Though most of us are pretty far removed from the effort and activity of growing things, Thanksgiving still celebrates the blessings of the harvest.  Joined by friends and family, and perhaps someone who has nowhere else to go, it’s a day without appointment, one where the clock moves at a different pace.  Without a schedule to race around, there’s simply nothing to do but cook and prepare the meal, sit with people you like, and simple pleasures.

I love the fact that the world has forgotten about Thanksgiving, leaving it alone for the meaning we want to give it.  As I watch the folks around me head off to see their moms and dads, it’s easy to fast forward and think about my daughters, coming home to wherever Susan and I are.  Perhaps someday with children of their own.  It makes me think I should be heading east to see my mom.

Apart from my family, there’s nothing as important to me as Cobalt.  The enterprise has fed, clothed and roofed my family for 15 years, and I am enormously thankful for that.  The company provides these same benefits for more than 1,000 people and their families and friends, and of course we help create commerce for thousands of dealerships and tens of thousands of their employees – a pretty big impact.

It’s been a twisty, turny year and we’re still going through lots of change and challenge as we adapt to life inside ADP, but the big picture view seems A-OK to me.  I feel like we’re almost through the initial steep learning curve and vocabulary lessons, and I can see a path forward to assemble all the various digital marketing assets and initiatives we now own and provide even more value to our customers.  As important, I see ways we can create considerable value for ADP that I didn’t necessarily understand when we agreed to the transaction.

As I think ahead, I have tremendous anticipation for what’s coming next.  Moving to our new HQ will be exciting. The views are great and it’ll be good to be back in the downtown core. More than anything, I am going to like having so many of us under one roof.  It will draw our community even tighter, making us even more defined and forceful.  I love the fact that the folks on the phones talking to customers are just a few stairs away from the folks making the stuff their customers are using. Apply agile methodology to real-time customer feedback and it may be hard to go home at night to sleep.

More important is the opportunity we’re going to have to understand how, why, when and where advertising works, then multiply these findings times millions of shoppers on behalf of thousands of dealers.

When we announced the sale to ADP, I told Steve Anenen we would be the fastest-growing part of ADP Dealer Services.  I absolutely believe this today, exactly 100 days later.  We have some very good things going on, and that’s before we harness the true power of our combined assets and the breadth and width of ADP’s industry knowledge, scale and access.  We’re going to do our bit and more.

I think we’re getting through to the other side where the water will be smooth and flat, like the leeward side of the 520 on a stormy day.  Knowing it’s still pretty choppy, I will give my biggest Thanksgiving THANKS to the men and women of Cobalt, for their patience, their steadfastness, their optimism, their integrity, their thoughtfulness, their effort and their maturity.  We have kept our eye on the prize in the midst of considerable change. That’s the right thing to do, but not everyone is willing to rise to that standard.  We have and are, and that’s my Thanksgiving thought.

I hope the next few days are great days.  When you smile, stretch your cheeks.  When you exhale, lower your shoulders.  If you’re walking, stop, pause and turn 360 degrees.  Look up.  Think a thought, and take it a step further.  We have much to be thankful for, and it would dishonor our good fortune to not acknowledge the plenty we enjoy.  If you can, find a way to share it, extend a hand and pull another forward.  Goodness creates goodness.

Happy Thanksgiving.

The Cobalt Group
www.cobalt.com
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www.youtube.com/cobaltlive

Many came to see what had been constructed so far, bringing friends and family to share the experience. SEO Specialist Harmony Wallender was thrilled to visit the new office and brought her roommate along with her, finding freshly-painted walls and newly-laid carpet.

“The office is just cool,” recalls Wallender. “It has low cube walls and unfinished cement ceilings, lending it a modern cave feeling. The carpets were an excellent choice: dark grays sliding together in simple patterns. The porch off the lunch room is spacious and will be awesome in good weather and the cubes are flooded with natural light.”

Melissa Satterwhite, senior operations analyst in Cobalt’s Lynnwood office, describes her awed reaction, when she stepped out of the elevator. “It was amazing to see Puget Sound out the window,” she said. “I was astounded by all the light. The design of the new space places conference rooms in the interior areas, assuring that natural light is available for all workstations.  The open cubicle layout should encourage teaming and communication, too.”

