Plain Text Resume:
lyssa@lyssawrites.com • 512.626.5625 • @lifeinaustin
I’m an experienced writer, editor, and content producer in print and digital media. I build brands and communities with innovative strategies including cross-platform content creation and all forms of new, digital, and social media.
Experience
Founder / Boss (Badass of Site & Strategy)
DailyHap.com / Austin, TX & Aspen, CO / January 2012-present
Created, developed, and run DailyHap.com, a content-based website with a built-in gaming strategy dedicated to achieving happiness one day at a time.
• Concept, design, develop, manage content-based website.
• Develop, implement, and measure editorial and social media strategy.
• Develop and implement blogger outreach campaigns, traditional PR and media relations, and relationships with key social media players.
Writer, Content Producer, Editor & Digital Media Strategist
Self-employed / Austin, TX & Aspen, CO / January 2008-present
Created content (articles, stories, shorts, galleries, videos, blogs, social media posts, and more) for national, regional, and local publications and online-only destination sites.
• Concept, pitch, develop, and refine content with editors or clients.
• Develop relationships with PR firms, editorial teams, sources, community leaders.
• Conduct interviews, research, product pulls, and fashion styling
• Create and implement blogger outreach campaigns and social media strategies for a variety of clients.
Acting Managing Editor
Aspen Magazine / Ridge Media / Aspen, CO / July-August 2011
Produced Fall 2011 issue of Aspen magazine from lineup to completion in under a month.
• Plan, assign, write, and edit stories quickly
• Oversee copy flow (production)
• Manage existing staff and interns as senior member
• Direct social media strategy as expert on staff
Editorial Director
EndlessBeauty.com / 365+ Media / Austin, TX / March 2010-March 2011
Editorial director and partner/officer of startup company building online sites, mobile apps, and communities. Develop and implement content strategy and overall look and feel for EndlessBeauty.com.
• Produced all content on site consistent with calendar, site objectives, business development, and long term goals. Plan, craft, research, create, write, assign, and edit all written and interactive content including service pieces, product reviews, news briefs, the blog, videos, slideshows/photo galleries, and social media packages.
• Facilitate business development and strategic partnerships.
• Manage editorial team, video production team, social media director, executive assistant, freelance writers, and interns. Hire and train new employees and interns.
• Oversee social media interactions and social media marketing on Facebook, twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
• Manage website redesign and development including concept and approval of graphic design elements for new site. Monitor web development workflow, goals, and deliverables. Constant IT issues resolution or reporting.
• Analyze web trends and traffic trends on content, timing, and social networks. Compare analytics to metrics goals; adapt strategies to knowledge gained from analytics
• Manage and track SEO efforts
Editor-in-Chief
AustinPost / Trilogy / Austin, TX / April 2009-February 2010
Head of not-for-profit business unit of Trilogy operating a community-sourced newspaper online at AustinPost.org. Built traffic to over 20,000 unique visits/mo in 6 mos.
• Create marketing and social media marketing strategy with no budget. Build community from scratch through monthly events, social media interaction, and guerilla marketing tactics
• Manage a team of 125+ independent writers. Edit 5-10 articles daily from the team. Personally report news, writing 2-5 articles daily.
• Manage web development and design for site launch. Manage an outsourced team in India. Monitored web development workflow, goals, and deliverables. IT issues resolution or reporting.
• Write for SEO, teach writers to write for SEO, and manage SEO effort and keyword rankings.
• Create and manage partnerships and partner relations.
Direct Marketing Manager
STRATFOR Geopolitical Intelligence / Austin, TX / Sept 2008-April 2009
Develop, design, implement email marketing campaigns & website sales landing pages to sell subscriptions. Write copy, call-to-action, email subject lines, and landing pages.
• Campaign tracking, email metrics, analytics, sales reports, testing, & list segmentation. Evaluate key metrics and implement findings. Track conversion rates.
• Develop and manage intern program for the marketing department. Hire, train, and manage interns
Managing Editor, Austin Music + Entertainment and Vein Therapy News / Associate Editor, Texas Home & Living and Concrete Homes
PCI / Austin, TX / March 2007-February 2008
• Relaunched Austin Music magazine as Austin Music + Entertainment, expanding coverage and landing its first major band cover story (Ghostland Observatory). Developed website.
• Launched Vein Therapy News magazine, an industry publication for practitioners, as well as its website. Researched and created Advisory Board of prominent physicians in the industry. Attended conferences to network and promote the new brand.
• Introduced fashion and product features to Texas Home & Living and Concrete Homes as well as wrote and edited design features.
Special Projects Editor
HOUSTON / Modern Luxury Publications / Houston, TX / August 2006-February 2007
Coordinate “Men of Style” fashion/community feature. Write culture, arts, society, and trend sections. Copy edit.
Education
Rice University / Bachelor of Arts in History and Religious Studies / 2006 / 3.58 GPA
Fluent in Spanish
Skills
• Basic HTML
• CMS: Drupal, Joomla & Ruby
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Web development project management
• SEO/SEM best practices
Organizations & Honors
• Monster.com BeKnown Community Manager
• Ben & Jerry’s Millenial Advisory Board Member
• Founding Chair of Blondes vs. Brunettes Powderpuff Football Game Benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association of Austin
• University Varsity Basketball & Track Athlete
• Austin Young Chamber of Commerce Founding Member
lyssawrites.com • thisislifeinaustin.com • linkedin.com/in/lyssamyskaallen • facebook.com/lyssamyskaallen • twitter.com/lifeinaustin • youtube.com/thisislifein • pinterest.com/lifeinaustin/