Get to know… Susan!

In case you haven’t heard, Vovia has a new President!

We heard you’re a born and raised Calgarian?

It’s true! I thought this was a pretty rare trait until I discovered that we have quite a few born and raised Calgarians here at Vovia. There’s just something about those mountains, the economy, and the chinooks (especially when they roll in during a cold snap) that make this place really special. With so many native Calgarians here at the shop, Calgary based business is very close to our hearts.

We understand you’re quite well travelled too?

I’ve been lucky enough to see some pretty amazing places. I have been gorilla trekking in Uganda, where I attempted to learn their language. If you ever need to ask a gorilla to “pass the veggies”, I’m your girl. I’ve been on safari in the Serengeti, where I mistakenly referred to a wildebeest as an “African cow” (how embarrassing). The tour guide made fun of me the rest of the trip…  While we’re on the wild side, I have also been an elephant trek in Chaing Mai which, like the elephants, I will never forget.

Where else? I ventured to the Valley of the Kings and the Great Pyramid in Egypt. No wonder they used to worship the sun as a god; it is HOT there! And, last but not least, a wine tasting tour in Tuscany. Like most others who have been bitten by the travel bug, the list of places I still want to visit is quite long.

What made you decide to come and work with a bunch of digital geeks?

At my last agency (Venture Communications), we partnered with Vovia for their SEM expertise; particularly on accounts with aggressive targets. Not only did Vovia hit the targets, they exceeded them and found cost efficiencies in the process—And by efficiencies I mean north of 25% in media savings! That’s what we do here. That’s why I crossed over. We help our clients realize opportunities to drive even greater success. No other digital agency can get the results that Vovia can.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

Oh man, I want them all! If I had to choose one, I suppose it would be teleportation. Imagine no traffic, no airports (or plane rides for that matter), and face to face conversations at the drop of a dime. Picture lunch breaks on Venice beach or a café in Venice (depending on the day). Yep, teleportation it is!

You are obviously passionate about travelling, where’s the next big trip?

Peru, the Amazon, and the Galapagos Islands all in one trip! This journey will have it all; history, extraterrestrial education, adventure, and exotic wildlife (which I will call by the correct name this time). What more could a girl want?

What is your favourite weekend activity?

That’s a tough one. In the winter, I love to go skiing. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of tearing into fresh powder. In the summer, any kind of outdoor adventure with my family is always a blast. In case you haven’t realized, I LOVE adventure and like to switch it up as often as possible.

What has been the biggest challenge since coming to Vovia?

The hierarchy at Vovia is very flat (especially considering my last gig), which has taken some getting used to. At this agency, the techs can approach the founder directly if they need insight—it really is like one big happy family around here. Also, the speed of change in digital marketing is staggering. It is a constant battle to get up to speed (and to stay there).

Where is Vovia headed under your leadership?

These are exciting times! I won’t let our secret out yet, but Vovia is very well positioned to become a leader in this industry.