Q&A Spotlight: Jenny Foyer
Q: Tell us about yourself!
A: I’m from Glenpool, Oklahoma and I studied New Testament Studies with a minor in Theological and Historical Studies at Oral Roberts University. I’ve been married to my husband, Raymond, who also works at BVM. We’ve been married for over 17 years and we have five children aging from two to 16.
Q: How do you spend your free time?
A: I love reading books, watching old movies, gardening, cooking, crocheting, making craft cocktails, playing board games with my family, and being outside.
Q: When did you join BVM? Where did you work prior to joining BVM?
A: Before I started with BVM, I was a stay-at-home mother. I joined BVM in 2012 with the title of Office Manager. I wore a lot of hats. I entered ad agreements, managed agreement changes, and assisted with revenue statement creation. BVM was still a young company with about 30 to 40 magazines in-print at the time. They had just rented their first office space and there was very little furniture on my first day.
Q: How has BVM changed since you first joined the company?
A: When I first started with BVM, we were a small, scrappy company that had very limited tools, but we made up for our limited resources with a bulldog work ethic. As BVM grew, the company acquired and developed better tools to assist with the sales administration and production processes. These improvements allowed us to scale our company and reach more residents, which allowed more Publishers and clients to be successful in their communities. When I first started, BVM magazines were only in about four or five states. We now have in-print magazines in all 50 states and a large portion of Canada.
My job has changed, too. While I wore a lot of hats when I first started, those specific tasks have turned into new and established departments. Those departments are filled with hardworking professionals who are some of the best people I know. It’s amazing to see so many departments and individuals working toward a common goal of serving our Publishers and clients and producing beautiful magazines that actually mean something to communities they impact. We are always looking for ways to become more efficient and I’m excited to see what we will achieve in the future. We have come a long way and we will not stop getting better moving forward.
Q: Describe our culture in your own words.
A: It’s easy to point out the changes when your company goes from 30 magazines to more than 1,300 magazines in 10 years, but the real challenge is finding what has remained the same. While BVM has grown exponentially, the heart and soul is still the same. Our culture is second to none and the collaboration, love, and hard work shared between the Home Office and sales field is something special.
Q: What is your favorite part about working at Best Version Media?
A: This is a place to find out what you’re really made of. When I first started, I honestly did not think I would grow into the position that I’m in today. I started working with BVM with no real professional compass, and I had no idea what I wanted to do. I owe so much to the company for understanding my value. BVM is a place where leaders are born.
The other part I enjoy is working with everyone at BVM. It’s incredible to work with so many people whose goal is to not just do their job well, but with excellence. The people that I work with not only work hard, but they make problem solving fun and continue to find creative solutions to improve the business.
Q: What excites you most about the future of Best Version Media?
A: BVM has so much room to grow with new products and opportunities. We’re also expanding into more neighborhoods and markets this year, which means we’re going to open up more wonderful opportunities for our readers to learn about and connect with other members of their communities.
Q: What is your proudest moment at BVM?
A: Do I have to pick just one? Mine isn’t really a moment, it’s about the people of the Sales Administration Department. I feel an overwhelming sense of pride when I look at each member of my team. Each person in the department was handpicked because of their servant’s heart and outstanding work ethic. I see kindred spirits in each of the men and women I work with. They are smart, quick, hilarious, quirky, and loving. We’ve created a first-class department filled with individuals who are driven and fun. My team is my proudest moment, so I guess working with them everyday is my proudest moment.
Q: Talk about our Publishers and what they mean to our business and their local communities.
A: I want our Publishers to know how much our Home Office cares about them. The truest thing about our business, in my opinion, is the admiration and love that people at Home Office have for our Publishers. While other corporate offices say they care, BVM shows that it cares, and that’s what makes working here so special. It sounds like a company line, but it’s the truth. I get a lot out of my job by watching the successes of our Publishers and knowing that I played a small part in that success.
Our Publishers are incredible human beings. All I can say is that BVM Publishers are like an extended family to me. Many of them have become dear friends of mine. I respect their knowledge, experience, and grit to create a beautiful resource for our residents to connect with one another and a great way for our advertisers to reach potential clients. I wish there were more words to express how much I admire what they do and how much they impact their communities.
