Today we’d like to introduce you to Jianne Lasaten.
Hi Jianne, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As a child, I remember always gravitating towards creativity, from art projects and fashion to reading and storytelling. I was never really pushed towards stereotypical careers that us Filipinos are always associated with; whatever and wherever I envisioned myself, it was never in the healthcare or engineering field. However, my parents always reminded me to work hard, complete school and find a path. That path ended up being creative writing!
I graduated from CSULB with a BA degree in English and Creative Writing. Just months after graduating, I was fortunate to land an editorial internship at Audrey Magazine (currently archived under Character Media), an Asian-American Women’s print and online publication. Now, this was 2015, and this was the time when print was declining and transitioned into more digital media (hello old school Instagram!). This was just a glimpse of what I had pictured my fabulous editorial life to be – attending events, posting about these events, interviewing celebrities and writing articles about them, tagging along in photoshoots. It was so much fun! This internship was extremely fulfilling and I made great friends that I keep in touch with today. Unfortunately, it was short-lived as the magazine experienced its own transition.
I spend the next year in office jobs that I took just so I can get “real life” experience. Sure, the pay was pretty really great for a new grad, but I absolutely dreaded driving to work. I wasn’t even doing anything near creative. Another internal transition later, I was let go along with dozens of others. The worst part? It happened th Monday after my birthday weekend. But it was the biggest blessing in disguise.
I spent the next few weeks relieved, but I was also panicking because I had recently moved into my first apartment in Downtown Long Beach. I had to find something ASAP because rent and utilities needed to be paid. About month into the job search, I ended up landing an E-commerce Copywriting role at Windsor Fashions. I was thrilled. Fashion and writing? It was perfect.
The next 5 years at Windsor Fashions didn’t feel like work. I am truly thankful for my time there and the friends and colleagues I met along the way. But the more experience I gained, the more growth I wanted. Windsor was indeed growing, and during my last 2 years there, I transitioned into their new Creative team as their first creative/editorial copywriter. This was the experience I was hoping for! I had the opportunity to define Windsor’s brand voice and dipped my feet in blogging, SEO, and marketing.
From my late 20s to early 30s, I wanted even more. I had my first daughter at 28, and Windsor was the stable job that I needed, but I felt like I was plateauing. Maybe it was a part of navigating becoming a first-time mom and I wanted to do more for myself, but I craved new experiences, I wanted to write about different things. So I decided to market myself as a freelance writer to gain new opportunities and make extra income on the side.
Throughout the years, I received several freelance opportunities across several industries, including blogging, business analysis, and e-commerce.
Freelancing in e-commerce eventually led to my current role as a Content Marketing Writer at 360 marketing agency! This aspect of e-commerce is a different playing field, and I’m constantly learning more about the industry, both from a creative and analytical perspective. The best part? I have the opportunity to work with exciting clients across various industries, so I’m always challenged and never bored!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I won’t delve into too much detail since I spoke about it mainly in the previous question. But the uncertainty of getting laid off is always scary. It never gets easier. I didn’t mention this previously, but between Windsor and my current role, I worked as a Brand Writer for a well-known toy company. It was a role I worked extremely hard for and waited over a year until I was hired. It was extra exciting because not only was this role completely remote (my dream!), my work portfolio included a certain super hero genre, and I was able to get sneak peeks about upcoming movies! This was the hardest layoff, but it wasn’t a huge surprise because mass layoffs were already happening within the company. I knew it wasn’t me and my work. It was only scary because we had recently bought a house, and my second daughter was born. When it’s family that could get affected by whether or not I have a job, that was the most terrifying moment of all.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I like to call myself a chameleon – that’s my specialty! I did a lot of creative writing as a hobby when I was younger. I loved stepping into other characters’ shoes. This translates into my current role because I love learning about different brands and getting the opportunity to step into different audiences’ shoes to figure out the messaging and language that would resonate best with them. How this copy is laid out creatively can play an important role, too, and this is where close collaboration with graphic designers comes in. I’m extremely proud of my journey so far. It’s not perfect but I’m so thankful for every opportunity I’ve experienced in my career. As a working mom of 2, it isn’t easy but I love what I do. Writing will always be a part of me and I would never give it up.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I remember being extremely friendly and maybe a tad bossy during my toddler and preschool years. I always wanted to make friends. But as I got older and more self-aware, especially when my family moved to California, I became less social. As I mentioned earlier, I was always drawn to creativity. I was never into sports; I loved playing outside just like every other 90s kid, but I loved to create. Both my grandmothers were (and still are I’m sure) very eloquent writers, and they knew how to express themselves in that way. Could be genetics!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jiannelasaten.wixsite.com/jclwritingportfolio
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jianne-lasaten
