Member Spotlight: Shaina Forman

I'm Shaina Forman, brand strategy manager at Sol Marketing and InvestorPitches. After spending most of my life in Austin, Texas, I moved to NYC last year and started working here remotely.

Tell us about Sol Marketing and your role there.

How do you differentiate your company in a way that really matters to the right people? How do you tell a story about your brand or product that your ideal customers will emotionally connect with, even if you're a B2B or tech company? How do you pitch investors with the right story? How do you make somebody care about what you have to say? We're a brand strategy firm, and we work with companies to figure out those things and a whole lot more.

I've spent the last three years working with all kinds of companies including Dell, Akamai, FreshDirect, Flex, The University of Texas, and many startups. We work with companies to craft their brand stories and identify actionable insights to get their businesses to the next level -- all based around understanding your customers' real needs and uncovering opportunities to drive purchase decisions. We also create marketing content that drives prospective customers to take action and moves them from awareness to interest to purchase -- so that you stay top of mind, whether or not they're ready to buy what you're selling.

What tips do you have for companies trying to build a successful brand?

Winning brands tell their stories through the eyes of their customers. You can do that by building a brand that your customers will see themselves in. Talk to your prospective customers about what's really going on in their lives, in their days at work, and what's keeping them up at night. Then figure out how you fit in and how your brand or product can make them feel like they're the hero in their own stories, in their lives or at their jobs. 

What do you like about working remotely?

I love feeling like I'm in exploration mode, even during the work day. Working in different parts of NYC has definitely expanded my view of the city and let me get to know neighborhoods I wouldn't typically be in.

What has been your greatest accomplishment at Sol Marketing?

Training our marketing associates to do the work that we do! As part of my job, I'm responsible for defining "The Sol Way" and figuring out how to train our team to run strategy and content projects for our clients. It's awesome to see them learn how to step up and take ownership over our work. Managing team members remotely can be tough, but we've figured out how to make it work!

How do you typically use Croissant?

I do the 10 hours per month membership, and it's perfect for what I need. I'm often hopping around the city for meetings, and when you're in an area you don't know well and need to find somewhere to take a client phone call, it can be tough to find a place with reliable wi-fi and limited distractions. Croissant has been a lifesaver a few times when I've needed a place for a call or to work for a few hours. I've also gotten to see some really cool co-working spaces using Croissant that I never would have visited otherwise.

Thanks Shaina! You can find her on Linkedin,  Facebook, and her website.