Michael Villanueva, a Cobalt Diehard with over ten years with the company, also remarked on how teams could utilize their work areas. “You can tell that the space was laid out to encourage collaboration. The new office represents taking the next big step in our history, and I’m very excited to be a part of it.”

The new building will combine two existing Cobalt offices – everyone in Cobalt’s current HQ in Seattle’s Sodo district is scheduled to move in the last week of 2010, while the Services teams from the Lynnwood office will be moving into the new building in January of 2011. This will present new commuting challenges, but the new building is in a prime location.

“I especially like how close the train and bus are – only steps away,” said Gail Johnson, an SEO specialist currently working in Lynnwood. “If it’s raining the only time I’ll maybe have to get wet is when I’m crossing the street to catch the Sounder train.”

John Holt, Cobalt’s senior VP of digital marketing services, can’t wait to move in either. “Between the light and airy space, the fabulous views, the new 4,000 square foot gym, and the easy access to public transportation, it’s going to be a fantastic workplace.”

With all this change, the best part for many will be working together with old friends, as Wallender concluded: “But out of everything, I am most excited to be reunited with all of my wonderful coworkers who are in Seattle, and to all work as one company once again.”

The Cobalt Group
www.cobalt.com
www.twitter.com/CobaltMarketing
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“We dedicate this home,” responded a group of forty people in unison, on a cool overcast afternoon on September 26th.

It was part of the litany of dedication at Habitat for Humanity’s Rainier Vista build site, where the work of nearly two years had come to fruition. The group included volunteers, Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith, Habitat representatives, and the families who would soon move into the finished houses stood with open doors, welcoming visitors to look around. Hammers, hard hats signed by volunteers, holy books and other gifts awaited the families.

Since October of 2008, over 200 Cobalt employees have signed up to volunteer a day to the Habitat team at Rainier Vista. Each Cobalt employee is given the opportunity to get their hands dirty at the Habitat build site – one day, paid by Cobalt, to give their time, skills, and labor over to something more. Inside Sales Account Executive Shelley Alexander was one such volunteer.

”I totally believe in giving back to my community, and I can’t think of a better organization than Habitat for Humanity,” said Alexander. “There were only six of us on the day that I volunteered, which meant we all had to really pitch in to complete the work planned for a lot more volunteers. The camaraderie was amazing, and the amount of work that the six of us finished was awesome.”

Alexander’s father was a cement mason, so she was familiar with working with concrete. The Habitat team put her to work accordingly. “We removed and cleaned forms, pulled rebar, and used a grinder to smooth the concrete in the places where the walls would eventually be. The grinding was backbreaking work but worth it. Later in the day, we moved to another unit where we installed doors, window trim, and cabinets.”

“It was very fulfilling, even though I was exhausted at the end of the day,” she recalled. “And boy, did I sleep well that night!”

At the dedication on September 26th, Cobalt was recognized for its financial contributions and encouraging employee involvement. It was clear that each volunteer contributes a small part to what becomes a big project. Seeing new homes standing where there was only leveled ground two years ago and realizing the work of many given for the good of a few, the words of the litany spoken that day took on more meaning.

“For family living and sharing, a place of love and respect between all members of the family… As a place where family members may grow in wisdom and generosity and then bring these qualities into their surrounding community… As an inspiration for generous neighborhood cooperation here in this neighborhood…

“We dedicate this home.”

Cobalt is proud to be a part of Habitat for Humanity’s dedication to helping local families find homes in the Puget Sound and proud of Alexander and all who volunteered to make it happen.

*Photos by Dana Hunter

The Cobalt Group
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On the second weekend in September, five Cobalt employees got together and decided to try something a little different. Described as the “ultimate event for thrill-seeking athletes,” the Warrior Dash takes place around the country all year round, taking advantage of unique terrain at each location to build a grueling obstacle course.

Order Manager Jessica Butts described her reasons for going, “It looked like something I couldn’t do,” she said. “I wanted to challenge myself.”

