November 11, 2021
While Aria has been somewhat remote since March 2020, we have now transitioned to become a fully remote company! Recently, we touched on some of the benefits of remote work, but another huge benefit is that we can now welcome employees who reside outside the Greater Boston area. One of our first out-of-staters is our new Senior Account Executive, Jennifer Brooks, who resides full-time in Florida with her husband, and dog, Dixie. I had the pleasure of virtually sitting down with Jennifer to learn a bit more about her.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I have lived in Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma and am now currently living in south Florida. I spent the majority of my life in Arkansas, so I usually claim that’s where I’m from, but I’ve lived in Palm Beach County since the summer of 2015 and have found my forever home.
Where has been your favorite place you have visited and why?
Venice, Italy, was my favorite place to visit because it’s the coolest city! The water, the history, the culture – it’s amazing, and I loved riding down the Grand Canal in a gondola, eating gelato, exploring the ancient city, and admiring the architecture. It’s humbling to see the world through the lens of another culture. An honorable mention goes to Yosemite National Park and the majesty of Half Dome. Looking at the vastness of the area, I felt so small, but in the best way. Nature can put life into perspective!
When you aren’t working, how do you like to spend the time?
When I’m not at work, you can find me outside, especially at the beach, since Florida boasts year-round outdoor enjoyment. There’s something about the ocean that can brighten your day.
I also play piano. I started taking lessons as a kid and played through college. I hated practicing when I was little, but I’m glad I stuck with it. It’s relaxing to sit down and fill the house with music.
But mostly, I enjoy sewing in my free time. I’ve been teaching myself and even took a fashion design class, so it’s been a fun journey to hone my skills. It’s almost meditative to take a piece of fabric and go through all the steps to make something wearable. It balances creativity and critical thinking/problem-solving. Plus, I think working with your hands can be a good way to unwind.
So, you are somewhat of a fashion designer. What is your favorite piece you have made?
I’ve made everything from fun dresses to my wedding veil to a bathing suit and leather bags, so my collection is diverse. Each piece I make takes dozens of hours of planning, preparation, and execution, so it’s like picking a favorite child! But I use fashion design and sewing to work toward a better world. Slow fashion is a way to help the environment and curb wage exploitation as well as to cut down on consumerism. It makes you think twice about something if you make it over the course of a few weeks rather than seek out the instant gratification of shopping. Don’t get me wrong, I still have lots of store-bought clothing, but even a small step in the right direction is progress.
I find there is nothing more exciting than visualizing a concept and seeing it through the creative process until you have a new garment. Also, a famous photographer once said that “fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life,” and that has always stuck with me.
If you were to have a dinner party and you could invite two guests, fictional, alive, or dead, (husband and Dixie not included) who would you choose and why?
Steve Carrell! He’s an absolute sweetheart, which is rare for a star of his talent and station in life, he’s unfailingly generous, and my all-time favorite show is The Office. Before all the podcasts and TikTok videos featuring clips and well before it was streaming, The Office was a show about real people done by real people (most of the cast had writing/producing duties). We could see ourselves in the characters and relate to the plot points, and it carried the message that “there’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things.” Carrell was a big driver in the show’s success as well as inspiring the staff through the ups and downs of the show’s run. I was in high school when the first season started, and the last episode aired when I was in my first post-grad job living on my own, so it has always been a part of my life, offering comfort in college and throughout life’s growing pains. Meeting Carrell would be a chance to thank him for that and a chance to learn how to be a better person from one of the greats.
Lady Gaga is another person I’d love to have at the dinner table. Not only is she an incredibly talented singer and actress, but she has used her platform to spread love and empowerment, creating the Born This Way Foundation, a non-profit focused on helping youth, and championing causes such as LGTBQ rights and sexual assault awareness. She overcame an inordinate amount of adversity in her life to carve out a name for herself while shining the spotlight toward changing the stigma around mental health. She’s advocated for a better world while being honest about her own struggles. She makes people feel that she stands with them, and that’s rare for a person of her caliber of talent and fame.
What is something that you are looking forward to post-pandemic?
I’m looking forward to people not taking for granted the time spent together. We’ve been apart for so long that I hope when people are able to celebrate holidays/go out to eat/ have a game night together that they’ll stop to think what a joy it is to have that quality time and not take hanging out for granted.
You worked in broadcast journalism for nearly a decade. What made you switch over to PR?
Working in TV news is somewhat like being a professional athlete; it is incredibly demanding and there is a shelf-life on that lifestyle. Nothing can compare to the feeling of being in the control room during a live show when all the moving pieces come together like a well-orchestrated dance, or the reward when everything goes wrong behind the scenes but you are still somehow able to successfully pull off a show. However, the hours are long, the environment can be overly competitive, the workload is intense, and the subject matter can be tough. I no longer felt like I could sacrifice the things required to stay in that position. Getting into public relations was a natural transition to further my professional goals as well as to cultivate my personal life. I was reaching the public through news but talking about tragedy everyday was unfulfilling and exhausting. I am still reaching the public through PR, but I can focus on more positive things such as healthcare and life-changing technology that will help people.
I think it’s important to learn from each chapter you live through and the people you meet along the way, but to know what you want and go after that relentlessly.
What advice would you give someone who is also thinking about a career change?
Life is too short to wonder “what if.” Have the courage to make a change (after doing extensive research, of course!) and know that just because something is scary doesn’t mean it isn’t worth pursuing. It’s never too late to change your life.
Want to work with Jennifer and me at Aria? We are hiring in the AE and SAE positions! Send your resume and cover letter to Careers@AriaMarketing.com to apply. You can also check us out on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram to learn more!
