ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IZEA, Inc. (NASDAQ: IZEA), operator of IZEAx®, the premier online marketplace connecting brands and publishers with influential content creators, announces the appointment of Francesca Cruz to Vice President of SaaS Customer Success, effective immediately.
The appointment of Ms. Cruz to the role follows the recent close of the acquisition of TapInfluence. Ms. Cruz will lead the team responsible for ensuring the successful adoption and marketplace utilization of all IZEA owned and operated SaaS platforms.
Prior to the acquisition, Cruz served as the Vice President of Customer Success and Partnerships for TapInfluence beginning in 2016. Under Cruz’s direction, marketplace utilization grew 39% from 2016 to 2017. Cruz originally joined TapInfluence in 2015 as Vice President of Sales, and oversaw annual SaaS revenue growth of 204% from 2014 to 2015.
Before joining TapInfluence, Cruz held a variety of sales management positions at Confio Software, which was acquired by SolarWinds during her tenure. She initially led and grew Confio’s Sales Development team and eventually became a Director of Sales for multiple SolarWinds product lines in 2013. Cruz is a graduate of Duke University and a Fulbright Scholar.
“We believe the acquisition of TapInfluence by IZEA represents the first consolidation of significant market leaders in the influencer space. Our joint value proposition will provide brands and agencies with a comprehensive suite of technology and level of support services unparalleled in the industry. I’m extremely excited to be joining the IZEA team and look forward to delivering even more value to our combined customers.”
“We are thrilled to have Francesca join team IZEA. Her extensive background in customer success, sales and management will be of great benefit to both IZEA and our customers,” said Ted Murphy, Founder and CEO of IZEA. “Francesca has a proven track record of growing client relationships through collaborative development and exemplary customer service. Her skillsets and experience complement our increasing investment in SaaS and we are optimistic in her ability to help us grow this part of our business.”
About IZEA
IZEA operates IZEAx, the premier online marketplace that connects marketers with content creators. IZEAx automates influencer marketing and custom content development, allowing brands and agencies to scale their marketing programs. IZEA influencers include everyday creators as well as celebrities and accredited journalists. Creators are compensated for producing unique content such as long and short form text, videos, photos, status updates, and illustrations for marketers or distributing such content on behalf of marketers through their personal websites, blogs, and social media channels. Marketers receive influential content and engaging, shareable stories that drive awareness. For more information about IZEA, visit https://izea.com/.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements, and terms such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “should,” or other comparable terms, are based largely on IZEA's expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond IZEA's control. Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements as a result of, among other factors, competitive conditions in the content and social sponsorship segment in which IZEA operates, failure to popularize one or more of the marketplace platforms of IZEA and changing economic conditions that are less favorable than expected. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information contained in this respect will in fact occur.
