Get to know Jon Greenlee, our Vice President and General Manager of Hospitality.
Where are you from?
Kansas City
Education
University of Missouri – Kansas City, Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
MidAmerica Nazarene University, Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Franklin Covey Sales Performance Certification
What is your role at Sparkfly?
Vice President and General Manager, Hospitality
I’m responsible for new business acquisition, partnerships and ongoing client relations.
When did you begin at Sparkfly?
2016
What is your experience in the digital marketing, restaurant and retail space?
From the drive-thru to the board room, my passion for the restaurant and retail industries has been unwavering. As a former restaurant operator and a current technology strategist, I’ve devoted my life to the industries responsible for bringing families together, bringing colleagues together and bringing strangers together who are now lifelong friends. For me, connecting with people through food (and drinks!) is the most rewarding career I could have asked for.
As a member of the Sparkfly family, I have the pleasure of partnering with the best and brightest in the hospitality industry to create personalized experiences. Our ability to use real-time data to connect with customers when, where and how they prefer you to do so is unparalleled. Hyper-personalization is expected by today’s customers and the only way to satisfy this expectation is through progressive technologies and customer-centric strategies, all of which we can deliver.
Timeline
- 14 years old – Started working 20 hours per week as a drive thru attendant for a Burger King franchisee in Olathe, Kansas
- 16 years old – Transitioned to BOH/Kitchen/Cook at Burger King
- 17 years old – Began working for Uno Chicago Grill as an expediter
- 18 years old – Graduated to Kitchen Manager at Unos
- 19 years old – Graduated to Restaurant Manager and then to Assistant General Manager at Unos
- 20 years old – Graduated to Multi-Unit Operator with Unos
- 21 – 26 years old – Transitioned to Plaza III The Steakhouse (All positions)
- 25 years old – Transitioned to T-Mobile retail sales
- 26 – 28 years old – Graduated to B2B Sales Rep for T-Mobile
- 28-32 years old – Service Management Group as Director and later as Vice President of Sales
- 32-35 years old – Join Sparkfly as Vice President and General Manager, Hospitality
What do you think is most powerful about Sparkfly’s Offer Management Platform?
Sparkfly’s Offer Management Platform provides marketers with real-time attribution data so they know objectively which offer campaigns and which channels drive increased customer engagement, frequency, and spend. This lets them know which channels and offers they should reinvest in to maximize ROI.
What do you wish marketers knew about Sparkfly?
I wish marketers understood the value of the attribution data we provide and how this data can be leveraged to create more meaningful customer engagement opportunities. Communicating with customers based on an understanding of their known purchase behaviors will inherently drive frequency, positive word of mouth, and overall brand affinity.
What do you think separates Sparkfly from your competitors?
When engaging with customers and prospective customers, we take a consultative approach and look for ways in which our technology can fit in and improve their ecosystems. We’ve created our technologies to be flexible and scalable because we understand that one size doesn’t fit all. This approach allows us to be thoughtful when evaluating and recommending solutions and keeps our focus on creating the best solutions for each individual merchant.
What project or client work at Sparkfly are you most proud of?
Although not closed yet, the work we’ve completed to acquire a Top 3 Casual Dining Chain as a customer has been phenomenal and a great team effort. Being admitted to the RFP process at the eleventh hour and pulling together all of the requested information in weeks compared to our competitors who had the luxury of months of preparation, was exceptional.
What’s the best piece of career or life advice you ever received?
“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.” – Vince Lombardi
What inspires you?
My parents have always inspired me! High school educated with blue collar careers, my parents always worked 2-3 jobs at a time to provide for our family. When asked why they work so hard they would always say that their goal in life was to provide a better life for my sister and I than they had in hopes that we could provide an even better life for our children. This ideology, coupled with a strong work ethic, and a focus on higher education, helped propel my personal and professional growth.
Are you involved with any outside organizations?
- Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City
- Habitat For Humanity
How do you celebrate your successes?
International family vacations
What do you like to do in your free time?
- Coach Little League Baseball
- Participate in youth basketball
- Host social events for family, friends and neighbors
Beach or mountains?
Mountains
Coffee or tea?
Coffee
Stay in or go out?
Go out
Connect with Jon:
Contact Us
Contact us to see how you can drive frequency, increase positive word of mouth, and enhance overall brand affinity.
[White Paper] Digital Marketers: Future-Proof Your Restaurant Brand – 5 Digital Engagement Strategies to Invest in Now