Security

I was reading a tech blog recently in which the writer was surprised that a young girl did not have her telephone password protected. She went on about how important it was to protect identities, not to mention should your telephone be stolen. My mobile (cel) phone is SIM code protected but I didn’t have a password set for sleep. So I promptly fixed that.  But then someone at the riding stables had an accident and the manager said ”we need to make sure we have contact numbers for everyone”. Should I fall off the horse some day how would they reach my home number if they don’t know the password? And then I thought, would they know which number to call? Luckily I have my home number as home but what about others? After the bombings in Madrid and London the emergency services repeatedly said ”please have a clear emergency contact number”. I figured Home was pretty clear, besides calling ICE was kind of weird.  My sister-in-law has a habit of giving important numbers cute nicknames, you would have to know her well to realize that the home number is listed under the dog’s name. An Italian colleague of mine was clever enough to put her husband’s number under ‘marito’. 

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Network…

Question: if your network consists of more freelancers than people in permanent roles is it a valuable network?

You know those great people suggestions that LinkedIn has in the upper right corner? Do you click through to see more suggestions and then trawl through them? As a freelancer I must confess that I do, never know which CEO or MD is going to come by that I can reach out to pitching myself and land a great gig. But it can be tricky. The past few days I’ve been looking at this widget and noticing that it seems like everyone who comes by is a freelancer. So no, I’m not interested in knowing am I? Because they compete with me, correct? I have a small group of freelance friends to whom I send assignments I can’t take or things that don’t match. And I hope they do the same thing for me. But if you extend your network by too many freelancers then is your network out of balance? Maybe one of the trending gurus will talk about that soon and we can all like the topic?

What others say about me

Interim Professional for Global Campaign Management (krisaccount)

 Sylvana Knaap; Sales Manager Benelux at Glow Images

Kris is a wonderful person to work with. Very open, very direct, a real professional. I worked with her while she was with different companies. But she was always asked back with the same companies. So we fortunately always stayed in touch. When you need a tough & experienced account person … she’s the one.

July 30, 2007, Sylvana was with another company when working with Kris at krisaccount

Training and Readiness Global Lead Wunderman

Benedicte Philippe-Domin; Client Services Director at Wunderman (Y&R / WPP)

Kris filled in during my maternity leave and was able to fit into the organization well, pulling the topics together with the team and helping to guide the team to create real value add presentations for both the network and the clients. Overall a real asset to the team.

February 7, 2013, Benedicte worked directly with Kris at Wunderman

Freelance Account Manager Euro RSCG 4D

Chris Hayes; Managing Director, Global New Business at HUGE

Kris is a first class account director and she has run several projects for us for FMCG and automotive brands. She knows how to navigate a matrix organization flawlessly and she will get the job done.

June 9, 2009, Chris managed Kris at Euro RSCG 4D

Communications Officer Yamaha Motor Europe N.V.

Jean-Christophe Van Acker; Sales and marketing manager at Anglo Belgian Corporation

Although Kris was dispatched to Yamaha Europe on a mission basis, it felt she was 100% part of the company, moving the communication forward by creating consensus amongst often divided divisions and countries. Now she has moved on to different customers but the cost savings are still there.

June 5, 2009, Jean-Christophe was Kris’s client

Sr. Project Manager Tribal DDB Amsterdam

Carla Madden; Associate Creative Director (Copywriting)

Kris has a skill that is all too rare these days – she has an uncanny ability to bridge the gap between creative and client. She understands the need for big ideas as well as the financial bottom line. Kris is also cool and collected with every situation she encounters, no matter how challenging or demanding. Employees trust Kris because she gives them no reason at all to doubt her. She is a professional, intelligent woman with a good heart. I believe this last point is the reason why she can empathize with any brand and any person in any place she finds herself. Without a doubt she’s worth her weight in gold.

March 25, 2010, Carla worked with Kris at Tribal DDB

Owen Tribe; Governor at Baltonsborough CEVC Primary School

Kris is tremendous fun to work with and extremely dedicated in her approach to both account and project management. A heady mix of creative talent, sheer determination and organisation, I would not hesitate to work with her again.

