Who are the people behind trbo? In our series our employees introduce themselves – and answer five questions about themselves and their work. Today with Esther Schwan, Teamlead PR & Communications, Senior Marketing Manager.
1. How did you hear about trbo and when did you start working here?
I joined trbo in July 2018. However, I have known trbo for much longer. I already worked for trbo on the service provider side during my PR traineeship and as a Junior PR Manager. After that, I took a detour into a slightly different field than digital PR and worked in public relations and fundraising for an NGO. But after Felix asked me if I would like to build up the marketing department at trbo, it was clear to me that I was joining trbo. After all, when we worked together, trbo was always one of my favorite customers – and that hasn’t changed now that I’m working here.
2. What is your job at trbo?
I am Teamlead Communications & PR + Senior Marketing Manager. Accordingly, my team and I manage all topics that have to do with trbo’s external appearance. That includes the website and our social channels: they need to be looked after and regularly filled with content.
Whitepapers and case studies are also my responsibility: we regularly write about our exciting trbo features, important areas of our onsite personalization platform, and most importantly: shared successes with our customers.
Another big part of our daily business is events. In the past, there were manytrade fairs, now it’s mainly in-house webinars, but also appearances at various digital conferences and webinars of our partners. The whole organizing process is part of marketing – from booking the event to the follow-up.
And last but not least, of course PR. For we are enthusiastic and convinced about personalization and optimization (and trbo). 😉 And we want as many people as possible to know about this. That’s why we produce lots of guest articles, statements, interviews and so on.
I’ve probably forgotten a thousand things that come up in everyday life, but I think I’ve jotted down the most important ones. 😉
3. Either/or. (Delete where not applicable)
Gummy bears – Chocolate (CHIPS! I am not that sweet 😉 …)
Coffee – Tea
Stairs – Elevator
Dog – Katze (But cats are ok too)
Winter – Summer
Sneaker – High Heels
Cooking yourself – Eating out (Both – one way or the other)
Beer – Wine – Beides (Both – But at the moment a slight tendency to wine)
4. What would you have said 10 years ago about your current career choice?
Ten years ago, I was in the middle of my studies (envious people would say I studied too long – I say, excellence takes time 😉 ) and would not have been particularly surprised about the field of Marketing & PR, at least. I studied American cultural history, ethnology and near and middle eastern studies and mostly answered the question “What do you do with that?” with cab driving or journalism. Originally, I wanted to work in journalism. But since I couldn’t prove that I had any internships that would then allow me to do an internship, I leaned more towards PR. The fact that I ultimately ended up at a technology service provider might have surprised me. At the time, I was thinking more along the lines of public relations at the US consulate or in an NGO.
5. What do your colleagues do not know about you so far?
I don’t really have any big secrets – and if I did, I wouldn’t tell them, of course. 😉
But, since you asked so nicely:
- I have a terrible fear of snakes – so much so that I even hide under the covers in front of the TV.
- I learned Turkish, Ottoman and Arabic during my studies. The latter voluntarily. Unfortunately, I don’t know much anymore, and occasionally I get a sudden urge to brush up on my knowledge.
- A few team members already know about it: I’m quite a Google freak and have a detective talent here. In private life it’s people dating my girlfriends, in a professional context it’s mostly current publications. A former colleague affectionately called me “Clipping truffle piglet”.
Bonus question: What did you want to be when you grew up?
There were a few career aspirations: veterinarian (I quickly scrapped that when becoming aware that sometimes you have to hurt animals, though), policewoman, boss, etc.
One career wish that my mom always reminds me of: Shop assistant in a shoe store. I don’t know what that was all about, but I really wanted to be a shop assistant in a shoe store around the corner. Maybe because they had a slide in the store….