Looks like it’s time for a new Employee in the Spotlight! As the team returns to the office a couple of times a week, we are finally able to sit down together for a proper chat, face-to-face. Last month, you heard all about our Junior Growth Marketer, Lynn. This time, we’re chatting to another member of the marketing team, so let’s give it up for our newest content marketer, Penny Warnock!
Meet Penny. Penny joined the Mopinion team in June, after working as a journalist. Our only Irish team member (for now), she moved to the Netherlands right before the pandemic hit back in March 2020. At Mopinion, Penny is one of our Content Marketeers. She’s constantly looking for new, interesting ways to share content. When she’s not busy working, she loves practising yoga, bouldering and thrift shopping. Let’s catch up with her, shall we?
What does your position at Mopinion entail?
My job here at Mopinion is quite simple actually: I research, write, publish & distribute content! From blog posts to social media to podcasts or press releases, whatever needs to be written, I do it. That also includes our product-related content, so I get to sit down with our developers and product managers regularly to get a true understanding of each update or new addition to our software.
What initially drew you to Mopinion?
I was drawn to Mopinion by their friendly job advertisements. The tone of voice was really welcoming, and I think that is a true reflection of the company’s culture. And I was right!
What does a typical work day look like for you?
Usually I start my day checking emails, and chats etc. Afterwards, I will organise my tasks into my calendar so that I can manage my time properly. At the beginning of the week, I have catch-up and brainstorming meetings with the other members of the content team and my team lead.
Once in a while I’ll have a meeting with Jos, our product manager, to get an update on whatever release or updates he and the development team have in the pipeline. After that, I get cracking on whatever article or blog it is that I am working on at the time. I also spend a portion of each day on social media, researching content and keeping up with the latest trends to fuel our content and social media strategy.
What is your favourite part about working at Mopinion?
I really love the culture. I mean, I love my job too, because I love writing, but what makes it so nice is that I am free to get my work done as I wish. Once your output is good, and you attend your meetings, everyone’s happy. My managers are great, and everyone has a decent sense of humour, which I think is so important. Coming from Ireland, this freedom to work as you wish is quite new to me. There, it’s quite normal to be expected to stay in the office past hours, and you’re often micromanaged, which I found very stressful and counterproductive.
What are the biggest challenges you face in your job?
I would probably say that my biggest challenge is the initial stages of brainstorming and researching for an article. Not every time, but if the content needs to be quite technical, as I don’t have a background in business or digital marketing. That preliminary stage before I start writing is a little challenging, but once I work out the angle and the direction that I am trying to go in, I find the article nearly writes itself.
What is your proudest moment at Mopinion?
I guess my proudest moment at Mopinion would be when I recorded my first podcast. I was really nervous, as it was something I’ve never tried before. Now I know that the next time, I will be even more confident, and I’m already excited. It also didn’t hurt that I got lots of compliments for my so-called ‘radio voice’’
And now for some fun questions…
What do you like to do in your free time?
Before the pandemic, I would’ve said eating out, dancing, going to festivals, travelling etc. However, nowadays, I spend a lot of time cooking. My mom is an amazing cook, and she’s a food writer / food critic, so you can probably guess that we’re total food snobs in my house. My appetite has always been huge, to the point that I would win potato eating competitions at Christmas dinner. I think my record was 12 roast potatoes…
What is your guilty pleasure?
Meatloaf, the singer, not the food. My mom used to play his album on the way to school, and whenever she, my sister & I are together we have to have a ‘meatloaf’ sing-along.
Who inspires you?
There’s so many people in the world who inspire me. Like really anybody who is using their platform to raise awareness or do something about all the awful things that go on in the world, particularly when it comes to women’s rights or the environment. But my personal hero and inspiration has been and always will be my Mom.
What is one thing you can’t live without?
Coffee. I am super sensitive to caffeine, but I have to have (at least) one cup a day.
What is your favourite quote?
Ní neart go cur le chéile”
It’s an Irish seanfhocal, or, proverb, that means “There’s no strength without unity.”
What is your biggest fear?
This is a bit dark, but I am genuinely terrified of the climate collapsing and what that will look like…
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I am not someone with a five year or ten-year plan, per se. However, I hope in five years time I will have developed my product marketing and copywriting skills. I like taking on responsibility, so I think I’d like to manage a team someday and gain more leadership skills.
What is something that not many people know about you?
Hmm… A couple of years ago, my sister & I went out for dinner in Dublin. In a bar afterwards, we were standing outside talking with my boyfriend. A couple of Americans joined into our conversation and long story short, we all ended up drinking with the comedian/actor/producer, Dave Chappelle. (I’m a big fan)
He had just been in the film A Star Is Born, and showed me all the pictures on his phone from the press tour with Bradley Cooper & Lady Gaga. Other people were coming up asking for pictures, while we just sat there chatting like old friends. It was pretty amazing, because he’s so down to earth, but yet still an icon, it was a great night (especially the part when he laughed at my jokes).
Stay tuned for the next Employee in the Spotlight!
We hope you enjoyed getting to know our Content Marketer a little bit better. Next month we will introduce another member of the Mopinion team to you.
Ready to see Mopinion in action?
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