Quick Questions with Lou: Brand & Content Specialist
When she's not on a surf adventure, taking photos in and around the ocean or dreaming about going to Japan and Hawaii with her besties, Lou is our brand and content specialist here at SwipedOn HQ in New Zealand. We caught up with Lou for a quick fire round of questions to learn more about her and what a day in the life is like at SwipedOn.
What does a day in the life of you at SwipedOn look like?
It starts with a stroll along the waterfront as I make my way into the office (usually after an early morning surf or walk up Mauao). This is an important part of the day for me because I love our location on the waterfront in Tauranga - Orca swim by every now and then just for the extra awesome feels - and it gets me set for the day. I'll usually start my day by checking SwipedOn social media and getting back to any comments, then we usually have a marketing team pow wow and talk about priorities for the day or week. Then I crack on with making the magic happen! I do all sorts, from thinking about bigger picture content, to executing content ideas and strategy.There's usually a coffee, Tim Tams or a donut (on Fridays) thrown into that day too! And in the summer, there might be bombs out the front from the jetty, or just sitting on the pontoon gazing at the water while soaking up the sun (with a lashing of good sunscreen to go with that!).
What do you like about working at SwipedOn?
Obviously, the location. But mostly the people and the culture. We regularly have team events and the company prioritises wellbeing and happiness of their employees. I feel so lucky to be in a very family-first culture. It's also super flexible in terms of working hours, so if I want to go surf in the morning and come in a bit later and finish a bit later or skip a lunch break that's totally cool. The work is fun but keeps me feeling challenged, and the business is in a state of growth which means that I can get my crazy ideas across the line, testing and experimenting with content.
What do you particularly like about what we’re doing with SwipedOn?
I love that we're automating a system and process that has been outdated for years! It amazes me that big businesses and brands in London (where I used to work) still are using a paper visitor book to run their sign in processes. In a world where the idea alone of data protection is more sensitive than ever, I think having a cloud based sign in system is so progressive and modern. I also love that SwipedOn plants a tree for every new customer; I love nature and the environment, so the fact that the business does its bit to mitigate climate change is really cool.
What three words would you use to describe your role?
1. Creative
2. Collaborative
3. Challenging
2. Collaborative
3. Challenging
What is your SwipedOn screensaver?
Catalina Island 😬
What did you do in your previous working life?
I've worked in marketing and content in a few different capacities; I'm from the UK, so began my career working for an adventure travel company in their sales team, which quickly moved to a marketing role. After that role I went into content for retail in London which spanned across content creation, styling and blog writing to managing design and web developers to create online content for a big e-commerce brand.
What do you do in your free time?
I love to surf and head off on weekend adventures with my partner & our friends to wherever the surf is looking good in the country if our local break isn't working. My other passion is photography - especially ocean and surf photography - I love to get out in the water with my camera, watch big swells from land or photograph our surf adventures. Being outdoors is my favourite, going to wild and secluded spots in NZ and discovering new ones, as well as climbing our beautiful Mauao here in Tauranga.
What is still left on your bucket list?
1. Doing a skydive here in NZ2. Going to Hawaii or Japan with my girlfriends
3. Photograph a seriously big wave when it's on fire (from the land, not in the ocean thanks 😆), like Nazare, Cloudbreak, Chopes or Jaws - or one that I've never even heard of and discover here in NZ, that would be the dream!
What’s on your SwipedOn playlist?
Peking Lights, Allah-Lahs, Bituke, Mini Simmons, Khruangbin, Fleet Foxes, Tame Impala, Old Man Canyon... and I like to throw a bit of 90s pop playlist in there every now and then.
And if I'm doing a task that doesn't require too much thinking I'll chuck a podcast on, currently enjoying: About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge, The Happiness Lab, Under the Skin with Russel Brand, Water People with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich
And if I'm doing a task that doesn't require too much thinking I'll chuck a podcast on, currently enjoying: About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge, The Happiness Lab, Under the Skin with Russel Brand, Water People with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich
If you were stuck on a desert island and you could choose one person from the SwipedOn team to come with you, who would you take and why?
Probably would have to be Rory. He's super adventurous and always headed off to some unique natural places here in NZ, so I reckon he might have a few survival skills up his sleeve or just be keen to explore the desert island.
Let’s end this with a weird fact about you…
I used to be so scared of fish that I couldn't even go ankle deep in the ocean without being super freaked out. Now I spend most days getting in the ocean whether that's surfing or swimming, and couldn't think of a more awesome place to hang out or dive into!
