DZS Rising Stars Series: Taylor Vogt, Marketing Manager

Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Sheryl Sandberg, Tim Cook and Larry Page all have one thing in common—they were each once “just starting out, “dreaming big and diving headfirst into the rapidly changing world of technology with the aim of leaving their mark on the industry.

DZS is growing at record speed and on a mission to transform today’s service providers into tomorrow’s experience providers by enabling the ultimate subscriber experience. Their growing team, in particular, the up-and-comers in the company, are a vital part of that mission.

Who are the next generation of innovative technology professionals that will change the world? Many are hard at work at DZS right now, learning each day and sharpening their skills while also sharing their ideas and natural, innate talents. Their contributions and fresh perspectives are highly valued by DZS, which has a reputation for innovation globally. Our new DZS Rising Stars series highlights some of these up and comers.

We sat down with Taylor Vogt, marketing manager at DZS, who joined the team in 2022. Since then, DZS continues to see a steady growth in brand recognition and lead generation, as she has helped launch and contribute to marketing campaigns, social media content, video production and the company’s new website.

Tell us about your role—your title, how long you’ve been with the company, and what your responsibilities are.

I am the Marketing Manager at DZS and have been with the company since 2022. I am what you would call a “generalist” and my day-to-day responsibilities include creating social media content, email campaigns and contributing content and visuals to our new website, which is set to launch in September.

There is so much work that goes into social media and website content before the public sees it –from start to finish. We have to provide all of the information our customers and potential customers need when they come to our site and make it easy for them to navigate. It’s really exciting for me to see the traffic increase on the site and know how much our work has paid off.

Of course, you also need to be a bit of a perfectionist and know the slightest error can have major consequences! I learn something new every day and love feeling like I’m making an impact.

DZS is actively engaged in shaping the future of how we communicate, from the metaverse to 5G to hyper-fast fiber broadband. What excites you the most about the work that you’re a part of?

Marketing rules the world of business! We are making sure the right people are properly introduced to products that they will be attracted to. And in line of work, I’m making sure that happens and helping DZS change the future of broadband in a really unique way.

We are constantly helping to supply broadband to unserved and underserved areas, and this changes lives. People are able to work and further their education. None of this would be possible without broadband.

What are your goals while at the company? What mark do you hope to make?

There is a lot for us to accomplish here on the Marketing team.

Every day offers new opportunities to raise DZS’ brand awareness and reputation. Even doing an interview like this with you; I feel I’m helping to spread the word about what we’re doing and why it is so critical.

I am taking one day at a time, so I work on different marketing initiatives ranging from our new website, to marketing campaigns, to blogs, social media and videos we are producing. 

I can’t really say where I see myself in five or ten years, because the industry changes on an almost weekly basis. So, when I say that I can’t say where I see myself, I say it with excitement and not fear because that’s the thrilling part.

I also hope that I always leave a positive mark on the people I interact with, and that they remember me for being optimistic, encouraging, creative and resourceful. It’s those little things that are really the big things defining a company’s culture. One in which people want to be a part of, thrive and do their very best.

What do you hope to learn?

I have so many amazing mentors and leaders at DZS, and I’m not just talking about executives in the company—I learn just as much from people who are like me, new to the workforce. Everybody comes from different backgrounds and has different life experiences, and we are all rooting for each other and want to see everyone succeed. Everything here is a team effort.

I have learned more in the past 6 months than I have in the past 6 years. 

My goal is to continue expanding my skillsets and capabilities and doing all that I can to help DZS grow and, from there, we will see what the future holds for me at DZS.  

How would you describe DZS to somebody who doesn’t “speak tech”?

People do ask me that all the time!

The short answer: we provide and sell products and solutions to communications companies that provide people high speed internet access in their homes and businesses.

Believe it or not, I used to consider myself one of those people who didn’t “speak tech.” It’s funny how much a person can grow and learn in less than six months.  

I also think it’s a lot easier to understand than people realize. These are things we all use every day, so it’s really not that complicated. But I also think DZS takes the worry and stress out of things like accessing the internet or having connectivity issues and just makes it easier for the end-customer to utilize the solutions.

When were you first bitten by the tech bug?

When I was 16, I did my first internship at GENBAND and started that experience very naïve—as most people are at 16. It was definitely intimidating at first, because everyone around me was moving at such a rapid pace. And I realized then that everything we do requires technology, and there were so many different aspects of it and I wanted to find where in technology I would fit in.

And then things came full circle over a decade later, and I am here at DZS, so excited to be a part of everything we are doing here.

What strengths and skills do you think are most important in your position?

Being creative, having an eye for detail and thinking outside the box.

People often think that you have to be one or the other—technical or creative and that there is no room for both. At DZS you definitely need to be both.

No matter what you are working with, there is always room to be creative.

And you can’t be afraid to take risks, because you never know when something is really going to take off.

I’m really grateful that those that I report to encourage us to be creative as much as possible and empower us to run with our own ideas. I have never felt less important than anyone else because I am younger. I always feel like my voice and my input are just as important as everyone else’s.