Community Management

The value that Austin brings to an organization and to the organizations or people he interacts with is second to none. In over 15 years, I've never come across someone who is so driven to connect with people, promote his organization's brand, or promote his customers' brands.

When Austin contacts someone, he truly wants to get to know them and to know what makes them tick, as he's interviewed me no fewer than three times to gain a little more insight into my business and who I am as a person. That sets Austin apart from more than 99% of both his generation and his industry - a man mature beyond his years and a good friend in a short time.

I've met a lot of community managers. Austin Gunter is the best. The work he has done on behalf of WPEngine has been plain and simply astounding.

All I know is this... Austin stepped in the door, and things magically got way more awesome.

Facebook "likes" soared. Twitter followers multiplied quickly. Buzz got louder. Customers were more satisfied. And WP Engine all-of-a-sudden had a strong, pleasing, and caring voice in the community. Not to mention the immeasurable, yet extremely noticeable positive impact on sales and retention that Austin had from day one.

Kudos to Austin -- He's an irreplaceable asset to any company lucky enough to have him, including maybe his own one day.

Austin is a born networker and has writing in his blood. He's obsessed with his job - in a good way. He eats, sleeps and breathes what he does professionally and his passion for work pays off in a big way. My resume needed a kick-shot in 2012 so I hired Austin to really help it shine. I'm a professional author and writer so I know writing talent when I see it. However Austin was much more than just a writer. He was a strategic partner in my job search. Giving me insight on who, where and how to approach when I was looking for the perfect fit and then helping me tailor my resume to make it happen.

I enjoyed working with Austin while he was at Tech Ranch. He brought fresh perspectives and creative energy to discussions and strategy planning. I appreciated his positive attitude and a willingness to dissect and tackle complex problems.

Austin is someone you can absolutely depend on, especially in client-facing situations. He is driven to make the team succeed, and exemplifies the meaning of being a team player. He worked on 4 different projects in his first 90 days, often working on the projects simultaneously and performing very well, which demonstrates his ability to ramp up and learn a new business quickly.

Austin is a hard working, dedicated professional who does what it takes to get the job done. I enjoyed working with him and he is an asset for any organization!

Austin was an employee at Tech Ranch when I began my startup, www.auntbertha.com. In his role as community manager he was responsible for advising founders along the way. Austin is very interested in personalities as they relate to work, and is very astute at analyzing how interpersonal relationships develop. From time to time, Austin provided good, insightful advice as I faced problems in the early stages. He was able to objectively analyze situations, and ask probing questions that helped me come to a decision. He was always enthusiastic, always was generous with his time and provided valuable feedback and encouragement. Austin's biggest strength is his ability to see relationships and people and how they interact. He helped me out many times and I have no doubt he will be have great similar impacts on people in the future.

Austin was a great addition to the Tech Ranch team. He works well with uncertainty, can pick up complex ideas and run with them, and is also a pleasure to hang out with.

When I first chatted with Austin, I was overwhelmed at how personable and helpful he was. He was one of the primary reasons I became excited to visit Austin, TX for the first time during our GenJuice Tour. During the tour, he helped our team connect with several organizations in Austin for our event. After the tour, he gave us direct feedback on our product direction and the kind of support any young company would kill for.

Since that first phone conversation, I noticed Austin has an unique way of pushing groups of people and individuals forward beyond what they imagine. He does this through committing himself to his work in a selfless and tireless way, and encouraging others to do the same. I would wholeheartedly recommend Austin for any project from this fact alone.