Real People, Real Lives

Search engine optimization, podcasts, pay-per-click, online marketing analytics, and social media marketing. Sounds like another language to many of us, but it is the language of success for Leelanau county’s OneUpWeb.

One of the most successful digital marketing agencies in the country, OneUpWeb works with companies from across the globe to develop customized online marketing opportunities that integrate with an overall marketing strategy. To do this, OneUpWeb employs programmers, researchers, media planners, designers, marketers, copywriters, producers, usability specialists, and project managers.

OneUpWeb’s success depends on the quality of its professional staff. Finding the right people is a major concern. Many of the company’s competitors are located in metro areas – Chicago, LA, New York – primarily because that’s where talent is plentiful.

CEO Lisa Wehr chose to live in rural Northwest Michigan. She started her business here and has built it with mostly local talent.   “The talent is out there,” she says. “It’s just a matter of finding it.”

OneUpWeb is a popular company in this small community. Anne Rix, Director of Human Resources, gets hundreds of applications for a single opening. She has the difficult job of sorting through the many résumés, and sometimes turns to Michigan Works! for help.

OneUpWeb has worked with Michigan Works! for three years, using the Michigan Talent Bank for finding qualified candidates.

Anne says, “The Talent Bank is a solid resource for finding employees that have the skills I need.” She can target candidates from the local region, use the key word search to find specific skill sets, and screen résumés quickly.

In fact, she found Software Developer Rob Aldrich on the Talent Bank.

Rob was eligible for No Worker Left Behind, a state program that provides funding for training. OneUpWeb agreed to train Rob on the job, giving him the opportunity to learn new skills and build on previous experience.

Lisa Wehr has endorsed the No Worker Left Behind initiative since it began in August of 2007. She was asked to present at its launch with Governor Jennifer Granholm, citing her company’s need for trained employees. She had no idea at the time that she would benefit from the program with an employee as capable as Rob.

“I definitely support No Worker Left Behind. It’s what Michigan needs right now.”

Northwest Michigan Works! recently identified OneUpWeb as one of two customer success stories for Employment Services, a federal funding source. Their involvement with Michigan Works! was submitted to the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth and subsequently to the United States Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration.

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