Tanja Zelko

Where are you working currently, and what do you do there?

Intrepid Travel, Head of Digital Marketing for North America. I'm responsible for DTC campaign management and overseeing the strategy and performance of our paid digital marketing channels (including both brand awareness and conversions).

Can you tell us a bit about your education and career background?

I went to George Brown for Marketing Management. At the time eCommerce and digital marketing were just emerging and for a couple of my electives courses, I decided to take eCommerce-focused courses. Shortly after completing the program, the company I worked for, another travel company, decided to launch their own eCommerce site and sell tours direct-to-consumer. This was very new at the time. I was moved into that department given I had taken these two courses related to digital and eCommerce. And that was it! I loved it.

I loved the digital space. There was so much to learn and it was new and constantly changing. From there I have worked in various industries (tech, health, retail) and roles all related to digital eventually working my way up into leadership positions managing my own teams.

Why did you choose to study at BrainStation?

I liked that BrainStation courses were concise, small, and led by people who work in that specific area – doing what they teach.

Digital is changing all the time, and I want to ensure that I am on top of the latest information to guide my team and ensure we are doing everything to drive the best results for the business.

What motivated you to start digital skills training?

I was always encouraging my teams to take courses, learn, or read, and I wanted to lead by example. Digital is changing all the time, and I want to ensure that I am on top of the latest information to guide my team and ensure we are doing everything to drive the best results for the business.

When I signed up for the UX course, I wanted to expand my skill set to better understand what some of my colleagues do and to ensure that I can expand my career. Reading information is one thing, but I prefer hands-on experience.

What was the highlight of your learning experience?

The Instructors. They provide so much information and knowledge based on their personal experiences. They answer every question, adjust course content to spend more time on areas that the students are interested in, and provide additional reading materials or information outside of class time.

Meeting like-minded individuals across different industries would be a close second.

What was the most challenging part of your learning experience?

Time. Ensuring you are carving out time to not just be in class, but to do the work outside of class.

How has your BrainStation experience impacted your career?

BrainStation has made me better at my job and keeping my team and agency accountable for the work we are doing.

What would you say were the most valuable skills you learned?

For Google Ads, having confidence to go into our account and making changes if needed without worry.

What advice would you give to professionals considering a BrainStation course?

Just do it. You have nothing to lose. The Instructors are there to help, the information taught and shared is current and invaluable.