile has taken off significantly over the past several years. Not only do we need to respond, we need to get ahead. We were in the forefront for building out a paid search program made specifically for mobile and tablets. We overhauled our entire site to be more mobile responsive.”
Good advice: “Stretch yourself to try different experiences in marketing. There are many avenues to specialize in, but try different ones first.”
First job: “I sold shoes at Koplin Sports. I quickly learned to speak to my audience in a way that resonates with them. If they were interested in running shoes, I made sure to cross-sell and upsell clothes and accessories for running.”
On your nightstand: Leading with Questions: How Leaders Find the Right Solutions By Knowing What To Ask by Michael Marquardt.
Favorite app: Redfin Real Estate and ESPN.
Click or tap here to read the stories behind the successes of the other Direct Marketing News 2014 40 Under 40 winners.
