Liquid Net’s Communications Supervisor for the Managed Internet hosting Advertising Workforce on perseverance and serving to wherever you may.
Rising up in Allen Park, Michigan, Jackie Cowan spent a number of time along with her household enjoying card video games along with her brother and fogeys. An avid reader, Cowan cherished the Scholastic E-book Honest week in elementary faculty. “My bookshelf was at all times full and my Dad must signal my studying slip once we had Learn-A-Thons in elementary faculty as a result of I learn a lot so shortly,” she says.
However she has at all times been drawn to computer systems and electronics. As a child, she was an observer, quiet and watchful. “I’m nonetheless this manner. When in a brand new scenario or by myself, I have a tendency to sit down again and watch my environment and the way individuals act and reply. I take pleasure in gathering information earlier than making choices, which helps present essentially the most correct data. And if I can put that information and knowledge in a spreadsheet, that’s a bonus.” She loved handheld video games when she was youthful—primarily the Nintendo Gameboy and QuizWiz by Tiger Electronics. Over time, Jackie turned the go-to individual in her household when others wanted assist troubleshooting stereos, gaming techniques, and different expertise.
It got here as little shock, then, that she would develop as much as earn three levels referring to expertise, operational group, and communication. Cowan holds a BBA in Administration Data Techniques from the College of Michigan, an MS in Communications from Ithaca School, and an MLIS in Library and Data Science from the College of Pittsburgh.
After graduating from Ithaca School in 2010, Cowan started searching for work. In July of 2011, a good friend talked about a job opening at Nexcess. “I jumped on the likelihood to interview,” she says, “and have been at Nexcess—and now Liquid Net—simply shy of 10 years.”
Although she started as an administrative assistant, it turned clear that the corporate wanted devoted buyer billing workers. So her position slowly morphed into that of Billing Specialist after which Billing Supervisor. Halfway by way of 2020, Cowan discovered a brand new house as Advertising Coordinator on the Managed Internet hosting Advertising Workforce. “I at present deal with buyer points on social media, doc and enhance processes for the Advertising Workforce, deal with communication for our Worker Writing Program, and assist out with technical search engine optimisation checks for upcoming articles,” Cowan says. “All of my levels helped put together me for my present position with the Advertising Workforce.”
Cowan has additionally labored to launch and run a number of work tradition initiatives with Liquid Net’s Tradition Committee to encourage company-wide participation, like a step-tracking membership, euchre tournaments, and an inner firm podcast. “After COVID hit and we moved to being primarily distant, we tried arising with alternatives to keep up worker engagement and participation,” she says. “One such alternative was a euchre match that we ran by way of a card recreation app so staff throughout the nation may take part. We had such nice success and members loved it a lot that after the primary one final spring, we had one other in the summertime of 2020. I’m at present engaged on placing collectively the primary euchre match of 2021. A number of individuals have already been asking about it, so I’m excited to launch it to everybody.”
She has discovered from a number of mentors all through her profession. “I believe I’ve pulled traits from numerous individuals over time as a means of ongoing self-improvement. Nobody is ideal and being conscious you can at all times enhance a behavior, response, or response is useful for each profession and on a regular basis life,” she says. “Some traits that resonate with me are: no matter you do ought to be finished nicely; in case you don’t know the best way to do one thing then use no matter assets you have got at your disposal to determine it out; and in case you can assist, do it.”
Cowan has made it her enterprise to assist others every time she is ready. “My motto is, ‘If I can assist, then why not?’ If somebody asks for assist, I have a tendency to leap proper in. I like serving to others and I’ve discovered that more often than not, serving to takes lower than 5 minutes of my time. Contemplating in the future has 1,440 minutes, 5 isn’t an excessive amount of to supply.” Final 12 months, Cowan was the recipient of the Final Dewy Award, an honor recognizing Liquid Net staff for being Useful People and showcasing firm values.
When she’s not working, Cowan enjoys baking, studying, and spending time along with her canine. “Within the hotter months, I’ll learn out within the yard whereas one thing is baking within the oven. My canine will chase one in all her balls or lay at my toes. It’s very enjoyable,” she says.
Cowan has recommendation to supply younger individuals considering tech. “Don’t let something, or anybody, stand in your means. In case you like expertise, there are many alternatives to get began, whether or not it’s studying to code, pc science, video gaming, and so on. Something could be leveraged right into a profession now, so go for it!”