Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Teachout.
Hi Emily, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I come from a family of people who love to cook, eat, drink, and travel. I’ve always loved to write and making connections comes naturally to me, so I decided to be a Communications major at University of Washington. I wasn’t fully sure what I wanted to do after college… but I knew I didn’t love sitting in a classroom and much preferred my two side hustles, serving at a popular restaurant group in Seattle as well as freelance writing & blogging.
I started working in ad agencies after I graduated, and I also landed a writing gig at a really amazing food & travel website. I ended up moving to Austin to work in marketing for a hospitality group, which led me to a role in marketing for W Hotels as well as the creation of my own food blog and hospitality marketing consulting service, specializing in food & beverage as well as openings & rebrandings.
From there, I’ve moved from Austin to Seattle to San Diego, working with exciting clients and companies including many of the west coast’s best-in-class luxury and boutique hotels, plus local lifestyle businesses and hospitality startups.
I’m fortunate that I get to do what I love – write, meet people, explore, and tell stories – in the industry that excites me the most. It has not always been a straightforward career path and many of my friends lovingly tease me about how much I’ve moved around and how many different niches I’ve dipped a toe into, but I love the nimble and ever-evolving world of hospitality.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One daily struggle that I’m sure a lot of creatives and freelancers can identify with: making time for yourself and your own endeavors. Sometimes at the end of the day, I am so tired of being in front of a screen or creating content for other brands I have nothing left to give for my own writing or social channels. My travel blog (teachouttravels.com) took a huge hit at the start of Covid because suddenly I had no new content to cover… and I generally lost the energy for my own personal projects, I was too concerned with ensuring my professional and financial security.
Since moving to San Diego I’ve just started SDCrush.com which I envisioned as this hub of bar & restaurant reviews and recommendations, but I’ve been so busy with actual WORK that I’ve barely gotten two articles up! It’s a good problem to have but at the same time, we writers to make room for ourselves in the middle of the hustle.
To rewind to the most obvious obstacle… the pandemic was and continues to be a huge challenge for the travel world. It hurts to see how many of my colleagues lost jobs, clients, opportunities – myself included! At the same time, the pandemic opened up new ways of thinking about how we approach our day-to-day processes. I’ve always preferred working on the road versus the 9-to-5 office life and the pandemic really showed us how agile and adaptable we are as an industry and a society.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
In a nutshell, I’m a hospitality marketer… but “marketing” doesn’t really do it justice. With a decade of experience working with some of the world’s most respected and well-known hotel groups, plus building local hospitality businesses from the ground up, I can do everything from public relations, event planning, content creation, copywriting & editing, influencer outreach, social strategy, photoshoot direction (and sometimes ending up modeling as well, ha!) … at this point I’ve done and seen it all.
I’m really proud of some of the rebranding projects I’ve worked on – an event venue in Austin, an upscale restaurant in downtown Seattle, and a resort here in Mission Beach. I’m proud of the press coverage I’ve gotten my clients – PEOPLE, Forbes, Travel + Leisure, Reader’s Digest, and many more. I’m also proud of my own writing and bylines.
There are so many talented hospitality professionals out there. If I had to say what sets me apart, it’s my sense of humor and genuine passion for travel, new experiences, and making the most of anywhere you visit! I’m my friends’ go-to for restaurant recommendations, the coolest hotels in every city, airport advice (please tell me you have TSA PreCheck!)… it really is what I think about 24/7. You just gotta make the most of every opportunity to get out of your four walls and have some fun. I find true joy in helping people explore and enjoy life.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Creativity, sharing experiences with others and saying “yes” to seemingly random opportunities. I think it’s important to laugh and have fun and meet new people and places with an open mind. Let’s be real… the world can feel really dark, especially lately. I always say, any excuse to celebrate and be festive! We need to balance out the heavy stuff with the light.
Sunlight also matters to me. I’m forever that one person who’s asking if the restaurant has patio seating. Like a lizard… I’m happiest when sunning on a warm rock/sand. Preferably with a tropical drink in hand. (Do lizards like tropical drinks?)
Contact Info:
- Email: emteachout@gmail.com
- Website: https://emily-teachout.com/
- Instagram: @emilyteachout
- Twitter: @emilyteachout
- Other: https://www.teachouttravels.com/
