It has been said that the future belongs to those who can see it, and it is often the young visionaries among us who see that bright future first. At Elevation Ten Thousand, our Director of Organic Strategy, Kimberly Bubeck, has done just that, envisioning and then creating a future for E10K that might not have come to pass without her vision. That’s one of the key reasons she was nominated for Albany Business Review’s 40 Under 40 award for 2024, and we are thrilled to say that it’s also why she won.
The Albany Business Review 40 Under 40 Award
Each year, the Albany Business Review (ABR) solicits the local community for nominations for their 40 Under 40 award, which honors young professionals who positively contribute to the Capital District and help shape the community’s future. Modeled after other such awards, such as the famous Forbes title for the under-30 set, the local focus of the ABR award underscores the publication’s dedication to the long-term success of our area.
Eligibility and Nominations
Nominees for ABR’s 40 Under 40 must live and work in the region the publication serves, which is Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren, and Washington counties. Additionally, they must not have reached their 40th birthday by the time they receive the award. This year, the age deadline is May 17, 2024.
Selection Process
Each year, ABR receives hundreds of nominations for young professionals across the region; however, it is important to note that the number of nominations one candidate receives has no bearing on whether or not they win. Instead, ABR often consolidates multiple nominations, making those with strong, well-written nomination letters stand out as some of the best candidates.
Using this information, the committee evaluates candidates and chooses 40 individuals each year to be honored with this award.
Celebrating Our Director of Organic Strategy’s Achievement
Kimberly joined E10K back in 2022, and although we already had a growing reputation as the area’s go-to marketing agency, Kimberly’s leadership and vision of the future allowed us to expand and build on that reputation in exponential ways. Kimberly brings over 15 years of experience to her role, with a results-oriented approach that has been honed in content marketing, SEO, organic social media, business development, conversion rate optimization, and project management.
As a key member of the senior leadership team, she is committed to building and executing dynamic strategies that foster growth for the company’s small to medium-sized business (SMB) and enterprise-level clients. Indeed, Kimberly’s experience and expertise in enterprise-level marketing and scaling efforts started years before she joined E10K, which is why she was able to hit the ground running and make such a big impact for our company.
Leading Elevation Ten Thousand to New Heights
As the Director of Organic Strategy, Kimberly plays a pivotal role in driving the company’s ongoing success, directly overseeing a robust portfolio of over 30 clients and developing strategies that account for 27% of the company’s total revenue. Within just six months of her tenure, Kimberly’s strategic acumen led to a twofold increase in the department’s gross profit, significantly contributing to an overall 18% rise in the company’s gross margin. Notably, her organic growth strategy for a local medical spa led to a 70% increase in monthly organic traffic value, reaching $264,000 monthly and $3.168 million yearly.
National Impact and Recognition
A huge part of Kimberly’s success lies in her ability to recognize and take advantage of trends. Most notably, she collaborated with EAG Advertising & Marketing to create, develop, and launch Hertz’s U.S. blog, managing the content creation and influencer campaign efforts. The campaign strategically focused on shared audience passions, company expertise, and key differentiators, and drove content amplification by activating micro-influencers at scale and partnering with them to distribute Hertz-branded content to their followers.
Since its launch in May of 2017, the program has driven hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Hertz digital ecosystem and far exceeded every goal for engagement, car rental reservations, and associated revenue. This organic content and influencer strategy has emerged as one of the top methods for increasing web traffic and user interaction within Hertz’s promotional strategy, earning prestigious recognitions such as the Gold Magellan Award and an Audience Honor in the Travel & Tourism category from the Shorty Awards in 2017.
A Legacy of Innovation and Community Engagement
Kimberly’s commitment to excellence extends beyond her professional achievements. She is a proud Capital District resident who is embedded in her community and devotes her personal time to two active kids who attend public schools and participate on local sports teams. Driven by a personal connection to the cause, she has worked to raise funds for Alzheimer’s of Northeastern NY and participated in Albany’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
Kimberly’s ability to balance the big picture with attention to detail has significantly contributed to Elevation Ten Thousand’s organic marketing success, and we look forward to seeing what new heights she reaches in the future. Her strategic thinking, creativity, and exceptional interpersonal skills make her an invaluable asset, and we are proud to call her a colleague and a friend. Congratulations!
