YPDaily: Matt Vernhout

A veteran with over ten years experience, Matt works for Transcontinental Interactive’s Delivery & ISP Relations department, where he maintains their industry-leading deliverability rates. Matthew helps leading companies throughout many industries, and shares his practical know-how on his blog EmailKarma.net to help bring email marketing news and insight to the masses in today’s YPDaily…

Elevator Pitch: Describe your job in a nutshell.
My job is a mix of a few things, it’s a little bit of each: technical, marketer, translator and data analyst. These skills allow me to take a number of data points and requirements and translate them into understandable and actionable steps that help Marketing VPs, Marketing Directors and Marketing Managers take immediate action and implement effective processes. I am responsible for ensuring that all email sent from our networks comply with ISP Policies, email authentication policies, and the legal requirements of CAN-SPAM and PIPEDA.

Why did you start working at your company? What was the inspiration for this career route?
I was in need of some new challenges that my former employer was unable to provide at the time, as I was reviewing my options I found that the next logical step in my career was available and in immediate need with Thindata (now Transcontinental).  I needed a place that was large enough to need my skills yet small enough that I knew I should make a lasting impact in the role.

What is the best part of what you do on a day-to-day basis? The most challenging part?
The best parts of my day-to-day functions revolve around educating clients, fellow team members and the marketing community as a whole.  This is one of the reasons that I launched EmailKarma.net in 2007 – so that the knowledge I had to share with people would be freely available and benefit the entire community – giving back as an advocate to digital marketing and providing a place for other to learn and experience from the fortunes and mistakes I have seen made (and made myself) over a decade in the email industry.

The most challenging things I face are staying up with the trends, technologies, the legal requirements in multiple jurisdictions and making all of these items easy to understand for marketers and team members. Trends and technology change so fast that you have to stay on top of them or you’ll get left behind.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In a dream, I’d be on a beach in a tropical location publishing to my blogs, possibly writing a book and surfing in my spare time (it could happen). Until that time, I love what I’m doing and I want to continue educating people and working in an industry that is constantly evolving.

What does success look like to you?
Success is finding what you’re passionate about and what makes you feel good and doing it every day, regardless of what it is.  Whatever that is, if you are happy doing it – you are being successful.

What is the most memorable milestone in your career?
Having my website recognized as one of Canada’s top 50 Marketing blogs in 2010.  It was #40.

Do you have any advice for other young professionals?
Ask questions – lots of questions, read lots of and find something that makes you happy.

Do you support any charities? If so, which one(s) and why is that important to you?
I currently act as the volunteer webmaster and privacy officer for the Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation, an Environmental charity that focuses on Rainforest and Animal conservation in Costa-Rica.

What to you is notable?
Taking risks (calculated ones) and pushing yourself beyond your comfort zones to see what you are truly capable of doing.

Blackberry, iPhone, Android, or Other?
Blackberry, with a side of iPad.