Why Emerge?

why Emerge

A common question many people get asked is, “So what do you do?”, but many people don’t go further to ask, “why do you do what you do?” or “why do you like your job?”. Questions that are arguably more important when it comes to a career. We asked ourselves what drew us to Emerge Marketing and why we are passionate about the work we do.

ShellySHELLY – OWNER OF EMERGE, MOM OF THREE, WORKING FROM MANNING, IOWA

Emerge is my dream, my vision, and my passion. This business has allowed me to not only pursue my dreams of owning my own business but also make an impact in my community and the businesses/organizations around me as well as revitalize rural Iowa and our country.  I absolutely LOVE helping other entrepreneurs and community leaders attain the unthinkable – to pair a visual identity with tactical tools and a strategic approach that allows them to achieve their vision. I believe I am using God’s gifts to better the world and nothing could be more satisfying. I believe this truly is the work of our Lord.

My favorite thing is connecting with our Emerge team who holds each other accountable, lifts each other up, and challenges one another to be the best we can be in the name of the Lord.

KATIE – FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE AND NEW MOM, WORKING FROM STORM LAKE, IOWAKatie

The opportunity to work for Emerge just fell into my lap, and to me, that was a sign that it was meant to be. In college, I did everything from broadcast journalism, marketing, event planning, public relations, to sports and rec management and human relations, so I wasn’t sure what I wanted to pursue after graduation. Working for Emerge has allowed me to combine so many of my interests and skills without having to pick just one.

I feel very fortunate to work for an organization that values family, faith, and friends. Our mission to revitalize rural Iowa has also really made an impact on me and opened my eyes about how much I love living in a small, Iowa community. The flexibility of working from home while still being able to meet in person occasionally is a great balance. I love the collaboration our growing team has as well as the variety of projects we get to work on and the different clients we assist.

ClaireCLAIRE – FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE WORKING FROM SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI

I enjoy having a collaborative team to work together with, and we each have our own skill sets that blend beautifully! The flexibility of working from home and getting to catch up and have in-person meetings every once in a while is nice. We aren’t limited by our location, so we have the flexibility to live wherever we want and still work with a great group of people! I like that we have different projects to work on for clients in a variety of industries. I also love our focus on revitalizing rural Iowa as I am passionate about small businesses and business owners too!

COURTNEY – PART-TIME EMPLOYEE, MOM OF FOUR, WORKING FROM RURAL CARROLL COUNTY Courtney

Emerge is not just a job; it’s truly fun, interesting, and meaningful work. I love being able to contribute to Shelly’s faith-filled mission of revitalizing rural Iowa with a wonderful group of women and clients. Emerge has made it possible for me to balance working part-time while still being able to do what’s important to me as a stay-at-home mom and wife.

AnnieANNIE – PART-TIME EMPLOYEE, MOM OF THREE, WORKING FROM RURAL CARROLL COUNTY

I enjoy working for Emerge because I get to combine so many elements of things I am passionate about with fun, new experiences! I love getting to focus on rural revitalization and keeping our slice of Iowa thriving and moving forward while maintaining our small-town way of life. In the short time I have been working with Shelly, I have met so many interesting people and learned how they are making an impact in rural Iowa. Emerge is also rooted in the belief that we are doing God’s work, and I am blessed to work alongside other women who share this belief.

PAIGE – SUBCONTRACTOR, MOM OF A TODDLER, WORKING FROM ROCKWELL CITY, IOWA Paige

I love working for Emerge Marketing Solutions because my job as a subcontractor allows for flexibility. As a stay-at-home mom to a very active toddler and a farm wife to a first-generation farmer, I am always busy. With my role at Emerge, I can still spend quality time with my family while making a little extra cash to help with the seasonal cash flow of farming. An added bonus is that the Emerge team is rooted in Christian beliefs, so I feel right at home with these amazing women who share similar core values. Not only am I able to serve my family because of my work at Emerge, but I am also able to work for the glory of God!

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” -Colossians 3:23-24

Meaning of the 3 in Em3rge

meaning of the 3

Numbers often have symbolic purposes in life, and the number three is prominently referenced in Biblical scripture. The number “3” often symbolizes harmony and wholeness but takes on numerous other variations of meaning in the 467 times it is referenced in the Bible.

But why would anyone put a number in the middle of a word for the name of a marketing company, especially when it makes it hard to read and causes people to wonder if it was a mistake?

Well, the truth is, the 3 in Em3rge is very intentional in size and location. The three stands for the triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). As Christians, we’re not orphans abandoned by the Father or the Son. By the Spirit, both the Father and the Son have come to dwell in us. The Spirit lives within us, changing our hearts, giving us faith, and transforming our lives. The fact that God is Triune – three persons in eternal relationship – reminds us that relationships are what life is about. Life is not about stuff. Life is not success. It’s about a loving relationship. At Emerge, our faith and having intentional relationships are at the core of what we do.

