I grew up in Minnesota. The first 12 years of my life were spent sledding, playing hockey, building snow forts and perfecting the art of the ambush snowball fight. Which, when it becomes intense, moves away from fun and games and more towards guerrilla warfare.

But when we weren't pummeling each other with snow and ice, I was inside the warmth of my house buried in a good book. Curious by nature, I read about everything. I always tried to create my own stories, and I would write and illustrate characters and plot lines of my own. My passion for storytelling never faded away.

Fast forward 13 years, and I'm still telling stories. Only this time, I create stories based on strategic marketing strategy that help brands grow and build loyal consumers and brand advocates. Every ad tells a story, and every story needs to be simple and relatable enough to stick in the viewer's memory. And when that viewer becomes a customer, those stories translate to brand recognition and sales.

Ready to discover your brands story? Click the "Contact" tab and we'll find out.

Okay, just a few more fun facts.

I won a chess tournament when I was 12 years old. I still have the trophy.

While having a picnic lunch at a wayside in Montana overlooking Fort Peck Lake, eight-year-old me told my my parents to watch me throw a rock into the water. Amused, they allowed me to try, knowing full well the lake was a quarter-mile away. I didn't make it. But I kept trying.

I get a kick out of sneaking quotes from Ocean's 11 into everyday conversations.

I've never been to Belize.

My full name is a tongue twister. Try saying, "Samuel Russell Rasmussen," five times fast.

Star Trek is better than Star Wars.

Curriculum vitae 

Book smarts

Milwaukee Portfolio School
Mar. 2015
Focus in Copywriting

UW-Whitewater
May 2013
B.A. in Journalism, emphasis in Advertising
Minor in Marketing

Street smarts

National Insurance Services
Sales Communication Specialist | July 2018 – Present

• Plan, write, design, and distribute a library of sales tools such as easy-to-use PowerPoint templates and interactive finalist presentations to help the members of our Sales team land new business among public sector organizations such as schools, cities and counties

• Write and design content that encourages employees to learn about their benefits through a wide variety of media vehicles, including video, quizzes, surveys, flyers, brochures, posters and email campaigns

• Research and develop conference speaking presentations focusing on current events or solutions to problems shared by many of our clients. These speaking opportunities are a critical strategy for helping our Sales team make contact with key decision makers

National General Insurance
Marketing Communications Associate | Oct. 2015 – July 2018

• Build a new health insurance brand from the bottom, up. Concept, develop, write, design and implement a new brand voice and style upholding the launch of National General’s new Accident & Health and Benefits Solutions product lines

• Collaborate with internal clients to provide creative marketing strategies and tactics that move the brand forward and satisfy business goals on tight deadlines

• Create new marketing campaigns spanning multiple forms of media including product brochures, direct mail, direct email, print advertising, agent-training materials, promotional flyers and more for both B2B and B2C marketing campaigns

Assurant Health
Marketing Communications Associate | Mar. 2014 – Sept. 2015
Marketing Intern | Sept. 2013 – Mar. 2014

• Write original copy targeting both sales agents and consumers through a variety of media including print ads, direct mail/email, posters, brochures, banner ads, articles, web content and more.

• Use creative problem-solving skills and brainstorming techniques to generate big ideas based on solid marketing strategy.

• Craft both B2B and B2C marketing messages in a simple way readers can easily relate to and understand.

• Utilize my borderline-obsessive attention to detail to edit and proofread marketing communications to ensure all copy is grammatically correct and on-brand. Manage the brand’s style guide.

Adserts
Imaging Specialist
July 2013 – Aug. 2013

• Use Photoshop to clip and enhance images for insert advertising and Web content.

• Proofread and edit copy for showcased products.

• Get work done even though the air conditioner’s broken and no one cares enough to fix it.

Toolbox

• Well versed in Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher, and PowerPoint, as well as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro

• Proficient in Hubspot, Wordpress, Photoshop and Dreamweaver

• Fluent user of both Windows and Mac OS