As part of RCN Capital’s 10 Year “Birthday” celebration we interviewed different team members about their time with the company. Let’s meet our team member,Erica LaCentra.
My name is Erica LaCentra, I am the Director of Marketing. I’ve been with RCN Capital for about 7 years now. I started as an entry-level marketing associate and worked my way up over the years.
How long have you been with the company?
I have been with RCN Capital since August of 2013, so when August came around it was 7 years at RCN.
How did you start your career at RCN Capital?
I actually had the privilege of meeting Jeff Tesch, as well as one of RCN’s loan officers in Las Vegas. I was helping to work a tradeshow in Las Vegas for our parent company, TicketNetwork, and at the closing event I ended up having a conversation with RCN’s now CEO, Jeffrey Tesch. We had a conversation about my background in marketing. RCN had an open marketing associate position and by the time I got back to the Connecticut office, I had an interview lined up. And the rest is history.
How has the RCN Brand grown since you joined the RCN team?
The RCN brand has grown quite significantly since I joined the RCN team. When I joined RCN Capital was actually still Rehab Cash Now, for those who have never heard of that, that’s actually what the RCN in RCN Capital stands for. When I joined as the Marketing Associate there were the initial conversations about rebranding from Rehab Cash Now to RCN Capital to make the company seem more professional so that we could have a nationwide expansion. We really went from more of a Northeastern based, almost payday loan esc., brand to a full-fledged nationwide private lending force. So true brand transformation over the last 10 years, and it’s been really great to be part of it.
Where do you see the RCN brand going in the future?
I would like to continue to see it evolve and develop over time to become more of a sleek and streamlined brand. I think the company is in a place where we set the groundwork, we have nationwide recognition. So, whatever we can do to make the brand cleaner, more modern, and really stand out as our industry starts going towards more of a digital-friendly format. I think the brand will have to follow, so I am very excited to see where the evolution of the brand goes.
What do you look forward to the most coming into work each day?
So, for me personally, I really look forward to coming into the office every day to see my team. I think the people that I work with, specifically in the marketing department, really make my day. And it makes it the most enjoyable thing to come into work and see those folks, and work alongside some of the best in the business. It’s truly an experience unlike any other and I really think that without those folks, it would just be a job. With them, it really makes me look forward to the future of my career with RCN.
What is your favorite memory you have of your time at RCN?
That’s a really hard question to try and say what my favorite memory is at RCN. I think one that really sticks out in the recent past would probably be being able to surprise Jeff when he finally transitioned over to being RCN Capital’s CEO. For those of you who know Jeff, he is extremely difficult to surprise. So, the fact that we were able to pull off a whole celebration of him becoming CEO, where he was truly surprised, was a feat within itself. But also, I think one of the funniest things was that in true Jeff fashion he didn’t even want to attend his own celebration because he thought it was going to be a pointless meeting, and then boy was he wrong. That’s definitely one of my recent favorite memories at RCN.
What/Who has been your biggest motivator?
My biggest motivator at RCN is probably my co-workers. I think they really challenge me and push me every day, to create better products, to develop things faster, and also they just motivate me to do my job better because if I am able to do my job better then everyone has the assets they need to succeed. So, time and time again, the thing that really pushes me to be a better employee at RCN are my co-workers.
What’s your biggest accomplishment since working for RCN?
I have two big moments at RCN that really stand out for me that really made me feel like I had made a name for myself, not only at RCN but also within our industry. The first was when I was initially asked to speak on a panel by myself. Usually, Jeff has all the speaking roles at tradeshows, so I knew that that was a big deal where I actually got invited to speak on a panel about marketing and marketing in the private lending sector. The second proudest moment was winning the American Association of Private Lender’s (AAPL) Member of the Year Award. That was huge. Every award I am able to win as a part of RCN is special, but that was one of the biggest accomplishments to date since joining RCN, so that definitely sticks out in my mind.
How does this company differ from others? What makes RCN stand out?
Definitely the company culture. I know that a lot of companies say they have the whole “work hard, play hard” mentality, but RCN truly embodies that in everything we do. I’ve never worked in a place that values hard work but also rewarded their employees when their hard work was completed. And then I always go back to the people that work at RCN. There’s a very specific personality type, and all of the folks who have joined our team over the years have really made RCN feel like a second home.
How would you describe RCN’s company culture?
RCN’s company culture is definitely one where employees come first. We always try to value the people that make up the company. And then also it’s a very, truly “work hard, play hard” mentality. If you are doing your best and really pulling yourself up by your bootstraps and making a difference in the company, you will be rewarded for that. And I really like the fact that management goes out of their way time and time again, to recognize employees and make sure that they feel included in the company culture.
Erica LaCentra,Director of Marketing,is responsible for planning, developing and implementing RCN Capital’s strategic marketing plan. Joining the company in 2013, Erica’s efforts have rapidly expanded RCN’s customer base and elevated the company to a national brand. Erica handles the creation of the company’s traditional and digital media, the management of paid search advertising, social media marketing and email marketing as well as the coordination of tradeshow sponsorships and event involvement. Erica holds a B.S. in Advertising with a minor is Advertising Design from Suffolk University.