At first glance, it looks like something nobody would choose to do, unless they were suckered into it. That’s exactly the nightmarish experience Web Builder Steve Hensyel summarized. He thought he was going camping and was even promised marshmallows as an incentive.

“I woke up in the woods being chased by a bunch of strange hooligans in weird costumes,” he said. “I was terrified, ran for my life, and only later found out it was a race.”

Thousands, even Steve, registered and participated in the two-day event, near North Plains in Oregon. The course was just over three miles worth of rough terrain with added complications. There were natural obstacles, such as a steep ravine or a maze of mossy trees, as well as man-made obstacles, like knee-high tire stacks, trashed cars to climb over, and the infamous Warrior fires. Finally, runners in the Dash had to crawl through mud and under barbed wire.

“We climbed mountains, dove over logs in the water, jumped over cars, made a leap of faith over fire pits, ran through a tire course and swam through the mud,” said Web Builder Jeremy Helstrom. “We came out on the other side with scrapes, bruises, cuts, mud covering our body so thick that you could hardly tell where my t-shirt ended and my skin began and big smiles on our faces. It was an amazing time.”

Dash runners got a lot out of the event, according to Contract Administrator Jason Denk. They were given “a medal, t-shirt and a sweet warrior hat. Plus a lot of good laughs and photos,” he recalled. “It was a great experience overall and we are looking to doing it on an annual basis.”

Jessica was proud of the accomplishment and what it meant to her. “I haven’t run over two miles since high school. This was a little over three miles with tiring obstacles. I now know this is something I can do and plan on doing more things like it.”

It may seem crazy to some, but to this group of Cobalt friends it was just the weekend they were looking for. Even Steve learned a valuable lesson, “If I ever go ‘camping’ with these guys again, I’m bringing a sword.”

Photos taken by Janaya Fix.

The Cobalt Group
www.cobalt.com
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Hi, this is your resident blogger coming out from underneath the shroud of anonymity provided by online writing. During my month-long employment here at Cobalt, I researched, conducted interviews, and inscribed five articles for Digital Mileage, while also helping put together a marketing piece on the Emotional Intelligence class now being offered. While this isn’t unexplored territory for me, as I write for the SPL Teen Blog and am a news editor at my school paper, the experience of working at a place like Cobalt was totally unfamiliar.

I was super jazzed to start work at Cobalt and felt lucky to have such an amazing opportunity. While I wasn’t exactly sure of my job when I got hired, I still didn’t miss a chance to casually slip my windfall into conversations with unemployed friends and update my employment on Facebook. When I arrived for my first day, I was not disappointed. You wouldn’t think anyone would get so happy from sitting at a cubicle and having a laptop, but boy, was I thrilled. When I went home after my first day, which was a whirlwind of meeting what thousands of Cobaltians and remembering none of those names, I was the only smiling commuter on that packed Metro bus – I was a commuter!

Being at Cobalt, I found extreme joy in the little things that jaded office workers simply don’t take the time to appreciate. For example, I had my own work email! I mean, how cool is that? At least twice, I typed ‘Kahn’ into the contact search just to admire the little box that popped up, shouting to the world, “HR Marketing Intern.” When I discovered the storeroom, I realized how Charlie must have felt stepping into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. It was every office supply nerd’s dream all at my fingertips, and I readily admit that I took a glue stick for myself.

Of course, work isn’t all fun and games. As a product of the public schools, I found it hard to regulate my own work for so long without a teacher passing out rubrics and collecting assignments. I had to set my own deadlines and motivate myself to focus; and for a sixteen-year-old put in a box with Internet for eight hours, that’s insanely difficult. I also went through a self-inflicted absent-minded week where both my USB and notebook went missing, and I locked myself on the first floor one evening.

From just five days in an office setting, I learned invaluable lessons about professionalism that you can only get on the job. Shaking hands is important. Dress nicely. Always back up your work. Be on time, but understand when others can’t be. Befriend the receptionists so they will buzz you in. Don’t eat the Marketing pizza. And above all, do beyond what is required of you. I will come away from this five-week lesson much better at handling stress, more responsible, much more qualified for my future, and with a better understanding of the important things that go on in an office building. I met so many kind people with stories unique to each of them; I only wish I could have spent more time with everyone.

