April 21, 2022
It’s hard to believe it has been more than six months since Aria Marketing became a fully remote agency. Though there have been some bumps in the road, the transition has gone surprisingly well and has actually helped us to grow as an agency. We are now able to hire public relations all-stars from across the country. One such all-star is our newest employee, Account Coordinator Haley Collins. I had the pleasure of virtually catching up with Haley to get to know her a little better and to find out how she likes to spend her time when she is not securing coverage for our healthcare IT clients. Read on to learn more!
Marni: When Aria was brick-and-mortar, we (and all of our employees) were located in Massachusetts. Now that we are a fully remote agency, where are you joining us from?
Haley: I am from Valparaiso, Indiana – the hometown of Orville Redenbacher. It’s about an hour outside of Chicago. I’ve lived in Indianapolis for the past year but am looking to relocate this fall; stay tuned!
Marni: How exciting! It’s great to see our agency expand nationally. Did you go to college in Indiana as well? What did you major in?
Haley: Yes, I did! I attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. I double-majored in Communication and Psychology.
Marni: That’s awesome and coincidental; we have the same degrees! What made you want to get into the PR field?
Haley: I was inspired to get into PR when I heard about the student-run PR firm, Boiler Communication. I joined and fell in love with client work and developing strategic campaigns and knew I wanted to work at an agency after college. Additionally, I love storytelling, and as a PR pro, I have the privilege of sharing the stories of so many fascinating people and companies who deserve to have their voices heard. I also cherish relationships—the relationships you build with clients and reporters alike are unique as you facilitate the connection and help a story go from an idea to a published piece.
Marni: Agreed, it’s the best feeling. Switching gears, what do you like to do in your free time when you’re not working?
Haley: I enjoy playing tennis, seeing concerts with my friends, and writing. I write my own music and am beginning to learn how to record and produce.
Marni: Any TV shows you’re currently loving?
Haley: I am rewatching New Girl because it is a show I loved in college, and it’s just one of those feel-good shows for me.
Marni: If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?
Haley: I would go to Italy and visit Tuscany with my best friend to take the trip we were planning for post-graduation until COVID disrupted our plans.
Marni: As a closing note, what advice would you give a new professional starting in PR, especially during a pandemic?
Haley: Show yourself grace. Everything is a learning curve early on, and even still living through waves of COVID cases is stressful. It takes a few months to get adjusted to a new job but be confident that you are fully capable of handling whatever gets thrown your way.
Are you looking for a fully remote agency to begin or take the next step in your career? Do you have a passion for PR and healthcare like Haley and myself? Consider joining the Aria team! Interested candidates can email their resumes and cover letters to careers@ariamarketing.com.
