Company: AvePoint Jersey City, NJ
Company Description: AvePoint provides the most advanced platform to optimize SaaS operations and secure collaboration. Over 17,000 customers worldwide rely on our solutions to modernize the digital workplace across Microsoft, Google, Salesforce and other collaboration environments. Enterprise customers include the Internal Revenue Service, Monetary Authority of Singapore, KPMG, WPP, and Merck.
Nomination Category: Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, & Public Relations Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications Professional of the Year
 Nomination Title: Nicole Caci, Director, Content & Communications
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the achievements of the nominated individual since January 1 2022, OR written answers to the questions for this category? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this first question: Briefly describe the nominated individual: their history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 170 words used.
Nicole Caci has experience leading global communications for companies like iHeartMedia and IBM and her background as a Sports Illustrated reporter has given her a unique ability to identify compelling brand stories that stick. She was initially hired at AvePoint to spearhead Public Relations efforts pre-IPO. Since then, she has been focused on building an in-house Communications Team for the publicly traded company (Nasdaq: AVPT) valued at $1B. Under Nicole’s leadership, earned media coverage from AvePoint is growing 30% YoY, social media followers 25% YoY an award wins 40% YoY. In less than three years, the team has grown from one to five, where today she manages two direct reports, collaborates with 4 PR firms globally and supports global marketing efforts to elevate the brand.
In addition, Nicole is the Communications Chair for AvePoint’s Women in Technology Employee Resource Group and a volunteer Coach for Girls on the Run in Brooklyn, New York, where she encourages young girls to strengthen their emotional and physical skills through a fun, running program.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this second question: Outline the nominated individual's achievements since the beginning of 2022 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 241 words used.
This year, Nicole has driven brand awareness, elevated brand reputation and increased brand advocacy for AvePoint, consistently exceeding a variety of KPIs. Highlights include:
Accelerating Earned Media Coverage: AvePoint news coverage is growing 30% YoY including highlights across publications like Bloomberg, CNBC, Forbes, Fast Company, CRN and more.
Building Executive Thought Leadership: This year will end with 40 executive op-eds written and placed in key publications, exceeding last year’s output by 36%. To achieve this goal, Nicole worked with six new executives, gaining their trust and perfecting their voices to opine on specific topics.
Boosting Brand Credibility with Awards: Across a diverse array of product, company and executive awards, Nicole has worked with her team to apply for 70 awards and won or been shortlisted for three quarters of them this year. This is a roughly 40% YoY increase from 2022 and is immensely helpful for the sales team to differentiate AvePoint products in compete situations.
Growing Social Media Following: This year AvePoint has increased followers across social media channels by 25% and doubled-down on TikTok, even as a B2B brand. Since introducing a new ChatAVPT (inspired by ChatGPT) series to TikTok, monthly views have increased by 813% and monthly profile views have increased by 17%.
Scaling PR Globally: Nicole and her small team serve the global organization of over 2,200 employees. Nicole manages 4 PR firms and collaborates with field marketing teams across the world to drive regional success.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this third question: Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the individual's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 229 words used.
Nicole has not only exceeded every KPI set for her over the past two years, but she has also grown as a manager, a woman in the industry, and respected leader in the AvePoint organization. She was named to the CRN Women of the Channel Awards for her contributions to growing AvePoint’s indirect sales business and partner program and is the Women in Technology Communications Chair for AvePoint, where she has advocated for elevating female voices. This aligns with her volunteer work for Girls on the Run outside of work as well.
As a manager, Nicole encourages her team to pursue passions outside of work to help them thrive professionally. For example, one of Nicole’s direct reports landed a leading role in a musical this year and she identified a schedule for him to accommodate both professional responsibilities and the musical. On top of weekly rehearsals, his show’s opening night was on an earnings day, which required extra coordination, but built on a baseline of trust and hard work, the team accomplished its goals—and the musical was great!
Nicole also encourages her team to develop User Manuals which describe preferred working styles, times of day individuals work best, what motivates them and other fun facts like favorite quotes. By better understanding her team, Nicole has been able to support them better, minimize unnecessary friction and achieve even more success.
- You have the option to answer this final question: Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 217 words used.
The attachments reflect some of the earned media, awards, and op-eds that Nicole has been responsible for this year, all of which have helped grow AvePoint’s brand awareness and credibility in the industry, while exceeding all KPIs set by the marketing team. In addition, Nicole supported the company’s #shifthappens Conference this year, which was brought back after three years of a hiatus due to the pandemic. Nicole did a great job leading all public relations efforts including two announcements and a series of media interviews on the ground, some included in the attachments. Further, Nicole helped produce the keynote and other speaking sessions, as well as providing her own thought leadership, included here.
As part of Nicole’s efforts to build executive thought leadership, the company’s CEO TJ Jiang was named 2023 CEO of the Year, in the Information Technology Products or Services category by the Globee Awards and a Top SaaS CEO by the Software Report, links included. On top of the traditional thought leadership, Nicole is committed to elevating minority voices, as described in her work with Women in Technology and Girls on the Run, but she has done this with the executive team too. This year, Chief Strategy Officer Mario Carvajal was featured on CNBC for Hispanic Heritage Month as a result of Nicole’s efforts.
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