Ask me about my childhood, and you’d think I never experienced anything other than summers filled with free-range adventures in my neighborhood. Raised in a suburb east of San Francisco, I spent the ’70s and early ’80s riding bikes and playing sports of every kind. Whether due to bearing the title of the younger sister or learning that I was shorter than most, I was scrappy, and athletics lit a fire in me to want to be my best. I applied that drive to seasonal tennis, skiing, and soccer. The introduction of hard work and dedication came through swimming and competitive gymnastics, where I learned what it means to honor your commitments, to follow through – the triumph of finishing.
There was always an expectation of giving your best effort in my family. I found I needed to spend extra time on academics, and from hard work, I saw particular success in English coursework in college – precisely because of writing. What brought real victory for me was finding a community of writers – students and teachers – where we workshopped and refined pieces, demonstrating persistence, and prospering from perseverance. I started to see the satisfaction that could come from creating something out of nothing, an avenue of expression I hadn’t previously explored in depth.
While working in the accounting department of the bookstore, I regularly analyzed data to form conclusions. I came to find truth in the reliability of numbers – of analytics – realizing that with a bit of sleuthing and some context, you could tell a story. Later, with my foot in the door at an advertising agency in their accounting department, I was crunching numbers by day, writing by night, and loving the convergence of the two worlds. Communication Strategy, then known as Media planning, a combination of research, strategy, and math, was initially viewed as a brief diversion from copywriting. That temporary shift blossomed into a 20+ year career.
Energized by the fast-paced world of advertising, every day was different, always with something to learn about the commercial side of businesses. It was at one agency, which was deliberate in not having corporate policies, where we were encouraged to create solutions; make our way. I still carry this thinking today in seeking solutions that might not be readily apparent, and to a great extent, when producing work for clients.
Now, as the working mother of two, I believe that reaping the benefits of perseverance is also about finding joy. Joy doesn’t just come from career highs, but also through quality time spent in service to family, exercise, community, personal development, friends, and yes, humor. To me, swimming is balance personified. Swimming allows for different attributes to coexist: competition and contemplation, team sport and individual, exhausting and energizing, a challenge while also fulfilling.
In this digital era, where distraction is the norm, I seek to be present every day. I recognize there is a power in listening, and in my work, translate what I’ve heard – what I’ve learned – into a worthy piece of communication. I’ve come full circle, using calculated creativity to produce work. Whether using storytelling, or a literary journalistic approach, and be it content creation or copywriting, I aim to make an impact.