Jackie Hermes

Growing B2B software co's w/ marketing that *actually works* | founder + CEO @ Accelity | built from $0 to 7-figures with no funding

It all started in 1986 in Lansing, Michigan.

Kidding. (Well, not really, but that’s not how I’m going to start this story.)

I started my entrepreneurial journey with cookies. Really. A vegan cookie company… and I wasn’t vegan (I gave it a shot and dang, it was hard!). I turned four cookie recipes into a business—designing packaging, finding a kitchen and making the cookies, eventually outsourcing production, then selling and establishing distribution to 12 grocery stores around Wisconsin.

The cookies taught me how to hustle. As a 24-year-old MBA, I definitely didn’t picture myself hoisting up tents at farmers markets to hand out $5 bags of cookies, or being the demo lady at the grocery store, but there I was. I still had a full-time job running the marketing department at a SaaS company, and a baby.

I’m so grateful for that experience because the money I made helped me start Accelity. What began as a one-woman consultancy blossomed into a kick-ass team of 20 and counting and a group of amazing, loyal clients all over the US.

LinkedIn has been a HUGE contributor to our growth over the past few years. I got talked into—okay, almost forced; I really, really didn’t want to do it—publishing videos about my entrepreneurial experiences in mid-2018 and have steadily grown an audience since. The LinkedIn community has given me so much love and support and I could not possibly be more grateful for the opportunities.

Outside of my professional life, I was a foster parent for two years and two of my three beautiful kiddos were adopted in Milwaukee. People always ask about hobbies, so here you go: lots of travel, fitness, exploring Milwaukee, and playing a lot of Taco vs. Burrito with my kids.

Founder & CEO

We help B2B software companies grow faster with bold sales and marketing processes that actually work—not the “push content and say a prayer” method that many agencies use.

We’re different. An agency born from software, our team has years (and years) of hands-on experience working with high-growth B2B software companies.

Want to know how we do it? Check out the links below.

In all my years selling, I’ve found that when people say you’re “too expensive,” that’s actually rarely about price.

Hear me out.

You have to establish these things in order to make your price worthwhile:

1. clear ROI
2. the right comparison
3. a sense of urgency

And it’s HARD to establish all of these things especially when your buyer is in a hurry or providing limited time.

That means you probably don’t have a pricing problem. You have a value problem.


Taking the following steps makes all the difference:

> Anchoring to emotional impact
As an agency, we’re not delivering strategy or content. We’re delivering relief for marketers that are doing it all.

> Give context for them to compare to
If you don’t show what your work replaces (a hire, wasted spend, lost time), buyers will compare you to whatever is top of mind for them.

> Tie yourself to real business goals
When your product or service clearly ladders up to revenue, retention, or growth, price becomes easier to justify.


Final PSA: Discounting doesn’t solve this problem! The buyer needs clarity, not just a cheaper price. (You get what you pay for!)


I break this down more in Episode #304 of The Art of Entrepreneurship, including how to raise perceived value without sounding salesy or desperate.

🎧 Full episode link in comments!
📩 Send this to a founder who keeps second-guessing their pricing

CEO @ Accelity | Growing companies w/ marketing that *actually works*

Boyce Consulting Services

Chairperson of the Board

EV Chargers and Installation, LLC

Chairman Advisory Board

Digital 6

Founder/Principal

Firefly Media Inc./Semi-Retired

Principal

ANSIRA

Formerly AVP Media Director

Senior Planning Director

Firefly Media Inc.

Firefly Media is a performance driven media marketing company specializing in Connection strategy across both traditional and digital media channels. Firefly provides a unique media audit that measures current media performance and provides alternative solutions to improve ROI, brand engagement, and social evangelism.

Founder and principal at Firefly Media Inc. Primary responsibilities were to provide traditional and digital connection strategies for local, regional, and national organizations.

Northlich

Departmental lead for all “Connection Planning and Strategy” including traditional and digital media for all agency clients. Liaison between Conversation Planning (Social Media, PR) to insure proper allocation of funds and optimizing synergies between Connection and Conversation planning.

VP Director of Connection Strategy

iCrossing

Direct responsiblitiy for pursuit of new business and growing of existing business into addtional digital communications channels. Lead on cross-channel research and developement of values, synergies and budget allocations across digital communication channels.

VP Media Strategy

Slingshot LLC

Departmental lead for all traditional and digital media management, strategy, supervision, planning, buying and optimization.. Managed a department of 13 media professionals across all traditional and digital media channels.  Responsible for developing agency media process and procedures, training, budget management and development and growth of new and existing business. 

Selected Achievements:

• Achieved significant account growth (multi-million dollar) across a wide range of traditional and digital categories
• Developed unique and innovative online media strategies enhancing client brand awareness and ROI
• Grew media department from 7 to 13 media professionals
• Developed award winning and innovative digital media strategies

Vice President Media Services

Firefly Media

Founder and Principal

Providing 40 years of marketing and 8 years of EV charging experience. 

clyde@evci.us

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