Reed Gusmus is the director of marketing at QASymphony, where he is responsible for utilizing his exceptional B2B digital marketing expertise to develop marketing plans capable of generating new customer acquisition while also stimulating ample revenue generation. At QASymphony, Reed’s colleagues are consistently inspired by the passion and dynamism he displays in meeting all of the professional responsibilities with which he is charged, thereby resulting in an atmosphere that is especially conducive to productivity.
Relying on his entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, and technical expertise, Reed has been a key component driving QASymphony’s impressive growth. The Atlanta-based company specializes in the development of a wide range of QA testing tools as well as JIRA test management platforms specifically designed to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of software development and testing teams.
Reed’s extensive professional experience has yielded a significant benefit in QASymphony’s efforts to reach the prospective clients most likely to deeply value the enhanced efficacy and efficiency made possible through QASymphony’s product offerings. Leveraging his expert understanding of digital marketing strategies in concert with an analytics-driven approach, Reed has consistently developed programs capable of facilitating rapid but sustainable business growth along with marked enhancements in top- and bottom-line revenue.
A graduate of Kennesaw State University’s Michael J. Coles College of Business, Reed has consistently sought to add to his skill set throughout the course of his professional career. Reed’s continual espousal of the value of a never-ending commitment to education has had an impact on his colleagues at QASymphony, and the company has wholeheartedly embraced Reed’s educational philosophy as a permanent part of its culture.
How did you get started in this business? What inspired you to start this business?
I’m passionate about digital marketing as well as QA testing, software development, and innovation, so QASymphony appeared to be the perfect fit for me.
How do you make money?
Our revenue is principally derived from the software and testing platforms we make available to our clients.
How long did it take for you to become profitable?
QASymphony was founded in 2011, and the company became profitable in a relatively brief timeframe following its founding.
When you were starting out, was there ever a time you doubted it would work? If so, how did you handle that?
I have never experienced anything remotely resembling doubt during my time with QASymphony; my colleagues are so passionate and so dedicated that there is no challenge that we won’t be able to overcome.
How did you get your first customer?
My preference is to apply a comprehensive marketing strategy, so I designed and executed a multi-channel awareness and lead-generation program that helped us land our first client.
What is one marketing strategy (other than referrals) that you’re using that works really well to generate new business?
I have found strategic partnerships and social media marketing to be particularly successful in generating new business for QASymphony.
What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make in the last few months?
I find that it is sometimes tough to arrive at a decision on how to best strike an ideal balance between creative and analytical thought, especially when beginning the process of developing a new marketing campaign.
What do you think it is that makes you successful?
In addition to my previous experience, I also possess a remarkable passion for my professional responsibilities and I often do my best work in fast-paced environments in which collaboration is always emphasized and encouraged.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Learning that we had secured additional funding to further expand the business was quite a satisfying moment that only just recently occurred.
What does the future hold for your business? What are you most excited about?
I am most excited about the prospect of expanding in such a way that we are able to assist additional software development teams through our innovative approach to QA testing.
What business books have inspired you?
“Ogilvy on Advertising,” by David Ogilvy, is an absolute classic that I have read quite a few times since first being exposed to it during college.
What is a recent purchase you have made that’s helped with your business?
We continually invest in the development of proprietary software that might provide useful or additional insight into the efficacy of our efforts, and that investment paid off quite handsomely in recent months.
What do you hope to achieve through your professional role?
I’m proud that my role is a key component in ensuring all of our prospective clients are able to access our products, so I hope that my efforts allow me to achieve the very simple goal of ensuring even greater accessibility to even more effective and efficient testing tools.