Aaron Williams

Experience

• 

  Renaissance Learning

  Sept 2001 - Mar 2007

  Integrated Marketing Communications Specialist

  Developed control-punishing, direct-response packages, print, and online media, which helped contribute to a record-challenging amount of customer leads.Directed, developed, produced, and wrote numerous consumer catalogs and letters directed at high-level administrators, principals, and K-12 educators to secure assets from yearly budgets.Managed and engaged a team of writers and designers as managing editor of the company’s worldwide employee communications and nationwide customer communications.Lead the quarterly creation of the company’s online quiz advertising.Spearheaded brand-building magazine advertising and developed a new Web landing-page system that increased magazine leads by more than 10%Developed and managed hundreds of Enterprise-significant proprietary documents. Show less

• 

  State Farm ®

  Mar 2007 - now

  In my role as a forward-thinking product owner, I not only lead strategy but also mentor the development of an innovative mindset within my team and department. This involves spearheading the identification, exploration, evaluation, engagement in, and testing of cutting-edge trends, technologies, patents, and strategic opportunities. By staying at the forefront of emerging trends, markets, and advancements and championing communication and engagement bridges between stakeholders, I ensure the seamless integration of the latest and most impactful developments into the enterprise strategy, ultimately driving a continuous innovation ecosystem.Skills: Strategic Leadership, Innovative Mindset, Trend Analysis, Technology Evaluation, Patent Generation, Opportunity Assessment, Market Insight, Communication Skills, Engagement Strategies, Collaboration, Strategic Integration, Ecosystem Development, Leadership in Change, Cross-functional Coordination, Stakeholder Management, Adaptability, Problem Solving, Data-driven Decision Making, Risk Management, Result-oriented Execution Show less As a founding member of State Farm's inaugural ideation team, played a pioneering role in establishing and executing systematic processes and strategies. My contributions spanned problem identification and exploration, concept generation and approval, and the comprehensive development of concepts from problem identification to concept generation to go-to-market implementation. Identified market pain points and trends, conducted primary research to explore, test, and validate strategically aligned innovation opportunities. Drove fundamental and emerging insurance products, services, and processes as well as a culture of Enterprise Innovation. Empowered innovation within the highly regulated insurance industry by employing design thinking principles, primary research methodologies, insights frameworks, lean experimentation, and facilitation of enterprise and consumer pain points through informed, strategic innovation initiatives.Skills: Ideation Leadership · Strategic Innovation · Trend Analysis · Problem Identification · Concept Development · Concept Validation · Primary Research · Design Thinking · Lean Experimentation · Cross Functional Collaboration · Strategic Planning · Communication · Stakeholder Buy-In · Complex Problem Resolution · Customer-Centric Focus · Strategic Partnerships · Team Empowerment · Continuous Learning · Adaptability · Innovation Mindset · Entrepreneurial Mindset Show less Pioneered a new role within the digital transformation era of the Enterprise. Enhanced the State Farm ecosystem by comprehensively understanding pain points, gaps, barriers, and the unique needs of both State Farm Agents and consumers. Organized and prioritized ongoing initiatives and led development of innovative processes, products, and services which contributed to creating efficiencies and modernization to elevate the agent model, unlock new opportunities, and ensure continued success of State Farm in a rapidly evolving landscape.Skills: Strategic Analysis · Needs Assessment · Initiative Leadership · Organizational Navigation · Process Modernization · Product Development · Innovation Management · Efficiency Improvement · Stakeholder Engagement · Collaboration · Project Management · Data Analysis · Primary Research · Customer-Centric Focus · Communication Skills · Strategic Planning · Change Management · Market Research · Adaptability Show less Formulated and proposed a strategic initiative wherein I conceptualized and implemented an in-house strategy for the creation of a prominent social media persona. By internally developing both the strategy and content and actively managing online interactions, we achieved significant annual savings in the marketing budget. Following executive approval, I led the establishment of a communication strategy and content creation with a budget of $0.Collaborating with a fellow strategist, our focus was on generating compelling content and fostering engagement on the Twitter platform. The objective was to achieve multiple interactions with each follower who commented or direct messaged. Notably, in the early days of Twitter, the project successfully secured the first blue verification checkmark for a "brand personality," thereby validating the authenticity of our influencer.The initiative proved to be highly successful, with the Twitter account now boasting an impressive following of 89,000 nearly a decade later. This achievement underscores my ability to strategically conceive, execute, and sustain impactful initiatives within the evolving landscape of digital communication.Skills: Proposal Development · Strategic Planning · Budget Strategy · Content Strategy · Marketing Strategy · Communication Strategy · Team Collaboration · Content Creation · Social Media Management · Leadership · Innovation · Brand Building · Digital Marketing · Adaptability · Metrics Analysis · Pioneering Processes · Brand Storytelling · Influencer Marketing · Data-Driven Decision Making · Networking · Brand Partnership Development Show less Led and collaborated with a team of highly skilled external ad agency partners to spearhead Enterprise digital transformation within marketing functions and content. This involved initiating and executing strategic plans to generate content and design across various media and channels, including mobile, electronic, email, print, video, and direct response. Organized and planned communication strategies, drove content and design development while engaging with diverse internal and external stakeholders.Skills: Digital Transformation · Leadership · Cross-Functional Collaboration · Strategic Planning · Content Strategy · Design Development · Multimedia Management · Stakeholder Engagement · Project Management · Brand Development · Marketing Strategy · Content Generation · Efficiency · Market Research · Performance Metrics · Multitasking · Conflict Resolution · Resource Allocation · Client Relationship Management · Decision Making · High Capacity Output · Team Performance Show less Led a team of highly skilled professionals in applying Design Thinking methodologies to drive innovation and development, strategically advancing the State Farm brand and voice. Collaborated with internal and external teams throughout the State Farm enterprise to coordinate, plan, and implement effective communication strategies. Demonstrated efficiency in leadership, content creation, and management of enterprise-critical multimedia, encompassing mobile, electronic, email, print, video, direct response, and other media channels for diverse audiences, including national, local, executive, and internal stakeholdersSkills: Leadership · Design Thinking · Communication · Team Management · Strategic Planning · Multimedia Management · Project Management · Organizational Skills · Innovation · Stakeholder Engagement · Content Creation · Efficiency · Strategic Development · Problem Solving · Adaptability · Data Analysis · Negotiation · Cross-Functional Collaboration · Continuous Learning Show less

  • Senior Product Owner: Emerging Trends/Technology Strategy

    Apr 2018 - now

  • Design Researcher - Strategic Foresight & Ideation

    Sept 2014 - Apr 2018

  • Enterprise Agency Mobility Strategist

    Jul 2014 - Sept 2014

  • Social Media Content Strategist/Producer

    Sept 2013 - Jul 2014

  • Integrated Solutions Creative Strategist

    May 2013 - Jul 2014

  • Creative Lead, Writer/Producer

    Mar 2007 - May 2013
• 

  Estudio Bradlio

  Sept 2018 - Nov 2018

  Executive Creative Director

  Thought leader and brand design and art strategist in collaboration with Chief Creative Officer Bradford Maxfield for Facebook Headquarter's Castle Grill project

• 

  FourFifteen.co

  Dec 2021 - now

  Eco-Mindful Small Business Owner

  Net-zero lodging to call home. Eco-sustainable experiences to craft. Innovative strategy to bring sustainability dreams to life. That's FourFifteen.co