I wanted to be a cowboy.
But writing turned out to be what I was good at. (Yeehaw!)
I’ve had a lot of odd jobs. They’ve all taught me a lot about good communication.
And I’ll get to that in a minute. But first…
Cowboys.
The way I think about it, writing is a lot like the Wild, Wild West.
Baked beans and campfires aside, when you’re unleashed with nothing but a couple of KPIs and a herd of resources, it can feel a lot like heading into the desert with five different ideas of where to go and how to get there.
But what is a content creator if not an organizer of a daring quest and an incredible storyteller to boot?
So while I may have dreamed of tasseled leather jackets and ditching civilization on the back of a painted palomino, writing has allowed me to do some equally amazing, adventurous things.
Snapped Pope Francis
while on assignment with CBS and the Catholic Diocese of America.
Lived in Prague, Czech Republic
from 2015-2017 as a freelance writer and photographer.
Raised $100K for a good cause
as a project manager and marketing coordinator at the ADA.
Worked with 50+ small (and big) businesses
in London, New York City, Atlanta, Prague, Perth, Savannah, and more.
My current word count is…
My writing mentors always said that quality, not quantity, was the goal and that’s 100% true. But it doesn’t have to compete with the fact that experience is the best teacher. On average, I write between 2,000 and 8,000 words a day. My all-time high record is 15,408.
“How does one make the leap from regular Star Wars fan to an over-the-top obsessee with the franchises’ new baddie, Kylo Ren? Mostly boredom, but having a cardboard cutout helped.”
My roommates and I spent a few weeks flirting with TikTok celebrity status in hopes of discovering the secrets to good content strategy on the Internet’s (still) favorite app. Here’s what I found out with the help of Adam Driver and a quarantine.
I’ve worked with some of the biggest brands in the world.
But after a decade, I’ve found that helping small businesses tell their stories is just as much fun.
If you’re asking, I think a better world needs:
more stories.
I’ve taught, photographed, and donated to the Deep Center, a non-profit using writing, art, and culture as platforms to fuel the creative and advocate fires of Savannah’s young people since 2014. It continues to be one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever been a part of. You can learn more about what the Deep Center does here.
more wildlife.
I grew up spending my summers in the marsh, romping around a wildlife rehabilitation center that rescued and provided refuge for the region’s most interesting (and at-risk) species. It taught me a lot about being a good custodian, environmentalist, and person. You can learn more about the center here.
more books.
I live my life at the beginning of a never-ending TBR book stack that takes up 110% of my nightstand. So do two of my best friends (love books, not live on my nightstand.) Together, we decided to share more about the words that inspire us and started @TheGirlsRead and a book club with local Atlanta bookstore, A Cappella Books. See what we’re currently reading here.
And what does any of this have to do with cowboys?
Adaptability.
Cowboys, just like writers, thrive on what they know, what they can learn, and how to adapt to any situation.
As a content strategist, I’ve put together a lot of impossible things to create something extraordinary: koi fish and project management certification, submarines and Salesforce, totem poles and HR companies. As a journalist, I’ve met a lot of tight deadlines with never-before-seen first sentences, colorful idioms, and strong Oxford commas. And as a traveler, a reader, and a mentor, I’ve learned that it’s not just about being smarter, it’s about learning to build bridges where none exist. Altogether, I’ve turned a lot of “we don’t really know where to start” into stronger teams, captivating stories, and extraordinary opportunities. And if that’s not the life of a cowboy, you’ll have a hard job convincing me otherwise. 🤠