It's often said you need two skills to find love: sales and marketing. 

You need marketing skills to present yourself well and gain the attention of the person you want. Then, you need sales skills to lie like you're the devil himself. 

But what if you aren't conventionally attractive and (like the sales team at Smarty) aren't willing to lie? To compensate, you'll need to dial up your marketing; we're talkin' data automation, streamlined & integrated data systems, time-saving and cost management, eliminating human error, and workflows like crazy. 

That's right, if you really want to land your sultry soul mate, you'll need an excellent marketing operations manager. It does have a certain allure. Imagine whispering "key performance indicators," "customer relationship management system," and "marketing qualified leads" into your date's ear. At Smarty, we have the guru of Marketing Operations. Allow me to introduce yogi guru Andrew Townsend.

Andrew is like a life coach for (data) love, a system management matchmaker, or a type A intimacy therapist for frontend and backend integrations. 

His words and guidance will bring light and truth to even the most broken process. You now have the rare opportunity to read his teachings for life's most difficult questions.

What is the most surprising thing you learned about addresses after joining Smarty? 

"I had no idea that addresses were so hard, in general. They change more frequently than you'd think, and there's loads of 'hidden' information in each address."

Where do you experience your most energizing moments?

"When the sun is out. I'm pretty sure I'm solar-powered; winters are fairly difficult for me. I also like when there's lots of work to be done with a clear direction to go in. I love getting stuff done and then being told, 'You did well with that one.' Oh baby, that's the good stuff."

How have you developed your job-related skills?

"Primarily by doing the job and learning on the go. I read quite a bit as well and try to learn everything I can from my mentors. I also follow great marketers on LinkedIn like Ann Handley, Jay Schwedelson, Justin Oberman, and Dan Ariely. Spending lots of time with everyone who is impacted by my work is also important to developing my skills."

When you were in elementary school, what did you want to be when you grew up?

"A dad. Then a programmer. I became one of those, not the other. Much to the disappointment of my father. *wink*"

What do you enjoy about your job role at Smarty?

"I love making something from nothing, like a blog, article, or email. And when a solid automation comes together, the endorphins go like crazy. I like providing interesting information that can be used to increase both sales and the love my managers have for me."

Do you have any completely irrelevant skills or talents?

"I can open my mouth real big and generally maintain my bicycle for my cycling commute. And I can change the spark plugs in my car."

To what resources do you turn to stay current in your job skills?

"Certifications (PCM, Hubspot), best practice newsletters (Ann Handley, Jay Schwedelson), courses and trainings (Udemy, Coursera, Google), conferences (INBOUND), and talking to Trent (a mentor whos quality rivals Jack Donaghy)."

What tips would you give to someone starting in your career?

"Don't get sucked into building your resume based on what is hot on LinkedIn. Specialize if you want to or don't. Just be willing to learn, adapt, and find ways to do more of what you enjoy, whatever it may be."

And there you have it, a glimpse into the world of data love and matchmaking at Smarty, courtesy of our very own guru of Marketing Operations, Andrew Townsend. From addresses that can be surprisingly tricky to mastering the art of creating streamlined data systems, Andrew's journey has been quite a ride.

Smarty is all about making data work its magic, and if you're intrigued by the idea of joining our team and diving headfirst into the world of address data solutions, we'd love to have you!

Visit our careers page to explore exciting opportunities that could be your perfect match. 

I think we've all been enlightened, systems salutations, my friend.