You never know where the wind will blow the Willow, but you can be sure we are flexible. With less than a weeks’ notice Brad and I packed our bags (or in Brad’s case a backpack) and headed to Arlington, Texas. It is a city located approximately 12 miles east of downtown Fort Worth and 20 miles west of downtown Dallas. It is home to the Texas Rangers Ballpark, Cowboys Stadium, and the original Six Flags theme park. We saw all three of these attractions, though they weren’t the reason for our visit (and these are the best pictures I could get as Brad zoom-zoomed past in our little Mazda rental). We were there to visit with a potential client. Since I’m new to the Willow team it was my first opportunity to see how we can really be a consultant for the companies and organizations we partner with. At Willow we focus on solving the communication problem at hand by asking questions to get to the heart of the issue. Our time in Arlington was spent doing just that. And I think it’s safe to say that the potential client is now our partner. Maybe on our next visit, Brad will stop the car so we can enjoy the attractions or at the very least, get a decent picture.

What do you do at Willow?
Graphic Design Intern.

How long have you worked at Willow?
Since August 2010.

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Civil engineer, so people would have to drive where I told them to go.

What is your favorite pizza topping?
Pepperoni.

What was your first pet’s name?
Cassey the hamster, named after my first best friend.

What was your favorite subject in school?
Math with Mrs. Rhodes.

What was your first job?
Carhop and waitress at Mike’s Grill.

What is your favorite movie of all time?
Dirty Dancing.

If you were a super hero, what would your super power be?
Mind control.

What drew you into the marketing business?
I discovered Veer magazine and was inspired. I wanted to make the things they did.

Describe yourself in 5 words or less.
Driven, Silly, Independent, Strong-willed, Thoughtful.

If you could be one animal, what would it be and why?
A bird, so I could fly wherever I wanted.

Frozen custard or ice cream?
Ice cream. Lemon or pumpkin, please.

How do you eat an Oreo?
Bite by bite, no peeling apart or licking, just eat it!

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
Anywhere tropical and I’d be content.

Where do you like to sit in a movie theatre and why?
Center of the theater and center of the row, best  view.

What’s in the trunk of your vehicle at this moment?
Emergency kit, extra blanket, and the big blue bow from when I got my new car… 5 years ago.

What’s on your desk at work?
Usually Chapstick and a bottle of water along with the typical pens, post-its, etc. Pretty simple.

What’s your favorite part of working at Willow?
The amazing people and environment.

What’s your favorite Indy restaurant?
Kazan. Delicious Japanese on a hibachi grill.

I can’t exactly describe a typical day at Willow, which is one of the reasons I love Willow! If I’m in the office, the account services team typically meets around our big white board to prioritize projects for the day. Although we plan as well as we can a week or two in advance, there are always projects that arise and things that need shifted. We’re in a fast moving company with projects that often come up with short notice, but we make it happen for our clients. After priorities are set, we meet as a company and get to work!

My other jobs throughout the day include talking with clients (one of my favorite parts!), coordinating between our staff and clients to complete new projects, edits and updates, media buying, press release writing and talking with local media, social media implementation and monitoring, brainstorming new ideas for clients, working on timelines and budgets (and making sure we stick to them!), responding to RFPs, writing copy for ads and other marketing materials, reading articles about the latest marketing tips and techniques (especially in social media right now), writing estimates for new business opportunities, and much, much more!

I also love spending time out of the office meeting in person with clients and attending events to expand my marketing knowledge. I also manage to find time for frequent trips to La Piedad and helping staff members with their online dating profiles.

We’ve got a new weekly blog feature. It’s called “Let’s Chat.” We ask a question. You be nice and participate. Alrighty, let’s get this started.

If you’ve been using social media for a while now, how different are your social media habits now compared to when you first started using it?