Nov. 12, 2020

This paid piece is sponsored by Click Rain.

Rachael Weiland loves connecting with people, and she’s quite good at it.

Her broad background of experiences — from recruitment to sales and international mission work — lends itself to the job she does each day at Click Rain: fostering and developing relationships with clients and staff.

Weiland enjoys tending to the “big picture” of her work, which involves anticipating the needs of those around her and, of course, meeting them.

“It’s exciting to have each day bring something new,” she said.

After obtaining a master’s degree in contemporary media and journalism from the University of South Dakota, Weiland worked in Denver for a season before returning to South Dakota. She became interested in the novel forms of technology breaking into the digital marketing scene. That’s what led her to join Click Rain in 2017.

“I had heard of Click Rain,” she said. “They had something different. They did smart work, they were professional and poised, and it was clear that they were leaders in this space.”

Almost four years later, when asked about her “typical” day at the office, the director of account service made it clear: There are no typical days. Especially in 2020.

“I don’t go a week without learning something new,” she said.

During the COVID-19 pandemic this year, she joined forces with her team and clients to take on a host of unusual problems impacting business. This required new degrees of sensitivity, insight and problem-solving. But Weiland loves solving problems.

For instance, one client was suffering significantly less foot traffic during the pandemic. Rather than wait for things to “return to normal,” Weiland and her team found fresh and innovative ways to boost business — in this instance by targeting new emerged audiences and offering online ordering options for customers.

Here, as always, Weiland demonstrated her competence as a keen listener and leader, rising to the occasion to meet real needs. In fact, that was one of her goals for the year: Help clients survive and thrive through these unprecedented times.

As for the future, Weiland said: “I think my goal would be to have perspective on things to be thankful for and to give thanks during hard times. The pandemic stretched us in good ways and expanded our view of what’s possible. I want to go into 2021 with fresh eyes.”

Weiland also mentioned giving thanks for her family and the ways the pandemic has brought them closer together.

“When working from home, I realized the importance of balance. Having my three boys around helped me remember that, while I’m thankful to have a job, work isn’t everything. The simple things are truly the most meaningful, and being ‘stuck’ under one roof enabled us to cut away complications and simply enjoy being together.”

A leader and a mother, Weiland is also a traveler. Over the years, she has done extensive mission work in Northern Ireland, India and Thailand.

“Travel has helped me understand and connect with different people,” she said. “At this point, I think I’ve seen it all. Nothing surprises me.”

And, not surprisingly, when asked what advice she would give to young professionals aspiring to work in account management or marketing, Weiland said:

“Take time to listen to people. Truly. Give them your undivided time and attention.”

She also encouraged young people to reject the pervasive pressures to figure out their lifelong careers in advance, noting that “sometimes the experiences that don’t seem to make sense actually end up being the most valuable. Don’t worry, and relish those different experiences along the way.”

Wisdom spoken from experience, no doubt.

Meet more of the Click Rain team here.