Employee Spotlight: Veronica Gauthier
In this month’s Employee Spotlight, we chatted with VP of Client Partnerships and Growth Veronica Gauthier about her career in affiliate marketing, the changes she’s seen the industry undergo and what she’s most excited about this holiday season.
How long have you been with Acceleration Partners and what is one of the reasons you’ve decided to stick around for so long?
I have been at Acceleration Partners for almost nine years. There are a lot of reasons that I choose to stay at Acceleration Partners, but I would say that the one that stands out is that Acceleration Partners is the first company that has invested in me on a personal and professional level.
The people here care about each other and treat each other with respect. We are encouraged to be the best versions of ourselves at home and at work, and to integrate the two in a way that allows us to not feel as though we must sacrifice one for the other. As a wife, mother and career-driven individual, this is incredibly important to me.
How did you find your way to a career at Acceleration Partners?
LinkedIn! Acceleration Partners had posted an opportunity on the jobs board on LinkedIn and I came across it there and took interest.
Affiliate marketing can be a nuanced marketing model. How do you describe what you do to your kids?
Describing what I do never feels easy and often people still don’t fully understand it, but I try to simplify my answer and use an example that is relatable for that person.
For my teenage daughter, I would describe affiliate marketing as, “We help big brands like StubHub and adidas connect with consumers who are interested in buying their products. We do this by developing relationships on behalf of the brands with partners who are interested in promoting the brands’ products on their website or mobile application. If a customer buys a product, we track it using a technology and the brand pays that partner a commission for referring that customer to them.”
What has changed in affiliate marketing since you first started in the industry?
Almost everything! I entered the industry in 2006 and since then just about everything has either evolved or changed completely.
There are new technology platforms, new affiliate business models, more sophistication in how we measure and value the channel, more regulation and compliancy and better managed programs.
What are some tips you have for staying productive and engaged in a remote work environment?
The most important things for me personally are sticking to a consistent routine, ensuring that I take clarity breaks to recharge or decompress and holding myself accountable to block time and to use that time as planned.
What three things would you bring with you to a deserted island?
Here is to hoping I am never deserted on an island, but if I were I would have to say that water, a bathing suit and sunscreen would be must haves! Lemons into lemonade, right?
What are you most excited about this holiday season?
I am most excited about the experiences and memories that I will be creating with my family this year. My husband and I have three children and seeing the magic through their eyes during the holiday season makes it so much fun. They are at such a fun age and my son just turned two, so this year will be the first year that he starts to understand what this time of year is all about.
We tend to overdo Christmas, although I would argue that there may not be such a thing, and we spend a lot of time decorating, eating and enjoying holiday movies and festivities together. We started the Elf on the Shelf tradition with the kids last year and my 4- and 2-year-old wake up every morning so excited to see what mischief their elves got into while they were sleeping.
My teenager helps to create the magic for her younger siblings, so everyone gets to be a part of it and enjoy creating the special moments for our family. We even find the humor in the moments of pure anxiety when we all panic about whether we remembered to move the Elves!
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