It is a great feeling to know I have accomplished something this summer; something useful for expanding my opportunities in life and helping the company as well. I have come to feel somewhat part of the family here. Thank you for sharing Cobalt with me.

Thanks for sharing your experience and your time with Cobalt, Margaret! It was a blast, and we know you’ll go far!

Margaret Kahn
Contributing Writer
The Cobalt Group
www.cobalt.com
www.twitter.com/CobaltMarketing
www.youtube.com/cobaltlive

On hearing these words of wisdom, senior ADP HR Business Partner Dale Gordon said, “Throw away the map, let’s use GPS!” Now why didn’t Kermit think of that?

On August 16th and 17th, Cobalt celebrated its own vision. All Cobalt employees were officially welcomed to the ADP family by Steve Anenen, president of ADP Dealer Services and John Holt, the newly-minted senior division vice president of ADP’s Digital Marketing Group, with other Cobalt and ADP leaders. Welcome gatherings were held in Seattle at the Bell Harbor Conference Center on the Seattle Waterfront, the Sofitel San Francisco Bay in Redwood City, and the Four Seasons Columbus in Hilliard, Ohio. In each case, Cobalt employees, now ADP associates, gathered for presentations and celebration now that the deal was done. Be sure to stop by the Cobalt Talent Facebook page to see more pictures of the celebration events.

It was a big day for Cobalt Senior Operations Analyst Melissa Satterwhite, a Cobalt Diehard with more than ten years at the company.

“I remembered the first time I met John, when he interviewed me wearing flip-flops, shorts and a t-shirt,” she recalled. “John was an early pioneer in automotive Internet marketing – some might argue he was the early pioneer – passionately believing that car sales would be radically changed through the Internet. The fact that each of us were sitting in the room yesterday, being greeted as ADP associates, is testament to his vision.

“This is a moment for celebration and reflection,” continued Satterwhite. “We celebrate that our hard work and determination has brought us to this point and reflect on our new opportunities with ADP.”

And John Holt? He’s glad that the deal is done, and he can get back to work. “Congrats to all of us and my thanks as well. This has been a team effort – one thousand plus strong, and I can’t believe how lucky I am to have led Cobalt and have the opportunity to continue in that role,” he said in a message to the company.

“There is a great big home for a kick-ass digital marketing group inside of ADP. I want to run the division that always gets more done than folks think is possible, with vision begetting new vision like a rising tide coming higher and higher on the beach. This is how we’ve done things for 15 years, and I see no reason to stop. The higher you climb the better the view.”

Maybe Kermit did see the solution after all – it was just years before GPS. His advice was simpler. Forget the map, roll down the windows, and enjoy the ride.

The Cobalt Group
www.cobalt.com
www.twitter.com/CobaltMarketing
www.youtube.com/cobaltlive

As a technical recruiter, he looks for employees to fill specific openings. Some positions he hires for are a senior Perl programmer, Java developer, and data analysts. To do this, he sets up phone interviews with applicants and candidates that he finds on Monster and Dice.

“They [have to] get through me,” he said. “I decide if they go to the next level.” If the applicant gets through the phone stage, he sends the top five performers an online assessment. After that, he schedules an on-site interview.

If you can’t find Poe at his desk, you might have to look all over the building. Part of his job includes touring potential employees around the company. Four to five times a week, a candidate comes to Cobalt for an intensive, four-hour interview.

“I meet with them first, tour, answer high-level questions, and check in,” he said. Poe works to make the process less intimidating and more comfortable for the understandably nervous interviewee. He often arrives an hour early to make sure they don’t have to wait around and shows them Cobalt life. After the candidate get settled, Poe is on the run again, going to the nearby Jimmy John’s to fuel him or her with a sandwich and water for their long interview, after which, he asks the candidate’s first impressions are and walks the person out.

