4 minute read
Farewell to a Colleague
Longtime Staffer Bids Fond Farewell Marketing Team Member’s Contributions Will Abide
by Carol Ostrow
with Georgia Julius
HWFC Employee Georgia Julius recently left her position after five years of service. Her responsibilities grew over time and varied with the store’s changing needs. Here is an inside look at where she started in 2015, how she managed transition, and what lies ahead for her.
• When were you hired at Honest Weight? Did your responsibilities change over time? I was hired by Lily [Bartels], our former Communications Manager, in October of 2015 as the Education Coordinator. Shortly after that, our whole management shifted. Lots of people left, and I started filling in a bunch of marketing tasks, like social media and the website. After the Marketing Department stabilized, I transitioned into the newly created role of Marketing and Digital Coordinator and took on those tasks officially, as well as writing all our marketing and advertising copy. Since then, my job has certainly shifted as different team members have come and gone—sometimes you have to morph to fill in the gaps, or give something up to someone who can do it better!
• How would you rate your overall experience as an Honest Weight employee? I have really loved working for Honest Weight, and I have a huge place in my heart for the people, the store, and the business. There’s definitely an unusual workplace culture, and I would just encourage people to be respectful of one another—Staff, Member-Owners, and shoppers alike.
• What do you consider your top accomplishments at HWFC? Which aspect did you enjoy most?
I have really enjoyed working on the Coop Scoop over the years. Helping to improve the layout and content and building a team of wonderful Member-Owners who write, edit, and design it has been fun and satisfying. When I first started, I requested a shift from quarterly to bimonthly because it was my favorite part of my job and I thought the Co-op community could use a more frequent publication. Now there’s the monthly Honest Slate, and with COVID and other changes on the team, we just switched the Coop Scoop back to four issues a year. As the Slate editors will attest to, putting together any publication is a lot of work.
• How did you arrange to continue your position after relocating? Did you feel that it worked well? I have been extremely lucky to be able to hang on to this job after moving to the other side of the country. I told my supervisor at the time, John Akots, that I was planning to move to Oregon in a few months and would be resigning in September. Of course, that’s right before the busiest time of the year and we were working on a lot of text-heavy projects at the time—losing the copywriter would make it tough. He asked if I would consider staying on through the holidays, without knowing yet if it would even be possible.
It turned out, it was, and I can’t say enough how important it turned out for me to have a purpose, a schedule, the social aspect of keeping in touch with co-workers, and something fulfilling to focus my time on, not to mention an income. During such a huge life transition, it was incredible to have a stable and familiar part that remained.
Of course, it’s had its hurdles but none insurmountable. I have missed having an office to work from and seeing everyone, and I’m of the belief that nothing can truly take the place of a face-to-face, in-person meeting. But now so many people are working from home and making it work; it’s no longer that unusual. • You mentioned having several supervisors over the years. Observations? I have been very close to and thoroughly enjoyed working under John [Akots] and Alex [Mytelka], the current Marketing Manager. John saw a lot of potential in the team and opened doors for all of us, helping us to set goals and meet them, finding the holes in our collective game and filling them, [and] shifting roles to make people happier, more fulfilled, and better suited to use their skills.
• How has working for Honest Weight affected your life? I have learned so much from my five years working at the Co-op. In everyday sorts of ways, I pay a ton of attention to food ingredients, sources, and brands in a way that I didn’t used to as much. I notice advertising in a new way that feels a bit more enlightened. I’ve learned a lot about working with people; there’s always more to learn about that.
I feel like I’m a different person than I was when I started, and the Co-op is a part of that and a part of me, and it always will be.
• Any parting words of wisdom? The Co-op is a really special grocery store and I don’t think there’s much else like it in this country. Don’t take it for granted! And be kind to each other, y’all.
• What’s next for you? Do you have plans to start a new position or venture? My partner and I are building a house right now, from the ground up, which is an amazing opportunity and a real intense journey. We’re hoping to get it livable by the winter rains, so that’s my immediate focus. I also started a garlic farm with some friends two years ago and will finally have time to properly process and market our product. I’ve been freelancing for a local food systems coalition and meeting lots of local food people through it (only virtually, so far), which has been really exciting.
