This Is How We Do It! Search Influence Works Hard and Plays Hard
December 17th, 2015 by
When I was hired at Search Influence, I knew I could look forward to an exciting company culture. Having watched movies such as The Internship and The Social Network, I was excited to be a part of a tech company with a cool culture and quirky traditions. I envisioned seeing my co-workers sitting on bouncy balls at their desks, cool art on vibrantly colored walls, and a super friendly team-environment—and that’s exactly what I got!
My first week, I learned more about SEO than I thought was possible, and it was awesome! Before I knew it, it was 5pm on Friday. I was getting ready to leave when I heard it: “This is how we do it. It’s Friday night, and I feel alright!” began roaring across the entire office.
If you stick around after Montell, the Account Management department keeps the after-party going with tunes from DJ Bene. Every Friday afternoon, Gabrielle Benedetto, a four-year veteran of the AM team, transforms into DJ Bene. Everyone at Search Influence knows Gabrielle for her charismatic personality and witty comments, which makes her not only an invaluable member of our team, but also an excellent DJ! Being a new member of the team, I wanted to find out how it all started, so I interviewed the DJ herself, and here is what she had to say:
How did you think of the idea of “DJ Bene’s 5 @ 5?” How long has this tradition been going on?
GB: I have a motto to live by: “There is nothing in life a martini, music, and little bit of lipstick can’t fix.” During the summer of 2015, our team experienced a higher-than-average workload. Let me just brag about our account management team for a minute. They are amazing and some of the hardest-working people I know, and I’m honored and proud to call them my co-workers. Our average account manager handles up to 40 accounts, supports in training new employees, and is constantly looking for opportunities to improve our internal processes and system, all with a smile and phenomenal attitude. I should change my motto to “There is nothing in life a martini, music, little bit of lipstick, and an SI account manager can’t fix.” #yolo
Back to that heavy workload. I knew our team had a higher-than-normal stress level, but naturally they didn’t complain. In an effort to boost morale and end the week on a high note, I so proudly launched DJ Bene’s 5 @ 5 Challenge.
DJ Bene (d/j ben-ie): A personality that arrives at 935 Gravier at 5:04 after “This is How We Do It”
I can’t take credit for the roar of Montell Jordan. “This is How We Do It” has been playing at 5 o’clock longer than I have been at SI. But after Montell drops the mic, DJ Bene picks it up.
What is the purpose of The Challenge?
GB: The idea behind DJ Bene is simple and much like any other DJ request. Give me a good reason to play your favorite song. I, however, am so much nicer than those DJs at bars that would always tell me and my friends to stop spilling drinks and back away from the DJ booth. #rude
With over 35 account managers, everyone wanted to hear their favorite song after a busy workweek. But I wasn’t so much concerned with “What song do you want me to play?” but “What amazing thing did you do this week that deserves your song to be played?” I created a spreadsheet for everyone to drop in their request and give a reason why their song should be played. I would only pick five songs, so the reason better be good!
Just like that, I started spinning the tunes with a mini speaker connected to my laptop. Congratulating team members on promotions, acknowledging members for going above and beyond, and welcoming new people to the team are just some of the requests we started to get. Some songs are themed to complement the reason (for example, “I’m So Proud of You” by Drake was requested to congratulate employees on a promotion) and others are just to hear their favorite band (i.e. anything 1D). And just like that, DJ Bene was born.
GB: The challenge has been a hit so far! Any Friday that I’m out of town and can’t DJ, the speaker is passed around to fellow team member to keep the beat.
DJ Bene’s 5 @ 5 Challenge has been a really enjoyable part of working at Search Influence. I love being a part of a company that not only works hard, but also plays hard!
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