Above all, Poe is a friendly face to new people. He’s the first impression they get of Cobalt, and he wants it to be a good one. “I’m like the first line of defense,” he explained. I try “to be as personable as possible so they feel comfortable.”

Poe tries to get to know the new hires, because “the biggest key is building relationships.” He spent the day chatting with someone who had just been hired and was moving from Indiana. “I’m trying to ease his fears; he’s alone, and I did it,” he said, referring to the move he also made from Indiana six and a half years ago.

“I’ll make sure he gets time and try to make him feel welcome. [We] keep in touch a couple times a week,” he shared. “Any question I don’t know, I will find out the answer.”

If all else fails, and you are still looking for Poe, he often spends time in a conference room. Every day, he and the other hiring managers meet at 4:30 to discuss resumes and possible new employees.

“I work closely with hiring managers and find what they must have,” he said. Sometimes he is consulted in the final hiring.

Although Tyler Poe is always on the move, he is one employee that stands out, and he keeps Cobalt looking toward the future.

Margaret Kahn
Contributing Writer
The Cobalt Group
www.cobalt.com
www.twitter.com/CobaltMarketing
www.youtube.com/cobaltlive

“It’s something I look forward to every week,” he said. “I like opening a trunk full of softballs and cleats, not car parts.”

Softball

The Cobalt Brewligans is one of two company softball teams and just completed its summer season. Starting in June, with practices every Wednesday evening at Delridge Field and games each Sunday at Green Lake, the Brewligans played against other recreational teams, such as the Inglorious Batters. Lynnwood has a team as well, the Webgems, which Hensyel sees as a good way to “reconnect” with Cobalt employees in Lynnwood.

Kickball

Cobalt’s rookie kickball team, in which Hensyel also participates, played in the Underdog Sports Recreational League last spring and participated in fifty-team shootouts this summer.

“We play against teams from other companies,” Hensyel explained. There are “five Microsoft teams…some healthy competition.”

“Healthy competition” may be understating the level of rivalry that comes with kickball. Our “biggest foe was A Kick in the Grass,” he said. This opponent went undefeated until the championship playoffs, where the team defeated their once-great enemy.

Soccer

In light of the recent World Cup, Cobalt’s soccer team could see a boost in participants. Cobalt FC had their first-ever game against Getty Images and hasn’t looked back since. Over the summer, the team and ten new players have been practicing at the nearby Arena Sports on Monday evenings.

While Hensyel modestly describes the team as “a group of friends,” they’ve become workplace celebrities. With their royal blue and white uniforms, the team causes quite a stir among coveting colleagues.

“On Fridays people wear jerseys, even people who aren’t on the team want them,” Hensyel said. The team might even upgrade to soccer scarves.

And More!

Hensyel has only good things to say about his involvement. “It’s been really rewarding, good meeting people I wouldn’t have met otherwise,” he said. There is no one department the players come from, and their good vibes translate outside the company. Non-Cobalt opponents often compliment them on their camaraderie. According to Hensyel, they say, “I’d love to work at a place like that!”

What’s next for Cobalt sports? The list is a long one. Hensyel is currently recruiting for flag football, volleyball, and bowling; and his eyes light up at the mention of dodgeball, which many Cobaltians want to play. If you’re interested in joining these sports, Hensyel supports everyone, saying “the more people, the better.”

Margaret Kahn
Contributing Writer
The Cobalt Group
www.cobalt.com
www.twitter.com/CobaltMarketing
www.youtube.com/cobaltlive

Expect to see many intrepid cyclists attempting the ride this weekend, as the Cascade Bicycle Club’s 31st Annual Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic (STP) begins on Saturday, July 17. Procare Team Manager Josh Dand is looking forward to being one of many who pedal their way through 202 miles of valleys, farmland, and mountains.

Dand’s biking journey didn’t begin with STP, which is expected to draw 10,000 cyclists.

“When I [worked in] Seattle, I never biked,” he said; but when he was transferred to Cobalt’s Lynnwood office, and his coworker, Senior Account Advocate Raul Sedano, invited him to take a bike ride. They started cycling together at lunchtime around Edmonds and Lynnwood, which inspired Dand to start biking to work. He now averages around 120 miles every week, riding four days out of five, enough to “recognize coworkers by their bike racks.”

