In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we'd like to say how grateful we are for marketing consultant Jennifer Carter. Take a moment to get to know her!

How long have you been with Magnets USA? Four years, three months.

What does a typical day look like? From start to finish, my day is about our clients — learning about them, recommending the best products and services and seeing that their needs are met.

What’s the most rewarding part of the job? Getting to know people. Some of our clients feel like friends. Once the relationship has been established, our clients come to trust us. They rely on us to be helpful and honest. They expect that we will do our best to help in any situation.

What’s one of your proudest accomplishments? I am, and have almost always been, a very active part of our community. From performing arts to community outreach, I enjoy contributing.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten? "Work hard now, and one day you'll be able to do what you want without answering to everyone else." -Elsie P. Williams

What’s something you’re really passionate about? Travel. I want to see as much of this planet as possible. I'm not in any way limiting myself, but I would like to visit at least 50 countries. So far I'm at 11.

Success stories like this one from customer David R. make our day! Thanks to the Rittenhouse team for sharing.

Will you help Jayson and Alan raise money for men's health research?

Love it or hate it, facial hair is running wild this month. Some do it just for fun, a challenge among male friends and family. Many, however, are using their more rugged appearance to raise both awareness and funds for men's health issues.

From the Movember Foundation:
The Movember community has raised $559 million to date and funded over 800 programs in 21 countries. This work is saving and improving the lives of men affected by prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health problems.

 The Movember Foundation challenges men to grow mustaches during Movember (formerly known as November), to spark conversation and raise vital funds for its men’s health programs. To date, 4 million mustaches have been grown worldwide, but we won't stop growing as long as serious men’s health issues exist.
 
So here's why marketing consultants Jayson McCoy and Alan Dever are forgoing a clean shave this November:

Alan: I signed up for Movember after becoming more educated about what it actually is.  I had heard of "No-Shave November" before, but after checking out the Movember website, I found out that Movember is actually a movement to change the "face" of men's health worldwide, and to bring awareness and create conversation about prostate cancer and other men's health issues.

So my co-worker and I sort of dared each other and came back into work the next day with clean-shaven faces. Plus it was a good reason to grow a "stache" for the month of November, which I have never done before.  It's fun, something different and it IS creating some conversations (and laughs)! Maybe we'll even raise a few bucks to contribute to the funded programs, but for now it's fun — not so much for my wife though. She hates it and calls me names.

Here's how to donate:
For Jayson: Donate online.
For Alan: Donate online.
You can also mail checks to: Movember, P.O. Box 1595, Culver City, CA 90232 (just reference each of their ID numbers)

It's hard to believe that our Meet the Team series is already in its 20th week! Time must fly when you're surrounded by awesome co-workers. This week, meet marketing consultant Wanda Ayala.

How long have you been with Magnets USA? A little over five months.

What does a typical day at work look like? Answering the phones, emails and going though a list of call-backs.

What's the most rewarding part of the job? Serving customers. I really love people and helping them as much as I can. Occasionally, you have someone who is very thankful — that makes the hard work so worth it.

What's the best gift you've ever received? I think two thoughts instantly: First, life is a gift and I do not want to take it for granted. Second, my husband. He has been my soul mate for 22 years.

Who in your life most inspires you? Jesus Christ, my personal Savior. He delivered me from suicide back in 1995, and I have been inspired by Him ever since.

What's one of your proudest accomplishments? My website, RawMentalJourney.com, that just went live in September. I am amazed at how many people are downloading my podcast from around the world. Pretty cool.

This week, meet two team members who normally work behind the scenes.
Throughout any given day, you'll find digital pressman Bill Britton tucked away among our presses, making sure every order is printed to perfection.

One flight up, usually behind a computer screen, you'll find Laura Weeks, our marketing communications coordinator (and author of this blog series — hello!). As our social media administrator, she's (I'm) always looking for new ways to engage our followers, whether it's through photos, videos, Twitter campaigns or blog posts.

How long have you been with Magnets USA? One year.

What does a typical day at work look like? Heavy production and multiple challenges.

What's the best part of the job? Being challenged, seeing the finished product.

What's the best adventure you've ever been on? Backpacking in Havasupai Canyon, in the west end of the Grand Canyon, and seeing how the Havasupai people live.

If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be? My father. I didn't get to have enough dinners with him, and he always had the best advice about life and how to live it.

What do you love most about your family? The fact that they love me (most of the time).

