Adapted from the Women’s Journal Article – August / September Issue 2012*
The year was 2011. Although the recession was over, it took several years for the economy to recover, and the appeal of a virtual assistant to help business owners and “domestic engineers” with the administrative details of running a home or office was on the rise. This was how Jennasis got its start 13 years ago, and today in 2024, here are two powerhouses of the company, meet Jennifer Malcolm and Emily Kelly.
Meet Jennifer!
Jennifer Malcolm who is the CEO and Founder of Jennasis and Associates, saw an opportunity in the marketplace and capitalized on it, starting what is now a full-scale digital marketing firm with team members nationwide. In 2010, Jennifer Malcolm was at a crossroads. Having recently experienced a major life change, she was faced with the challenge of forging a new path for herself and her three children. She knew the importance of a flexible, healthy work-life balance to ensure she would be able to be present for her children while providing for them as well. As she pondered her next steps, she knew that she couldn’t be alone in the challenges she faced as a working mother. She realized what an untapped resource she and working women just like her were. Smart, hard-working caregivers and mothers who yearned for a career in which they could showcase their talents and earn a good living. A workplace that offered the flexibility to meet the demands of motherhood and caregiving as well.
In its 13th year as a business, the growth and progression of Jennasis’ success from one woman at her kitchen table to the full-service digital marketing firm we see today is something to be admired.
There is an emphasis on growing and empowering its female team members driven by Jennifer and her core team—which is mostly women! They are consistently elevating strong team members through mentorship, powered by the importance of delegation, time management, client satisfaction, attention to detail, and a strong focus on trust. Jennifer’s expert leadership emphasizes the importance of team members who rally together to get the job done, both for clients and for each other.
Meet Emily!
In the meantime, local sales and marketing expert, Emily Kelly, was seeing a demand for local marketing services “a la carte;” and as a result, Rainmaker Consulting was born. Emily had been building a brand as a marketing director for a local CPA firm when clients started asking for help with their social media, marketing plans, and websites.
Emily comes from a long line of entrepreneurs on both sides of her family … entrepreneurs that started the Van Rooy Coffee Company, the Pfitzenmaier and Jablonski engineering firm, The Fine Line clothier, and many more.
This family legacy of entrepreneurs fuels Emily’s passion for the small business owner and their struggle to “wear all the hats” and “beat the odds” to be successful in a very competitive environment. Emily believes in the “mom and pops” and truly wants to see them succeed.
One client has said, “The focus and attention to detail Emily puts into her work with each client sets her above others in her field. She understands that there is no mold to achieving success with every individual. You must structure each client’s marketing strategy differently to get the best results … Emily is a very driven individual. Not only does she want to succeed in her business, but she also wants that success to rub off on everyone she decides to have a working relationship with.”
Emily and Jennifer met 12 years ago at a networking group. Although on different career paths at the time, 2023 brought them back together to combine forces and become a dynamic powerhouse. Jennifer leads the company in vision, sales, and growth all while Emily sticks to what she knows best – strategy and sales!
If you need assistance getting back to what it is that you do best, you can access Emily’s fractional CMO services and strategic marketing planning expertise by reaching out to Jennasis & Associates today!