“The 30 mile road trip is a great way to begin my day,” he said. “[I can] decompress and work off stress.” Bicycling has helped bring him closer to his officemates. Dand, Sedano, and fellow first-time STP rider Robert Allen will be doing the STP together. Sedano is a veteran of the event; this year marks his seventh STP ride!

Participating in the largest, multi-day bicycle event in the Northwest, sponsored by Group Health, seemed to be the natural next step to Dand.

“It’s something I wanted to do for past couple of years,” he said. “I can’t believe I’m about to do it; I’m feeling pretty well on my way. I just had a bike tune-up, got a new chain, and [my] legs are feeling strong, nice and spry now.”

Spots go quick, with cyclists from all over America and the world vying for entry. Dand got extremely lucky with late registration and “wasted five minutes of company time” waiting in a virtual line.

Those five minutes paid off, as he now prepares to start at 7:30am on Saturday at the University of Washington. He and Sedano plan to bike around 105 miles before settling in for the night at a Chehalis campground around five or six o’clock. Every ten miles, rest stops with free food, water, bathrooms, and bike repair will be available. Along the way the bicyclists will cross rivers, climb 30 miles of hills, and ride in the shadow of Mt. St Helens.

“You can’t see it in a car. [The STP] is like a party on wheels,” Dand said in anticipation for the scenic beauty of Western Washington countryside

On Sunday, they will cross the finish line at Holladay Park and possibly attend the Finish Line Festival is at the end of each ride-day. Sedano and Dand will either stay the night, or drive back to Seattle that evening.

Dand is a machine that doesn’t seem to ever stop running. When asked if he would relax at all after this superhuman feat, he mentioned a massage on Monday and a little rest, quickly adding that he hopes this event “leads to more.”

The next time you drive down to Portland on business, imagine Dand doing it the hard way and scaling the same distance on two wheels instead of four.

Good luck to all three this weekend. Have fun, guys!

Margaret Kahn
Guest Writer
The Cobalt Group
www.cobalt.com
www.twitter.com/CobaltMarketing
www.youtube.com/cobaltlive

Bill, a Cobalt salesman based in the Seattle home office and a repeat President’s Club honoree, said “I am extremely fortunate to have made President’s Club four times and cruising the Hawaiian Islands was by far the best! Cobalt does a terrific job of making us feel appreciated, and the result is more focus and dedication. It’s also a great time to build relationships with other successful reps and company leadership… The Pride of America was awesome. They had to break down the door to my stateroom to get me off the boat.”

Cassie, a Dealix saleswoman, also enjoyed her experience. “Being a part of this year’s President’s Club was an honor and an experience I will never forget,” she said. “My favorite part of the trip was seeing everyone from Dealix and meeting the folks from Cobalt, being with the best of the best. I’d be lying if I didn’t agree that the views from the cruise ship and the experiences we all shared were fantastic. There were many times my husband and I sat on our balcony, looking at the view, talking about what an amazing opportunity it was for us to be there in that moment.”

Cami, a business operations analyst in Cobalt’s Seattle office, was selected specifically as the honorary winner for 2009, as someone who worked with Sales regularly and helped them throughout the year. “President’s Club was such a great experience, and I’d like to thank the 2009 President’s Club members for electing me in! I was so honored to be recognized by the team,” said Cami. “My husband and I had so much fun and enjoyed spending time with the President’s Club members and their spouses. All of the islands were beautiful (and warm!!!) but our favorite is still Kauai.”

The executives on the trip valued the opportunity to work directly with the company’s top performers to understand areas for improvement and opportunity.

Earning a place in the President’s Club is a goal that any Cobalt salesperson can achieve, and Cassie has some advice for those looking to meet the high standards. Among her recommendations, she says, “Don’t ever stop giving it your all!”

Being the best may not be easy, but for those who make it at Cobalt, it does have its rewards. Congratulations to this year’s President’s Club!