What does a…If you look at our job landscape, you will see special functions. A field service engineer, a lab technician or an assembly worker: we obviously need them badly, but for what and why? In this series, someone tells about his or her profession every week. Today: Rosalie van Dijk (30) is campaign manager at crowdfunding company CrowdAboutNow in Utrecht.
What exactly do you do?
“As a campaign manager at CrowdAboutNow I assist entrepreneurs during their crowdfunding campaign. The big goal is to reach the target amount, but entrepreneurs have to work for that themselves. A campaign has to be conducted to bring in investors that suit the entrepreneur. I help them think about how they can best reach their investors.”
Let’s take a step back, what is crowdfunding again?
“In order to start, change or renew a company, an entrepreneur needs money. With crowdfunding you make use of the crowd, a group of people who invest in the plans of the company. By campaigning intensively, entrepreneurs try to reach the target amount within an agreed time. If this does not work, the investors will get their money back.”
How does campaigning work? What is the golden tip?
“For a good campaign it is important that the entrepreneur has an appealing story. I sit down with the entrepreneur and discuss this. Then the entrepreneur has to go to the farmer with his story. The golden tip here is: phasing. Start with people close to you, friends and customers and expand this further. The further away someone is from you, the less willing they are to invest. Once you have a group of investors, the power of the crowd starts to work. It’s exciting, but if it works, it’s cool!”
Have you always wanted to be a campaign manager?
,,No, as a little girl I didn’t think ‘I want to be that!’ It came my way. Before this job I worked as a project manager at an advertising agency. That was mainly facilitating and I wanted to cooperate more. The vacancy for this position came along and it made me happy. The company especially appealed to me. I knew CrowdAboutNow through my friend who financed his catering business that way.”
Is this your dream job?
,,Yes, I am right here. I work with exceptional entrepreneurs and help them realize their dream. The job content is interesting and my colleagues are fun. We are a small company, which is nice. There is a positive working atmosphere and there is little hierarchy. I get a lot of room to grow and to invent things myself. And the nice thing is that we achieve many successes together. That, of course, always provides a boost.”
When I go away for a weekend, I immediately check which catering or place has been crowdfunded
What is less fun about your job?
“When entrepreneurs do their very best, but the campaign does not generate enough money. I try to help entrepreneurs as best I can, but ultimately the entrepreneur is responsible for the success of the campaign. It still sucks, even for me.”
And is work-life a bit in balance?
,,Certainly. I work full time, 40 hours. And if I work a few more hours one day, I’ll make up for that another day. I am flexible about that. In my spare time I like to run and I like to visit the catering industry.”
Do you go to catering that has crowdfunded through your platform?
,,Yes! When I go away for a weekend, I immediately check which catering or place has been crowdfunded. An unwritten rule at CrowdAboutNow is also: choose crowdfunded entrepreneurs as much as possible. Although that choice is not too difficult, since we work with a lot of great entrepreneurs!”
Campaign managers wanted
Want to become Rosalie’s colleague? You can find all vacancies at CrowdAboutNow here†
Campaign managers aren’t just needed for crowdfunding. Companies in various sectors need managers to set up campaigns. Are you creative and do you know exactly how to address the right target group? Can you handle a tight schedule and keep a sharp eye on the budget? Then this position might be for you. You will find relevant vacancies in your region here at the National Vacancy Bank.
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