Talk us through an average day in your role
Mornings are the best (quietest) time for me to get writing projects done for our clients, so I’m usually at my desk between 5 and 7 a.m. As more team members come online — we all work remotely — I start answering questions about various projects and deal with the day-to-day of our own operations. Then client and team meetings ramp up, particularly in the sweet spot that works well for both UK/Europe and Pacific Coast participants. Oftentimes, there are follow-up conversations to move projects forward and generate further ideas about how to help our clients tell their stories most effectively, and those take me well into the afternoon. When time permits, I get back to work on specific projects. Then, after a quick break for kid pick-up, I grab one of the coveted work-friendly spots at soccer/football or swim practice so I can finish up timely work and prepare for the next day.
How did you get started in the media industry?
I started in the industry nearly 25 years ago when Chris Lesieutre of Wall Street Communications asked me if I thought I could write for a PR agency specialising in broadcast technology. We met during drop-in night at the squash club in Salt Lake City. Having just left an internet startup focused on launching an internet mall (for real!), I said that I certainly could try. As it turned out, I lived just down the block from the agency — at 666 Wall St., along with a black cat, in an apartment building vaguely resembling the Bates Motel. Despite signs to the contrary, luck was on my side! It was the beginning of a great career.
What training did you have before entering the industry?
I have a master’s in journalism with a focus on new media and editing. In addition to doing basic reporting for a local newspaper, online editing (as a Dow Jones intern) for an Arizona paper, serving as a TA for a very particular professor teaching grammar and style, and writing and editing for the university’s monthly magazine, I built websites with simple HTML. (Yes, it was the late 1990s. And yes, I did make text blink.) Thanks to the new media focus, I got a head start in learning about evolving tech and how it drives new ways of creating and sharing content.
Why do you enjoy working in the industry?
It’s a tie between the people and the tech. I work with wonderful and interesting people, both within our agency and across the broader industry. I’ve been lucky enough to interview hundreds of engineers and executives, and it’s always a treat to hear them speak with passion about a technology or project that matters to them. Because I’ve been doing this a while, I also have the benefit of being able to take the long view. I’ve seen transitions and transformations that have altered business models and the way that people create, share, and consume content. There always will be more change, and I get to work with people shaping that change.
What piece of advice would you offer someone looking to explore a role similar to yours?
For someone looking to enter the world of PR, I’d suggest focusing on communication. Storytelling is important to businesses in any industry. If you do research and ask good questions, hone your listening skills, and practice various forms of content creation tailored for different companies and platforms, you’ll have a great foundation for just about any opportunity that comes your way.