April 21, 2009, Owen managed Kris at Tribal DDB

Account Manager/Director Philips Global DDB Amsterdam

Tim Voors; ADCN Board Member, Interim Creative Director and Freelance Art Director

Kris gets things doen. On time, within budget, guiding the client through the process but above all creating space for the creative team to be creative and crack briefs.
Kirs is clear. What you see is what you get. As are her briefings. Clear.
Kris is the only USA woman who understands and values football….yes you know, soccer.
Together we made 2 award winning Global projects within Half a year.

April 15, 2008, Tim worked indirectly for Kris at DDB

Sr. Project Manager Euro RSCG 4D

Sander Volten; Managing Director / Partner at KINGSDAY

I really like working with Kris. She’s smart, resourceful, gets the job done, and knows how to motivate others to help her get it done. She’s a wonderful person to have around and I have always enjoyed her company.

April 23, 2009, Sander managed Kris at Euro RSCG 4D

Account Director – Philips Global CE  DDB Amsterdam

Nick Bassermann; International Account Director

I have worked with Kris on several multi-channel Philips projects and have to say there are few Account people that understand offline and online processes better than Kris. Her positive energy and motivation inspires other team members to give it all on the most challenging projects. I have also found Kris to be extraordinarily confident when the pressure mounts. Most importantly she has a good sense of humor, big heart and knows how to bake American style chocolate chip cookies!

January 22, 2013, Nick worked indirectly for Kris at DDB

Account Director Proximity Amsterdam

Anouk Stofmeel; Headhunter Creatives in Advertising

Kris is an excellent freelance account director, although you can always ask her for account management jobs. She works well with all types of agencies and especially in complex international client campaigns she is the one to hire. Besides that she is is very loyal and treats her agents and clients with lots of TLC.

July 1, 2008, Anouk was Kris’s client

Account Manager McCann Erickson Amsterdam

Rosita Thomas; Traffic Manager at XXS

Kris is one of the most outstanding account directors I have ever worked with. She has proven herself to me has an allround ATL, BTL and online professional. Always performing at her best no matter the pressure or crazy deadlines, she will get the job done. However excellent in serving the client, Kris never loses sight of the quality and consistency of the work produced by the creative department. Her knowledge, commitment and warm personality enables her to inspire co-workers and get the best out of her team

April 24, 2009, Rosita worked with Kris at McCann Erickson

Account Director Mercuryseven

Map van Arem; Managing Director | Partner at XXS

Kris is a very dedicated and professional person to work with. Kris has a great knowlegde of marketing communications and uses that to the full potential in her management of clients, projects and people. Energetic and trustworthy would describe her best.

June 4, 2009, Map managed Kris at Mercuryseven

Project Manager Vaz Dias

Sandra Wesselman; Managing Partner at Vaz Dias Advertising

I worked closely with Kris on accounts such as Cubanacan and China Airlines. Kris is a very outgoing creative person who is dedicated to her clients and is always working to get great creative things done for them. She managed projects in detail always keeping an eye on the financial side of things. I had great fun working with her.

April 22, 2009, Sandra worked directly with Kris at Vaz Dias

Hibernation

Each year I rue the winter months of December and January. It starts with running into a fellow freelancer almost every November and looking at each other and saying ”did you take any vacation this year? No, me neither.” To which I promptly respond by taking the month of December off. Only to run into the hibernation that seems to affect the Northern European Business community of marketing communications in January. And the thing is I should know better. Way back when I was a fledgling and wanting to get into TV and Film Production I worked as a general dogsbody known as a Production Assistant. All of my camera, sound and directing friends informed me that the one killer career flaw to Northeastern USA is the winter. They all repeatedly said ”if you can’t get work in LA during the winter you might as well just go stay with your parents”. You would think after 20 years as a professional of which close to a decade freelancing I would have remembered this by now and just go to Tahiti until mid-February but no each year I take December off, bake and deliver cookies and then simply read a lot of books until business picks up – only to promptly not take any vacation time until the end of the year. Maybe 2013 will be different?