Image via Albumarium
This post was written by Boston Content committee member Juliana Casale, content marketing manager at Nanigans. Follow her, @attackofthetext.
It could be that I have the memory retention of a goldfish, or maybe that the start of a new year has made me sentimental, but I can’t remember what life was like before I joined the Boston Content committee. Even though it’s only been two years since I volunteered for the gig, I’m just going to pretend I’ve always been surrounded by brilliant people who also happen to be supportive and hilarious.
Throughout beer-and-pizza brainstorming sessions, GIF-laden email threads, Google+ video chats and ragging on Jay for possessing a Y chromosome, our team has managed to cobble together a thriving community of content marketers on zero budget. It’s a testament to our collective event-planning abilities, for sure, but I think what makes this group special is that we truly believe in the merits of creativity, curiosity and collaboration.
Content marketing can be a lonely and stressful profession. Creation never stops, the pressure for quality is high and we often don’t have the time or resources to feel like we’re set up for success. Fortunately, our group of five has become seven — and we’re all ready to tackle the content challenges that 2015 brings in a big way.
Without further ado (and with apologies to Bette Midler), I’d like to awkwardly introduce myself — and the rest of the wind beneath Boston Content’s wings.
Juliana Casale
Content Marketing Manager, Nanigans
@attackofthetext
Juliana is a one-person content marketing machine over at Nanigans, an ad automation startup that — five years in and 170 people strong — has long since lost its baby teeth. When she’s not creating newsletters, blog posts, eBooks, case studies, white papers or the occasional data report (blech), she enjoys tweeting about craft beer, the weird headlines at Mashable and overheard conversations.
Lauren Landry
Digital Content Specialist, Northeastern University
@laurlandry
Lauren is a digital content specialist for Northeastern University and the former associate editor at BostInno, where she wrote nearly 3,500 articles covering all things education and early-stage tech. When she’s not writing, she’s serving as a mentor for the Emerson Accelerator or teaching content creation and social media at the likes of General Assembly and the Startup Institute.
After attending one of the first Boston Content events in early 2012, she knew Jay and Arestia were up to something special. Connecting communities online offline is key, and after seeing how fast this community has grown, it’s clear that the desire to network and be inspired by others is in high demand.
Everyone has a story to tell, but a majority of people don’t know how to tell it. Helping tell those stories has been what gets Lauren out of bed every day. And, as of 2015, she can’t wait to learn more about your story through Boston Content.
Sarah Salbu
Director of Communities, ORIG3N
@SarahSalbu
Sarah learned about Boston Content when she saw a Twitter post from co-founder Jay Acunzo about a meetup. She attended the event, met great people and learned some great tips about content marketing, which got her excited to get more involved. Here she is two years later, helping to put on great events for members.
Sarah’s professional positions have been in public relations, but the common thread with content marketing is the importance of storytelling — on behalf of organizations and to members of the media. She’s currently spearheading community development for a biotechnology company, ORIG3N, working to build awareness about the importance and opportunity that everyone has to contribute to the future of medicine. It's a lot of fun!
Lena Prickett
Content Marketing Specialist, SnapApp
@Lenagainstme
Lena manages content marketing for the interactive content creation platform SnapApp, from strategy and planning through production. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she had a mean case of wanderlust and spent chunks of time in San Francisco and Bangkok before moving to Boston. She's been a barista and touring musician, and loves (to tell and hear) a good story.
Lena found out about Boston Content while scanning through Eventbrite listings in October 2013. She attended a few events, including a content planning/strategy session that really opened her eyes to the whole spectrum of content marketing. She got to know a few of the members of the committee and realized she'd found exactly the community she'd been looking for in Boston: creative, supportive, innovative and full of energy. Consider her hooked!
To Lena, content marketing is the most natural approach to modern marketing: add value, don't shill and (as Jay says) make stuff people love. It's creative, analytical and full of surprises. She can't wait to see what her career looks like in 10 years.
Christine Warner
Senior Content Strategist, Skyword
@cvwarner
A Boston Content committee member since May 2014, Christine is a senior content strategist at Skyword managing the strategy development, production and optimization of content marketing programs for a diverse client base. Christine began her career in digital media planning at DigitasLBi where she quickly realized her desire to have a stronger role in creating content rather than placing ads. A passionate creator, Christine contributes regularly to The Content Standard and Verily Magazine.
Christine’s first exposure to Boston Content was The Business of Content event in March 2013, featuring speakers from Skyword, Hill Holliday and Price Intelligently. Inspired by the evening’s presentations and conversations, Christine kept coming back for more. She thrives on learning from her peers and was instantly drawn by the group’s mission to connect local professionals in diverse content roles. Christine is constantly energized and impressed by the collaboration and passion of the Boston Content community.
Devin Bramhall
Product Marketing Manager, Shareaholic
@devinemily
Devin is a writer and live storyteller currently working as marketing manager at web-tech startup Shareaholic. She is also creator and host of The Master Slam, a popular startup event. For the past five years, Devin has applied her love of storytelling to help startups build community around their product.
She attended her first Boston Content event by accident: one of her colleagues was leading a topic table at their latest event, and Devin was going just to support her. It was a busy evening, and she didn't even know much about the organization, event or even why she was going, aside from the blind support she had decided it was on her to provide.
By the time Devin left that night, it occurred to her that she had gotten much more out of the event than she had intended to put in, and she knew she was hooked. Devin made friends she still has (and loves), connections that helped her figure out what she wants to do with her career and most of all, she met a group of people who care about what they do beyond a simple paycheck. They care about their craft. They care about learning how to do it better and helping others learn and grow as well.
This is no accident: when Devin met Arestia and Jay, she realized that the attitude of the group grew from their dedication to helping their fellow content marketers — a true community that works and grows together.
As they state in their original mission: "We have a chance — now, today — to define this industry here in Boston. We started Boston Content to put the pieces together, then get out of the way. This is about YOU." This is what she felt after just one event and it made her want to do more than stay: she wanted to jump in and get involved.
Today, Devin gets to work alongside some of the most creative, intelligent and accomplished people in this city. People she continues to learn from and who focus on elevating the standards of our industry by providing a supportive community for those working in it.
Trisha Antonsen
Associate Director of Content Creation, Wayfair
@TMackBoston
Trisha heads up Content Creation at Wayfair.com, where she oversees strategy and production of editorial, partner, contributed and sponsored content. She was previously at TJX Co. on the interactive marketing team and started her career in the Pink Palace of Lilly Pulitzer in brand marketing and social. Trisha is passionate about building memorable consumer brands and fostering customer loyalty. You can see what she’s up to around Boston on Instagram @MrsAntonsen and despite being more-often-than-not-too-long-winded-for-140-characters, follow her on Twitter.
If you need a sounding board, a job, a networking resource or someone sympathetic to your daily challenges, we’re here for you — and so are more than 900 other members.