Meet the Team: Buzz
With 24/7 community management on offer, we know we need a strong team of overseas Quiipees to handle the night shift (or day shift for them!). It’s a delight to introduce Community Manager, Buzz Johnson, one of our Canadian Quiipees.
When did you join Quiip, and what led you to Quiip?
I joined Quiip during 2020 when a bunch of my freelance work ground to a halt due to lockdowns and the Pandemic. Finding stable regular work was a priority, and having Quiip source this for me and do all the administration and client management meant in a stressful time I could just focus on great output and high quality work.
What were some of your prior roles?
Freelance marketing in tourism and events in Toronto. But while living in Australia my focus was community welfare, access to healthcare services and information sharing for improved community health outcomes.
What are some of your favourite places on the internet?
Don’t laugh, I know other Quiipees will give a really clever intellectual answer here, but i’m going to be honest. My favourite community space is Bad Dates of Melbourne, on Facebook (and IG) it is the most incredibly supportive community group that share dating successes and red flag warnings to other like minded people dating in Melbourne. The moderator has an incredible sense of humour and leads the discussions with a great positive vibe, and is very fast to close comments and educate her community on why she did that where there is a risk to her communities harmony or safety.
What are the current client projects you work on?
SBS, Turning Point, 100Day challenge, MEBank, Woolworths, StreetSmarts. I also do a little inhouse cheerleading, on our internal colleague platform, to help teammates get to know one and other and engage in the team.
What project/client stands out and why do you enjoy it?
I really enjoy the 100day challenge, it’s an incredible platform where members authentically share their struggles and successes while reducing their gambling habits. They set their own goals for their 100 days – to abstain, reduce, share or manage their habit. I thoroughly enjoy watching the community reform regularly with change over of members, we moderate here to ensure members have access to information and resources and we engage to help members feel supported and heard. It leans into my background in social work, so I enjoy crafting responses and the privilege of reading the intimate posts.
Are there any brand communities or social media that you really love?
I’m a sucker for personal IG accounts, I only follow authentic accounts, or I mute friends that I feel are just showboating or not sharing interesting and honest content. I use my IG like a sort of journal, i share quite a lot about what I am up to there, and I guess it’s palatable for my friends and family, but my intention is more for me to have a record of my days and adventures. It’s funny on occasion when I see friends in person someone will say with a tone “yeah i saw that on your IG, you put a lot on there” it used to bother me that someone wanted to project their idea of appropriate sharing about my feed. I always reply, “mute me or unfollow me”. But you know they still know everything I’m up to so it can’t be so unentertaining. Social media is just a modern gossip platform, it’s in our nature to want to know what people are up to, i love being able to check in with friends, see their photos and a window into their day or connect with new people easily through IG.
Living abroad means I have family and friends across the world, years ago when people moved abroad they would stay in touch with postcards, emails or letters home, or even trips back to their home country. I haven’t been to Australia in 5 years, but I’m not homesick for my friends, by increasing my sharing on IG I have stayed connected with my friends around the world, they can choose to see what I am up to and stay a part of my everyday life. And it encourages them to stay as well connected and to share with me.
What does flexible work enable you to get up to outside of work?
I choose my schedule which means I open up when I am available or I block the time when I am unavailable to work, this flexibility gives me an incredible amount of choice in my days. Over the holiday period I opt in for more work, I see that other members of my team have families they want to celebrate their holiday traditions with. My traditions with my hubby are evolving and very flexible, so we have the ability to spend our holidays how we like. Being able to offer this time to my peers to enjoy their holidays without worrying about work is something I really pride myself on. Then when summer rolls around i work from a cottage beside a lake, i open my availability to work mornings, have a swim break at lunch time, work a few more hours in the afternoon, then stop for cocktail hour to enjoy the last of the sunshine and watch the sunset. This basically means I take vacations without needing to use annual leave at all.
What is something quirky or interesting about you?
Who are you calling Quirky? In this workplace Quirky is the norm! I have a hankering for fun and adventure, and though I’m not looking to skydive or bungee jump, I look for thrilling adventures in my week, those that challenge me in different ways- right now i’m taking beginner synchronised swimming lessons at a community pool, i’m also learning Highland Dancing. And just last month I did my first polar dip in Lake Ontario at -8degrees. Living in Toronto allows so many opportunities for interesting city adventures, if you can think of something you want to see or try, there is already a community that offers it. So I embrace my imagination and pursue city adventures regularly.
What do you think the future of social media and/or community management holds?
More of the same regurgitated into different platforms. We are inquisitive information-hungry people, we want more information about anything and everything, and we long to belong. We will never stop wanting to ‘Find your people’ communities online allow us introductions in a gentle way.
Do you have a question for Buzz or the Quiip team? Get in touch with questions: info@quiip.com.au If you’re interested in joining Quiip please check out our jobs page. Check out the rest of the Meet the Team series on our blog.