How long have you been with Magnets USA? Since June, so I’m still learning new things every day.

What’s the most rewarding part of the job? My position allows me to do so many of the things I love, including photography and videography, design, writing and using social media to build connections.

What does a typical day at the office look like? Without fail, each morning starts with coffee and one of several Indie-folk playlists on Spotify. Then I catch up with our Facebook and Twitter accounts. Though every day is a little different, most involve shooting photos for marketing campaigns, creating fresh designs for our website and writing copy for different departments as needed.

What's one of your biggest accomplishments? In 2012, I spent a month in Italy studying multimedia journalism. Not only was it my first time out of the country, but we were in a town where very little English was spoken. Despite these challenges, I sought out my own story idea and developed it across written, visual and audio platforms. Running around the city, scheduling interviews and photo shoots, late-night editing sessions — I loved every second of it. In the end, my photography was voted No. 1 and article among the top five by our faculty, which included a Pulitzer-winning reporter, a Washington Post photographer and a former New York Times art director. Want to see it? Take a look.

What was the last experience that made you a stronger person? My dad died my freshman year of college. It was shattering in every way possible — until I started turning that tragic experience into positive ones, like becoming a staff photographer and later, an editor, for my college newspaper and applying for the program in Italy. Three years later, I memorialized my dad's life into one of my favorite photography projects, called "Portrait of My Father."

If you could give one piece of advice to large group of people, what would it be? When I was little, I remember my mom telling me, "If nothing else, have compassion for people." Those are always words worth passing along.

As a company that prides itself on being family-owned for almost 25 years, we’re excited to introduce brothers Dale and Alan Turner.

Founder and co-owner, Dale oversees our sales and marketing departments, frequently traveling with members of our sales team to trade shows around the country.

As president, Alan spearheads our production team to ensure that all processes are running as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

Together, Dale and Alan’s complementary passions are the fuel behind everything we do here at Magnets USA.

What does a typical day look like?
Dale: My days start early,  sometimes at 5:30. A typical day involves video conferencing in to meetings, reviewing and answering emails and critiquing new products and designs.

Since part of my responsibility is planning ahead, I’m always thinking about new products and marketing strategies. I always look for how we can improve what we’re doing and how to create new things our customers will love.

Alan: My day starts with a cup of coffee and our daily production meeting.  After that, my day can go in many directions. More meetings, researching or studying a business process, paperwork, talking to employees, etc.  Generally, my days fly by.

What's the most rewarding part of the job?
Dale: Talking to our customers at trade shows. Our customers are so great and are our most important source for new designs and products — I love hearing their comments and suggestions. I take great pride in knowing our products are effective for them and that they’re still choosing us after 20 years or more.

I am also thrilled that we have so many employees who have been with us for many years. It really does seem like a big family, and new employees seem to blend in so quickly. I am so proud that so many people choose to continue their careers with us.

Alan: Providing employees with a rewarding, satisfying place to work — all while providing quality products and services to all our customers.

What words of wisdom inspire you?
Dale: Most recently, a Jeff Bezos quote inspires me: “Any business plan won’t survive its first encounter with reality. The reality will always be different. It will never be the plan.” Also, “Expect the unexpected.” In business and in life, there are always surprises. Things will continually evolve, so being flexible and adapting to present circumstances is a must. Change also makes life so enjoyable.

Alan: It is impossible for me to identify any one thing, but at the top of the list are: Work hard. Be honest and fair. Treat employees and customers like you want to be treated.

What advice would you give to a young entrepreneur?
Dale: Do something you know and like. Become an expert before you make a business out of it. Get help in areas of business where you are not proficient. Just because you’re a great cook doesn’t mean you know how to run a restaurant.

Most businesses start small, and money may not be sufficient in the beginning — so make sure you’re okay while your business develops.  Use your common sense and trust yourself.

Who in your life inspires you most?
Alan: I work to make and keep my faith in Jesus Christ as my focus and inspiration. It is great knowing that there's a higher power watching over us.

What’s your vision for Magnets USA 10 years down the line?
Dale: The world changes faster than ever now, so I expect Magnets USA will adapt to those changes. While we’ll still be doing what we are now, I also think we’ll be focused on things that are not magnets. The future will be full of new surprises, I am sure, and we will always allow our customers to guide us.

What do you love most about living in the Roanoke Valley?
Alan: Great, hardworking, charitable people; beautiful mountains; spring, summer, winter and fall; a variety of outdoor activities; and a short commute, to name a few.