On Shaking Imposter Syndrome: Kristen Hubby
Leading up to our Winter ‘20 iteration of WORK, we'll feature select interviews with some of our conference's speakers and thought leaders. In this interview, social media strategist and content manager Kristen Hubby talks about finding workflows and challenging negative self-talk. Click here for a look at Winter 2020’s conference schedule.
who:
Kristen is a multi-media content creator who is passionate about brand marketing and the world of digital publishing. Kristen specializes in developing and executing social media strategies, creating content for brands, reworking brand identities, and copywriting. Kristen started her career out as a writer, reporting on topics of news, dating, pop culture, and technology. Her love for social media and content creation eventually led her to pivot to brand marketing, where she worked for Tito's Handmade Vodka managing their website and social media. Kristen now works for Snap Kitchen as their Social Media Strategist, and freelances on the side creating content and social strategy for lifestyle, food, and CPG brands. Offline, Kristen can be found swimming at barton springs, dining at the newest restaurant in town, or at a local show.
What are you currently working on? What does your work life look like?
I'm currently working on finalizing the content strategy and visual framework for Snap Kitchen in 2020. Snap Kitchen was once a local retail store serving prepared meals, and they have expanded and refocus their business model on their meal plan service (which is now available for shipment throughout the eastern half of the U.S.). January is a big month for the business, and I just wrapped up producing content for our Q1 campaign. On the side, I freelance creating content, content calendars, and social strategy for brands.
My work life is far from balanced, but in marketing it's important to find your version of a flexible routine. My day looks something like checking emails first thing in the morning, executing social community management for the brand account, getting into the office, meetings, meetings, meetings, checking in on our social media accounts, planning the social calendar in advanced, planning or executing a shoot, checking my email one last time at the end of the day and then monitoring our accounts in the evening.
What goals are you working toward and how do you intend to reach them?
One of my big goals for 2020 is shaking off imposter syndrome and overcoming it with internal positive recognition and being more aggressive with my freelance work. I'd like to take on five new brands in 2020, and work towards my dream of working with Bon Appétit or NYT Food at some capacity.
How do you hold yourself accountable to long-term and short-term goals?
Checklists. I find that for me, writing down my realistic checklist in my journal or on a sticky note pasted onto my laptop helps keep me accountable on what I need to accomplish that day. To-do lists are always ongoing, and they never end, so I make sure to only write what I know I can realistically accomplish that day to not overwhelm myself and I can feel a sense of gratification crossing the items off as I work through it.
How do you train your intuition?
Be present. Listen and observe what's going on around you, study it, and follow your gut. I always think about a piece of advice my middle school science teacher once told me, Don't second guess yourself—the first answer you choose will always be correct. I think it applies to a lot of things in life, and I apply her advice to different areas. Even if the first answer, or instinct, isn't right for someone, it's correct for me. I always follow my gut, and I learned the hard way when I ignore it that I am setting myself up for failure. I become uncomfortable, unsure and second-guess my work. If my first reaction fails me, I understand why and apply my learnings to the next time I'm faced with a similar situation. After years of practicing this mindfulness, I'd like to think it's trained my intuition and decision making skills.
How do you determine what’s negative versus constructive feedback?
I think all feedback is constructive feedback. Even if it comes across as negative, there is an underlying reason why you're getting push-back on what you've created. Understand why this person is giving you this type of feedback, and alter your work to better suit the piece you may have missed. On the flip side, if you strongly believe there is a reason your work or strategy works, be prepared to present hard data and proof to make your point valid and clear.
What's something you've unlearned lately that you're grateful for?
Saying "OK" when things actually aren't OK. I used to be a people-pleaser in the workplace, always taking on more than I could handle and saying "OK" to anything thrown my way. In the past year, I've shaken that habit, became more self-aware, and built a strong enough backbone to say no more often and explain why I can't take a new project on at this time or why I believe a certain strategy is important to implement. While that sounds like I have it figured out, I don't. I'm still working on communicating more than I currently do, which is another 2020 goal of mine.
Do you have any daily habits that are crucial to your workflow or stress management?
Finding a good workflow is instrumental to creativity. Ideally, I'd like to say I have reoccurring blocks in my day to focus on the different ares of my job, but that's not always the case. So I like to block time slots in my calendar where I won't be disturbed and can focus on my priorities for the day. For stress, I take an ashwaganda and shatavari adaptogen supplement everyday to naturally manage my stress levels. When things hit the fan, taking a few deep breaths to decompress and refocus is important.
About WORK: WORK is a biannual conference, exploring ideas and approaches to creative, collaborative and entrepreneurial work. Hosting 300 guests every summer and winter, this biannual, one-day event's panels, workshops and speaker sessions touch on personal and professional development, marketing, wellness, business management and entrepreneurship. Our next conference pops up on January 11, 2020 at Rowling Hall in Austin, Texas. ✨Click here for more information.
