Meet the Team, Jess Ohlson
As the team of talented individuals here at RealtyAds continues to grow, we are highlighting dynamic team members from all departments. These individuals play an essential role in being the connection between our product and clients, and we believe it's crucial to familiarize you with the team that provides support to both you and your company.
Jess Ohlson joined RealtyAds in 2021 and currently serves as our Senior Director of Client Experience Operations. In this role, Jess’s primary responsibilities include strategy development, process/ workflow improvements, team management, cross-functional collaboration, quality assurance, and risk management, ensuring exceptional service, leading to increased satisfaction, loyalty, and, ultimately, business growth.
What initially drew you to work for RealtyAds?
The people, the passion, and the product. It was really important to me to work for and with people who deeply care about our mission. What I think is really unique, is that we have an industry veteran at the helm and a team of former brokers and asset managers that deeply understand the struggles of our industry. That kind of team creates a hunger that’s hard to replicate. I also feel very fortunate to say that what initially drew me to work for RealtyAds is still what drives me today.
You’ve worked with Keegan before at a different company; what brought you back to working with him again?
Keegan and I worked together at Progressus. It was Keegan’s first venture, which was eventually acquired by a publicly traded firm and the second startup I worked for.
When I joined that team, I remember thinking, ‘I’ve struck gold' because everyone around me was incredibly smart and ambitious. That was very contagious.
Fast forward a few years, when Keegan reached out to share what they were building at RealtyAds, I was working in a corporate role. After catching up with Keegan and learning more about the product, the tech stack, the people, and how he spent his time in between Progressus and RealtyAds, including attending MIT to delve deeper into Artificial Intelligence and ultimately joining a demo with Trevor, I felt a strong connection to the problem RealtyAds was solving.
There are very few people I’ve met, let alone worked with, who possess the vision and ambition that Keegan does. It’s a powerful combination, and I knew that joining RealtyAds would provide me with yet another unique experience to solve for a real need.
Working in a tech company over the last few years, how have you seen it change the CRE Industry?
Tech, and more specifically PropTech, over the last few years, is reshaping how you manage real estate. Digital tools especially are helping create that shift from ‘where is it most convenient for my asset to engage with end-users’ to ‘where is it most convenient for the end-users to engage with my asset.’
What does your day-to-day look like?
My day looks different every day, but most days, I’m working on a combination of continued education for our teams and customers and working cross-organization to ensure we’re operating as efficiently as possible with a growing team.
What do you like most about working in the office?
The ability to move quickly and connect. The ability to know and/or sense what those around you are going through/experiencing (whether good or bad) is an amazing characteristic to have when leading the way.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I love being outside. I have a passion for technology and the changing landscape; it’s easy for me to spend a significant amount of time in front of a screen. It’s important to balance that with some good ole’ outdoor time.
What’s your favorite thing about living in Chicago?
There’s so much to love about this city, but I’m a big fan of live music, and I love that Chicago has so many great venues that accommodate artists of every size and at every point in their careers. I’ve seen some of my favorite artists during a street fest when they were just getting started. That’s pretty cool.
The food—hands down. I just moved out of the city, and I love that you have a variety of really good, authentic options, usually within walking distance.
If you want to learn more about the team at RealtyAds, click here to read about our Senior Vice President of Growth, Harry Quaid.
