A week before Valentine’s Day, it’s impossible to avoid the barrage of ads for jewelry, flowers, chocolate, and similarly themed gifts. For people who aren’t in a romantic relationship, it can be a depressing or at least annoying time of the year.
But love is about more than just having a significant other. It’s about family, friends, and, if you’re lucky, even about the place where you work.
There’s no rule that says you have to love your job. But it certainly makes life easier when you do—and there’s definitely a lot to love about working at VSA.
Since starting VSA Prospecting in her living room in the summer of 2001, CEO Valerie Schlitt has remained committed to maintaining a welcoming, supportive workplace for her employees. It’s one of VSA’s four core values: “We build up a workplace that is motivating, supportive and fun.”
That mentality hasn’t changed, even amidst VSA’s tremendous growth as a nationally recognized B2B lead generation company in recent years. The shift from an entirely on-site office before the COVID-19 pandemic to our current hybrid environment has certainly altered the workplace dynamic, but it hasn’t affected VSA’s reputation as a great place to work.
Three times in the last five years, we have been recognized among the region’s Best Places to Work by the Philadelphia Business Journal. The world of B2B lead generation and appointment-setting can be stressful at times, but the satisfaction of developing ROI-positive campaigns for our clients and helping them achieve their sales goals makes the pressures of the job all worth it.
Working at VSA allows us to experience both tangible rewards (such as a particularly productive appointment-setting week for a program, in which we schedule multiple high-quality meetings for our clients’ sales reps), and intangible rewards (such as a Business Development Representative’s rising confidence as an appointment-setter).
Even small, everyday moments are enough to put a smile on our faces. Senior Program Manager Lisa Doyle points to a slight tweak to the messaging on one recent client program that immediately resulted in an opportunity for the client’s sales rep. Success stories like that are just one of the many things we love about working at VSA.
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we asked team members what they love about working here, and here were some of the responses:
Jamie Wood, Program Manager: Honestly, there are MANY things I love about working at VSA. First and foremost, the upper management and the group of Program Managers that work alongside me. Not only are they fantastic co-workers, but we are a team and, to me, a family. They have made me love not just my position, but coming to work every day.
I also LOVE watching programs and BDRs grow and succeed. Seeing us become better and better each day in one way or another makes all of our hard work worth it.
Breanna Stadel, Director of Operations: VSA has the most supportive team culture of any company I’ve ever heard of. It was a trying 2022 for many people, but without fail, the first thing anyone said when they heard a colleague was out was, “How can I help?” No matter what their level in the company or what their normal duties entail, everyone is always willing to pitch in.
Susan Lang, Business Development Representative: A sense of ownership coincides with working at VSA. Each conversation I have with a prospect is a direct reflection on VSA and the client I represent, and I take that very seriously. Although I work for VSA, I truly represent myself as a workforce. This reason alone is why I enjoy making connections for this organization, and sharing in the commitment to be the voice of the name brand that Valerie created two decades ago in her living room.
Lee Hendrix, Program Manager: I really appreciate the importance placed on family here at VSA, and the care that is expressed by colleagues when you or someone in your family is ill or burdened. It really makes you feel like you are a part of something bigger, and that your family extends to a much larger unit than just direct relatives.
Lascelles Straker, Program Manager: I love working at VSA because I have developed great working relationships with my peers. Seeing the strides that BDRs make in becoming the best appointment setters they can be is a great feeling as a PM. Being successful requires a lot of confidence in yourself. I have seen BDRs go from not having it, to oozing confidence in their calls as time passes.
Michelle Wiener, Program Manager: The thing I love the most about working at VSA is the camaraderie and relationships with the PM team, senior leadership, and the BDRs. Everyone is so supportive of one another, whether it is working together to overcome challenges or celebrating successes both at work and personally. Everyone truly wants the best for each other.
VSA employees also love getting to know our clients, learning about their industries, and collaborating closely to develop successful B2B lead generation strategies. Our vast experience working with companies in healthcare, technology, education, manufacturing/logistics, and other complex industries has taught us so much about the world over the last two-plus decades, and we relish the opportunity to keep learning.
If you’re looking for a partner to help grow your business and reach your sales goals this Valentine’s Day season and beyond, give us a call. We can’t promise you candy and flowers, but we can promise you a group of people who truly love what we do—and who are committed to seeing you succeed.