Instead, she discovered that marketing home services offered exactly the kind of creative challenge she enjoyed.

“People don’t WANT to talk about their plumbing, and their HVAC is only a topic when it’s not working,” Welch said. “The challenge of doing things differently to engage customers about something that is the opposite of sexy IS fun!”

That means experimenting, thinking outside the box, and finding ways to make Morris-Jenkins stand out. But, Welch also understands that the results of her work affect more than the company's brand.

“At the end of the day, as a marketer, my job is to make the phone ring,” she said. “Doing my job well means that our HVAC techs, plumbers, and electricians have plenty of opportunities to achieve and provide for their families.”

One campaign remains particularly meaningful. In 2018, Morris-Jenkins aired a television commercial declaring, “The world needs more female technicians.” At the time, the company had one female technician, who had entered its internal training program with no prior experience.

The campaign encouraged more women to apply, and today Morris-Jenkins employs female tradespeople across HVAC, plumbing and electrical.

“The world STILL needs more female technicians!” Welch said.

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Welch is equally proud of the team behind Morris-Jenkins' distinctive marketing. Rather than relying heavily on outside agencies, the company handles its marketing in-house with a team Welch says functions much like its own agency.

Watching that team develop its capabilities and gradually bring more work in-house has been both nerve-wracking and rewarding.

For someone who once thought the trades might be a temporary stop on the way to something more glamorous, Welch has found plenty of opportunities to keep marketing interesting, and make a tangible difference along the way.