Ultimately, it doesn’t TRULY matter how this business performs if we are not doing it in the name of our Lord. We have been granted gifts from God and it is our earthly role to use those gifts for the betterment of humankind. Therefore, the 3 is a constant reminder to us and to those whom we meet, to lead with our faith and do as Christ would do.

Unlike many who are more humble or shy in sharing their faith, I believe I am a bold child of God and feel confident in sharing that with others. It’s hard, no doubt, but it’s what I believe I have been called to do. From an early age when we would leave church on Sunday mornings, the back wall of the sanctuary had a verse that stated, “Be bold as a child of God and share the good news of salvation with all people.” Although my faith and membership in the church has evolved over the years, my upbringing and faith-filled roots will never change. This statement epitomized my initial ‘brand’ given to me at conception and was reaffirmed at my baptism. It’s one I hope I never stray from. It serves as a daily reminder, both internally and externally, as to why I am here and what purpose I was given to live out in this earthly life.

So the next time you see the Emerge logo, look at that 3, and remember to be bold in your faith as a child of God and share the good news of salvation with all people.

How Emerge was Named

How Emerge got its name

I get asked all the time how we came up with the name “Emerge” and why there is a 3 in the name. It’s amazing how things work in a mysterious way, and you’re often led to the right answers if you’re patient enough!

Some of you know the crazy story of how this business started, but for those of you who don’t, check out the ‘turtle story‘ that happened in 2016! I had decided a year prior that I wanted to pursue my dream of owning my own business, but it would take nearly 14 months before I would make it official. For any of you who knew me at the time…I was NOT a patient person!

As time passed and the idea started to come to fruition of owning my own business, I knew I needed to get serious if I was going to make this dream a reality. (Like many creatives do, I was already doing a lot of this work as a volunteer in the community and transitioning that into paid work was a little harder. It required confidence, vision, and commitment.)

I set up a meeting with my attorney to get the legal details of the business moving forward, but the one thing that kept holding me back was that I didn’t know what to call it! I knew how much branding meant and that the meaning of all I wanted to impact in this world was so much more than the words I would choose to name this business! But I didn’t want to mess it up or sell us short!

So, I thought about my journey leading up to the business start-up and the impact I wanted to have on other entrepreneurs, our clients, and beyond. My encounter with the turtle was really a pivotal moment for me and my life, but I didn’t like turtles. They’re slow, gross, cold, slimy, and boring (or so I thought!). Although I felt like I had always been on the ‘right’ path, doing all the ‘right’ things, it was the symbolic meaning of the turtle that really impacted and guided me most. But what was it about that turtle that I could carry on to clients in a meaningful way?

What is it about a turtle that would make a difference in this world?

Well…when a turtle is stagnant, sitting in its shell it’s more like a rock (kind of like many of us when we’re feeling stuck in our business or in life). But when the turtle sticks its neck out from the comfort of its shell and starts to emerge, it begins to make progress. EMERGE! That’s it! While comfort and security lie within the shell, it’s when the turtle finally emerges with a plan to move forward that it makes progress…slow, steady, and calculated progress. And that’s what we do here at Emerge. We help people get unstuck, emerge from the comfort of their business, and pursue new heights with passion, planning, and purpose. And don’t be mistaken…we’re rarely slow! However, we want to ensure the ‘right’ approach is taken, not just complete a project just to complete a project.

What about the 3?

The underlying purpose of our business and why we do what we do is to serve God. The number three acts as a constant reminder that at the center of all that we do is to serve the Lord with the gifts that have been entrusted to us. Our responsibility here on earth is to have faith in the Lord and share the good news of salvation, grace, and hope with all people. The three in Christianity represents the Triune God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Without these three, we would be nothing.

The fact that God is Triune – three persons in eternal relationship – reminds us that relationships are what life is about, and that’s what I love most about the work we do. Meeting people, getting to know them personally, and inspiring them is what I cherish most. Life is not about stuff or earthly successes. It’s about a loving relationship. If we truly know the Triune God, we will cherish relationships – with God and with one another.

I have often questioned whether we go too far with our emphasis and integration of faith into our business, but I am constantly reminded at every turn of life, that our calling is not to pursue immediate success or gratification in life here on earth, but to serve our Lord and ignite this same faith in others.

This is also why we have developed the faith-based part of our company, Ignite: Be the Light, to help others recognize the flame from within and feel comfortable in developing a strong faith foundation that not only gives them a stronger base, but allows them to eventually find purpose in their own life, and to ignite others and set the world ablaze.

So, I encourage you to do the same. Emerge from the comfort of your shell; pursue God’s calling; and ignite, be the light for all.