Originally planning to be a teacher who wanted to work towards finding creative ways to inspire children and youth to flourish, Jeanniey never thought that she would end up working part-time at JCPenney. As there were no teaching jobs available, at the moment, she had to expose herself to the business world which ultimately led her to meet some of the most inspiring people in her life. Under their mentorship, she quickly gained new skills and had a completely new path ahead of her now. Soon she was promoted to a marketing role where her job was to find a way to impress and attract potential customers. Jeanniey didn’t realize it then, but this opportunity was just the starting point of her remarkable marketing career. Moving on in her career, she grew a real passion for using digital media as a platform to drive customer behavior and pretty soon developed a unique skill set that enabled her to serve several Fortune 100 businesses. According to her, it was her internal mentors that inspired her to be a better leader and stay true to her thoughts and potential. However, the major turning point in her career turned out to be the moment she as the Chief Innovation and Marketing Officer joined DailyPay, an award-winning, recognized gold standard on-demand pay platform offering comprehensive pay experience solutions to world-class companies and their millions of employees. To learn more about her role in this company and how on-demand pay supports employees, we sat down with Jeanniey Walden. We spoke on the secrets of her success and advice to other women looking to break the glass ceiling.
“My advice would be to build your network! Doesn't matter if it is men or women, but build a group of people who can help you thrive. Don’t take no for an answer and continue to strive after your goals with the right attitude and posture. Do what is right. Fail fast and own your mistakes.”
The game-changer
Jeanniey Walden: “Hard-working Americans needed money to support themselves and their families but had to wait two weeks or more to get paid, often putting them in dire financial situations. The two-week pay cycle wasn’t working. People were getting second jobs just to get immediate funds to make ends meet. There had to be a better way. Many companies fail to realize that on-demand pay providers have varying services and models. Certain providers spin their products to make it seem like a beneficial tool when in reality there are hidden fees and problems with their system. Too often businesses end up having a terrible on-demand pay experience and become jaded. Our purpose is to offer a holistic on-demand pay service to equip employees to achieve financial security and to help employers create a thriving business. DailyPay has created an ecosystem with the most advanced, modern technology stack in the industry and delivers the most secure, compliant, and seamless on-demand pay benefit in our rapidly growing marketplace. We have been in the business since 2015 and our products are designed to strengthen the employer and employee bond by offering a transparent, seamless pay experience.”
Towards gilt-edged revenue growth
Jeanniey Walden: “I joined DailyPay because I was motivated by the company’s desire to make a positive impact on the workforce and DailyPay’s boldness in challenging a decades-old payroll system. A big part of my job was to create brand awareness within the marketplace. One year later, the marketing team has grown to have over 30 talented members with multiple divisions. DailyPay’s marketing initiatives have also had unprecedented growth and I helped raise DailyPay’s revenue by more than 300%. We have secured partnerships with 80% of the Fortune 100 companies that offer an on-demand pay benefit and continue to drive powerful campaigns. We continue to be the leader in the industry, in terms of partner growth and share of voice in the media. Nowadays, companies knowingly come to us to learn more about DailyPay, which is an accomplishment.”
“ I try to approach every day with the same outlook. - Drive impact that makes the world a better place. And, in that vein, I have pushed myself to remain fearless knowing that I was following my dream.”
Leading a team in the middle of the pandemic
Jeanniey Walden: “There’s no manual out there on how to be a successful leader during a worldwide pandemic. No one knew what to expect and people started stockpiling on groceries and at one point we saw DailyPay usage shoot up to over 400%. With companies furloughing and laying off employees, we saw a 30% increase in DailyPay usage, with households relying on DailyPay to get food on the table and to make payment deadlines. Another DailyPay survey indicated that 1 in 6 users now seek an on-demand pay benefit when looking for jobs. Employers are looking for an affordable benefit that increases employee engagement, reduces turnover, and motivates employees to pick up more shifts. Seeing an increase in dependence on DailyPay by individuals and households, DailyPay decided to temporarily waive its on-demand pay access fees for 90 days to help reduce financial stress. As a result, DailyPay was able to save users hundreds of thousands of dollars. Also, DailyPay continues to support employees by offering a revolutionary pay experience platform, PayEx TM, where employees can create saving habits and start saving their money even before payday. DailyPay wants every employee to achieve financial wellness and wants to do its part during the pandemic.”
Leadership and learnings
Jeanniey Walden: “It was an internal issue I had within myself. When I was younger, I struggled with being my authentic self in the workplace. I would hide the fact that I was a mom of two girls, or my love for high heels because it made me seem too feminine or weak. So, one day I decided to go in as myself, even if it was scary, and found that people embraced me for who I was. Slowly, I found that authenticity made me an even more effective leader. I try to approach every day with the same outlook. - Drive impact that makes the world a better place. And, in that vein, I have pushed myself to remain fearless knowing that I was following my dream. Over my career, I have started five of my own companies, which was risky. But I’m glad I took a leap of faith those five times. Running my own company, I had no other option but to take on multiple tasks and roles. I was put in situations where I had to think outside of the box. These moments helped further develop my marketing and leadership skills, which has helped me become a better CIMO at DailyPay. Knowing that people are dependent on me whether it's to have access to an on-demand pay benefit or to create a mind-blowing marketing campaign encourages me to give 150% to everything I do.”
The secret ingredient of success
Jeanniey Walden: “The secret is ‘AIR’- approach everything that you do in an Authentic Manner where you Inspire others and ensure they Relate to your audience. Anyone can practice AIR. I find that if you are bold, grateful, and yourself, success will chase after you. My current goals are to continue to increase DailyPay’s brand value and to find creative ways to reach our users. DailyPay is a recognized gold standard on-demand pay platform and I want more people to know this truth and the WHY behind it. So, I’m working on booking more conferences, radio tours, and speaking engagements. We’re also creating strategic marketing resources, campaigns, and products to strengthen our position as the leader in the space. Another goal of mine is to continue to create a diverse and inclusive work environment at DailyPay. As a woman leader, I plan to invest more time into DailyWomen, an employee resource group formed to inspire, retain, and advance talented women in the organization.”
Strive after your goals
Jeanniey Walden: “Women in the next generation have a big challenge ahead of them. And I think it will be to close the wage gender gap. Women from most industries and all educational backgrounds are disproportionately affected. Women can advocate for fair hiring and equal advancement opportunities within their companies. My advice would be to build your network! Doesn't matter if it is men or women, but build a group of people who can help you thrive. Don’t take no for an answer and continue to strive after your goals with the right attitude and posture. Do what is right. Fail fast and own your mistakes.”
