Sara Clauss: “The best operators are naturally curious. They don’t stop at identifying that performance changed, they want to understand why”

One of the things I’m most grateful for in my career is having had the opportunity to work on both the buy and sell side of the programmatic ecosystem. It gave me an appreciation for the challenges each side faces and fundamentally changed how I approach partnerships today.

While publishers and demand partners often have different priorities, they’re ultimately working toward the same goal: creating a healthy marketplace that delivers value for everyone involved. Every day I get to sit in the middle of that ecosystem, helping publishers maximize monetization while working with demand partners to improve scale, efficiency, and performance. That perspective has been invaluable because it allows me to understand what success looks like from both sides of the marketplace. Having experienced both perspectives has taught me that the best solutions come from understanding not just your own objectives, but your partner’s as well.

Throughout my time at Nimbus, I’ve had the opportunity to build and scale relationships with publishers and more than 75 server-side demand partners while helping grow the Nimbus+ marketplace.

For me, the biggest difference is being proactive instead of reactive.

Strong demand operations teams don’t wait for something to break before taking action. They’re constantly monitoring trends, identifying opportunities, analyzing performance, and communicating with partners before small issues become larger problems.

Technical expertise is important, but communication is just as critical. The best operations teams combine data, technology, and strong relationships to continuously improve performance.

I also think the best operators are naturally curious. They don’t stop at identifying that performance changed, they want to understand why. That curiosity is what often uncovers the insights that lead to meaningful, long-term improvements.

Trust, transparency, and friendship.

Every partnership will experience periods where performance changes or priorities shift. The successful partnerships aren’t the ones that never encounter challenges, they’re the ones where both teams communicate openly, share data, and genuinely work together to solve problems.

I also believe curiosity is important. Instead of assuming why something happened, ask questions, compare data, and understand each other’s systems. Most issues have logical explanations, and approaching conversations with that mindset almost always leads to better outcomes.

Finally, I think friendships matter. We spend a tremendous amount of time working with our partners, and I’ve always believed it’s important to build genuine relationships with the people behind the business. After all, it’s much more enjoyable to work with a friend than just another vendor or customer. Those friendships make collaboration easier, conversations more honest, and partnerships stronger over the long term.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that demand operations is simply a technical support function.

In reality, it’s one of the most cross-functional roles in ad tech. Every day involves balancing technical troubleshooting with partnership management, data analysis, strategic planning, and collaboration across engineering, product, publishers, and demand partners.

Some of the biggest revenue improvements don’t come from major product launches—they come from understanding the details of how the ecosystem works and making hundreds of thoughtful optimizations over time.

The best demand operators are part analyst, part consultant, part relationship manager, and part detective. That’s what makes the role both challenging and incredibly rewarding

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to never stop learning.

Programmatic advertising evolves incredibly quickly. Privacy regulations change, technologies evolve, buying strategies shift, and new challenges emerge almost every day. Staying curious and continuously investing in learning has been one of the most valuable things I’ve done throughout my career.

I’ve been fortunate to grow through several roles at Nimbus, most recently stepping into the role of Director of Demand Operations & Accounts. Each transition has expanded my perspective, from managing day-to-day operations to leading strategic partnerships, marketplace growth, and cross-functional initiatives. Every new challenge has pushed me outside my comfort zone, and I’ve found that’s where the greatest professional growth happens.

I’ve also learned that relationships are just as important as technical expertise. Technology changes quickly, but trust, credibility, and a genuine willingness to help others are what create lasting partnerships.

If there’s one philosophy that’s guided me throughout my career, it’s to stay curious. Some of my biggest professional breakthroughs have come from asking one more question after everyone else thought the conversation was over. I’ve never been afraid to keep digging until I truly understand how something works.

I’ve never been satisfied with simply knowing that something works or doesn’t work. I want to understand why. That mindset has helped me become a better partner, a better leader, and a better problem solver.

Technical knowledge will always be important, but I think the professionals who stand out will be the ones who combine technical expertise with strong communication and business understanding.

The ability to interpret data, understand how different parts of the ecosystem connect, explain complex topics clearly, and build meaningful partnerships will continue to be incredibly valuable.

Adaptability is critical. The programmatic landscape changes constantly, and the people who embrace change, continue learning, and remain curious will be the ones who thrive over the long term.

Most importantly, never lose sight of the human side of this business. Programmatic advertising is built on relationships. Technology enables those relationships, but people are what make them successful.

I’ve always believed that if you genuinely care about your partners’ success, continue learning every day, and aren’t afraid to ask questions or tackle difficult problems, the results will follow.

For me, that’s what makes this industry so rewarding. There’s always another problem to solve, another integration to improve, or another partnership to strengthen. Even after all these years, I still get excited when I learn something new or help a partner solve a difficult challenge. I never want to lose that curiosity because it’s been one of the biggest drivers of my career.