It only seems fitting that our “StickOutSpotlight” employee for this month is Project Manager, Laurie. It’s her birthday and we wish nothing but the best for her! We’ve asked her to answer some questions to get to know her and share what she brings to the team.
Q: What is your position at BuildThis?
A: Project Manager
Q: When did you start at BuildThis?
A: One year 3 months give or take
Q: Hometown?
A: Bartlett, IL
Q: Current town?
A: Chicago, IL
Q: Where did you go to college?
A: Northern Michigan University- Undergrad and Southern New Hampshire University- Graduate
Q: When did you/will you graduate?
A: May of 2008, and Winter 2018
Q: What did you study in college?
A: BS- Public Relations and MS- Marketing with a digital focus
Q: How did you land at BuildThis?
A: Out of college I magically landed at a company working in marketing, having gone to undergrad for PR it was a close field. I was excited, and the more time I spent there the more I fell in love with marketing. I was working in traditional medias when I started to see a shift. Knowing that I was at the start of my career, I realized it was time to make a change before I watched the growing digital world pass me by. Hence returning to school for Digital Marketing and ultimately how I landed at BuildThis!
Q: What’s your patronus?
A: Fox Terrier… More importantly my house is Hufflepuff!
Q: If your life were a movie, what would the tagline be?
A: I don’t know about movie, but I feel like my memoir would probably be called “The Way the World Tastes, Tales from a Mouth Breather”
Q: What’s your favorite beverage?
A: I have an unhealthy habit of both Coke and Miller Lite.
Q: Apple or Android?
A: Android all the way
Q: Favorite things…
A: Color is Blue, sports team is the Chicago Bears (season ticket holder here!), food, well… that would be homemade tacos
Q: What inspires you?
A: My team. Everyone at BuildThis works their asses off and it is impressive to be surrounded each day by such a creative driving force! When you see everyone around you busting their butt it is hard to not want to do the same.
Q: What do you like most about what you do at BuildThis?
A: Being a Project Manager is a fun position; I fall in this limbo between the client and BuildThis. I am the voice of the client with the company so there are times where I have to be put in a position of fighting for the client, which can feel like I am against BuildThis. When in reality it is for the betterment of the team. At the end of the day I get to work with both sales and operations in house and that is fun. I am the crossover position and I have an understanding on everything we do, which allows me to relate to the team all around. I think the fun part of my role is that it always changes and evolves. There will always be new clients and new personalities to work with and with that come new projects and new challenges. The PM role never stops changing and throwing new things my way. No matter what I do or what processes get set into place, there is always something new to learn or a process to change. I love the role because I never know what each day will hold and that challenge is something that keeps me excited for the next day.
Q: Where’s your ‘happy place’?
A: The back roads on my motorcycle listening to classic rock
Q: What’s your theme song?
A: Thats a hard tie between Rain King by Counting Crows and Beast of Burden by The Rolling Stones
Q: What do you like/dislike about Chicago?
A: Chicago is my home and there is no greater city on Earth in my opinion. We are a city of blue collar workers. We have some of the roughest weather around. Crooked politicians, our financial state is in ruin. Sports teams that, while we have had recent success, it hasn’t always been that way, yet the fans stick around. Chicagoans work hard, stand up for what we believe in, stick out the hard times and know there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. I have so much pride in my city and the people in it, we are tough as nails and you can throw any challenge at us because will prevail. Chicago is not for everyone, but to those of us who stay we know how truly great it is. This city is a melting pot and with that comes so much amazing food and great things to do. There is nothing that can compare to a summer in Chicago! I love this city and cannot picture settling anywhere else!
Q: Best concert you’ve ever been to?
A: That’s hard to say. I remember seeing Dashboard Confessional play Metro before they were a full band. It was just Chris on stage and each song someone would join him to play a different instrument, but there was no band. Maybe it was Green Day with the Living End at the Aragon Ballroom… so many punk rockers and so much of my youth! Or all the fun I had growing up seeing bands like Plain White T’s, Fall Out Boy or Alkaline Trio play in church basements or VFW halls. There was a time where the punk scene in Chicago was on fire!! Maybe it was my first Punk show when I found the scene…a place to fit in with total acceptance.
Q: Favorite season?
A: I think the line is “Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall all you have to do is call and I’ll be there.”
The real answer is summer, it’s alway summer. That’s riding season.
Q: What song is your guilty pleasure?
A: Icona Pop “I Love It”
Q: What do you think is your greatest strength?
A: Loyalty.
Q: What are your hobbies?
A: I love my motorcycle and hitting the road on weekends, there is no better feeling of freedom. However, I also work as a hockey coach and that is my passion. I love being at the rink! I played hockey throughout college and when my career stopped, part of me felt like it was missing. Hitting the ice as a coach has been the best thing I have ever done. Working with kids and giving back to the community that gave me so much is more rewarding than anything. Outside of that, I love hiking and canoeing with my adventure pup Bagel “The Beagle.”
Q: Which 3 characters best describe you?
A: Cookie Monster, Opie from Sons of Anarchy, Patrick from The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Q: Fun Fact!
A: I like to dance at the grocery store! Trader Joe’s typically plays the best music for that.
Q: What do you wish you knew more about?
A: Mike.
Want to get in touch with Laurie? Contact her here!