Danielle Ruess

At some point, people reach a professional plateau, and it can be difficult to break through and scale beyond it. The best way, says Wizeline Chief Marketing Officer Danielle Ruess, is to elevate those around you.

“One of the greatest leadership lessons I’ve learned is that you can’t scale yourself beyond a certain point, so you must scale processes and the learnings of your team,” she said. “Building competency and capacity of your overall team reduces dependency on just one person (be that you or the top leaders on your team). Equipping people with the skills and knowledge to perform at their highest level carries over to the greater organization, leading to a stronger company culture and true empowerment.”

Wizeline, a global technology services provider, builds digital products and platforms that accelerate time to market for Fortune 500 and mid-cap companies. “Our adaptive teams provide the right combination of solutions, capabilities and methodologies to deliver results while partnering with our customers’ teams to foster innovation through continuous learning,” the company said. “We are invested in doing well while doing good, striving to make a positive impact where we live and work.”

Ruess came to Wizeline to help the company scale and to position it as a leading technology services company by developing analyst relations, investor relations and brand awareness while focusing on customer experience and talent acquisition marketing, the company said. In one year, she launched account-based marketing within her team, resulting in over $2 million in recognized revenue. She also implemented a structured analyst relations program that led the company to its first inclusion in the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America list.

Ruess has also refreshed the brand in-house and works with other executives on overall company strategy. Wizeline has continued to build on its talent brand through numerous social media campaigns, focused on real employee stories and accomplishments. She has also contributed to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives within the company.

“The title I currently hold has undergone significant changes over the past decade,” Ruess said. “Marketing has expanded to all aspects of growth, spanning customer experience, customer data and analytics, existing customer growth and direct-revenue contribution, along with the continued importance of creating, growing and nurturing brand equity.”

In a previous role, Ruess contributed to the successful initial public offering of Axalta in 2014. She helped to create a new brand from one of America’s oldest, most respected brands, DuPont. It was an 18-month process and one that, although challenging, was both a personal and professional highlight, her team said.

Outside the workplace, Ruess is an avid Formula One fan, and she enjoys scuba diving.