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Ben Kleykamp
Inside Sales Specialist / Outside Sales at Builders First Source
Professional Background
Ben Kleykamp is an accomplished Graphic Designer and Website Developer with a diverse and rich portfolio that spans several industries. With an early passion for creativity fueled by Nintendo 64 and chess during his upbringing in Luxembourg, Ben has brilliantly blended his interests in gaming and design throughout his professional career. After earning his Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design from Miami University, he honed his skills through various internships and professional roles, showcasing his ability to adapt and innovate within the creative space.
Ben's notable journey began with a transformative experience as a Game Production Intern at the Game Show Network (GSN), where he learned the intricacies of mobile production. This early exposure allowed him to cultivate a strong design mindset that conforms to the needs of tech and entertainment industries. Following his internship, he stepped into a significant role at AlphaGraphics as a Lead Sign Specialist, where he was responsible for leading projects and driving design solutions tailored to clients’ needs. His expertise in graphic design and sign production made him a critical asset to the AlphaGraphics team.
After two rewarding years at AlphaGraphics, Ben sought to diversify his skill set, thus transitioning into multiple roles that reflect his adaptable nature and thirst for knowledge. His current focus is on collaborative design, where he thrives while exploring innovative ideas with a creative team. His career showcases not only his technical skills but also his ability to engage with various design methodologies that enhance usability, client experience, and overall project success.
Education and Achievements
Ben Kleykamp’s academic foundation in design was laid at Miami University, where he pursued a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design. This educational experience provided him with critical insights into traditional and contemporary design principles, equipping him with the skills necessary for success in the fast-paced world of graphic design. During his time at Miami University, Ben actively engaged in various roles, including a Marketing and Communications Intern and a Resident Assistant, which enhanced his leadership and communication abilities while fostering a spirit of community.
One of the highlights of Ben’s education was his last semester spent studying in San Francisco, California. This unique opportunity not only broadened his horizons but also allowed him to immerse himself in the vibrant tech culture of Silicon Valley. This experience contributed to his professional growth and prepared him for the dynamic challenges faced in the graphic design landscape.
Professional Roles and Contributions
Throughout his career, Ben Kleykamp has amassed a wealth of experience across different roles, each contributing to his growth as a designer and developer. From his early days as a Technical Designer/Drafter at Advance Sign Group to his current role as a graphic designer and website developer, he continues to showcase exceptional versatility and creativity in his work.
His contributions to Builders FirstSource where he served as an Inside Sales Specialist/Outside Sales further emphasize his understanding of the intersection between design and client interaction. Here, Ben utilized his graphic design skills to enhance customer engagement and promote brand awareness, demonstrating his comprehensive skill set that spans design and sales. His time in various organizations has not only enriched his design acumen but has also provided him with a unique perspective on client needs and market trends.
Personal Interests
Beyond his professional life, Ben is passionate about books, board games, and frisbee golf. These interests highlight his appreciation for creativity, strategy, and open-ended play, which often inspire his design work. His love for board games fuels his creativity, as he often draws parallels between game design and visual storytelling in graphic design. This blend of passions allows Ben to create engaging and immersive designs that resonate with audiences.
As a graphic designer and website developer, Ben Kleykamp exemplifies the perfect blend of creativity, technical expertise, and a genuine passion for enhancing user experiences. His diverse talents and experiences position him as a valuable member of any creative team, continually pushing the boundaries of design.
Achievements
Ben has distinguished himself through various roles in graphic design, showcasing a wealth of experience and achievements that speaks to his dedication and creativity. His internship at GSN laid the groundwork for a dynamic career, where he has consistently excelled in utilizing graphic design to meet client needs. His role at AlphaGraphics as Lead Sign Specialist is a testament to his leadership abilities and expertise. Additionally, by participating in the vibrant tech culture of San Francisco, Ben has integrated invaluable insights into modern design practices through active engagement in the community.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Clay offers several powerful features including:
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Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Clay stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Clay excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Clay is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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Clay's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Clay has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Clay a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Clay's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Clay's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Clay has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Clay's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Clay as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Clay eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.
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