FAQs

I know, why do I have an FAQ section in my blog, right? I mean, blogs are pretty easy to figure out. Yes, they are. I agree with you there. But, more often than not, the most personal of blogs provide great stories and perspective, but not much content that directly says, “This is who I am.” So I thought I’d switch it up, be a little more open, and offer up a T overview.

In a nutshell, the FAQs answer the basics, because, hey, there’s a slight chance you’re interested..

What the heck does a Community Manager do, exactly?

Well. That’s an awesome question. Titles are always fairly individual, know what I mean? Each organization comes with its own set of roles. Generally, a community manager oversees the interactions among and between an organization’s internal and external communities. Okay, so, in that kind of context, who the heck is part of that community? Well, your internal community should be pretty obvious — all the various players inside your company that make things happen. So pretty much everyone that has a .[companyname].com email address that matches yours. That external community, though, is a bit more amorphous. Generally, that community consists of your current customers, potential customers, loyal fans, and, ya know, *interested* folks. Sometimes those communities come together in organized fashions, like in an actual brand community of some sort, and sometimes they’re just out there doing their own thing, and it’s your job as a community manager to make things honky dory for ‘em. That’s the simple version.

In addition to the community stuff, I also do a bunch of content creation and management for my company. It’s my job to manage our main corporate blog, orchestrate the creation of our monthly eBooks, look into possible case studies, white papers, webinars, and make happen whatever else we deem awesome to create and share. I oversee these projects because I simply love words and stories (it’s why I was initially hired as a Content Marketing Manager).

Aside from all things content, what are you a fan of? Who are you?

Books. Wait, that’s content, isn’t it? No, really, I love to read. I’m a music person, so singing is my default mood booster. I’m a bit of a geek and have a huge fascination with all sorts of scientific stuff. Right now, that scientific stuff is mostly neuroscientific in nature. Coffee rules. So do beer and wine (especially dark beers and ports). I love to bake when I have someone to pawn my delectable creations off on. I’m a superficial fan of sportbikes (i.e., I love them from afar, though I do have a cat named Ducati…) and I’m a car girl. That’s the short list.

Who am I? Um, me. I’m loud. I laugh A LOT. You wouldn’t think it, but I move at a pretty fast pace. Well…my brain does. I’m a hardass when it comes to my work, but I tend to be pretty sensitive outside the office. I mentally beat the crap outta myself as a matter of course. I’m told I’m intimidating, but it turns out I’m just an introvert, and in quite a few settings I have a hard time finding a comfortable groove. I’ve gained an incredible spine and faith in my professional accumen in the last year and a half, after an extensive and exhausting search for the ultimate, career-defining job. I found it, and I work with an incredible team of people for an outstanding company. I’m independent to a fault, skeptical of marriage, and don’t believe in settling. Now, let’s move on.

Why didn’t you ever move to Chicago?

Welllll, there are a few different reasons but the main one is that I’d miss my family and friends too much. As loud and charismatic as I can be, I’m very much an introvert, and I just didn’t have it in me to pick up and replant myself in a new place and find new friends last year. I’m staying here in California for now, but I still pine for Chicago every couple weeks, and Colorado is coming into view as a possible state of residence for the next chapter (whatever that may be, and whenever it may happen). It’s fresh and beautiful and quiet, and I love it.

Favorite food?

Cuisine: Greek/Mediterranean. Middle Eastern is an incredibly close second. Dish: Mac n’ Cheese. Ha.

Most memorable experience of your life thus far?

When I was 10 I got smacked by a California brown bear. On the arm. And I managed not to pee my pants.