Introducing Our Influencer Ecosystems Manager, Lynda

Today they told me I have to write about myself. While I’m not entirely thrilled by the concept of writing an entire post boring you all with details about me, you can at least read along and pretend to be enthralled by it to make me feel like I live a somewhat semi-cool life, alright? Good. Glad we got that sorted.

I’m Lynda and I head up the Influencer Ecosystems team for SocialSpark here at IZEA. It took me approximately one ocean, nine timezones, an explosives test and twenty two hours to get here! I know what you’re thinking. I bet you wish your journey into the office was also this exciting. You probably also want the 411 on which scenic route I take. Here, allow me to explain…

I come from a rather large island 9,678 miles away. It’s somewhat isolated from the rest of the world and comfortably nestled between both the Indian and Pacific Oceans. I mean, sure, it takes months and months for anything to get to us by water freight and sometimes the only way I could ever find out what was happening in the world was via a bi-yearly magazine parachute drop, but I managed to make do. By day, I rode my pet kangaroo to work and back, and at night time, I cuddled up to my koala bear. Life seemed almost perfect.

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In May of 2012, for the first time ever, they introduced these things to us called Airbuses; that shouldn’t really be plural though, we were only offered a single one to cater for the mere 22,650,000 of us. This Airbus was like a dinosaur of the sky. Australia had never seen such vast advances in the world of mechanical engineering so this took us all by surprise. You can only imagine the shock and confusion we all experienced when they told us this Airbus could carry us across oceans and time zones alike in under a day, all while being 15,000 ft above the ground! While mothers cried and feared for the safety of their children and loved ones, I eagerly stepped forward.

“Take me, metal dinosaur of the sky,” I remember anxiously saying. “I will go.”

And that is exactly how I ended up in Orlando, Florida. Well, maybe not exactly, but close enough. Next week will mark four months since I left home. Time really does fly when you are having fun. Sometimes I think I’m having a little too much fun, but you only live once, and if you do it right, once is enough.

I love long walks on the beach, Kelly Clarkson, cats, and frolicking into tulip-covered fields; preferably those that have cats scattered amongst them. The one thing I love more than anything in this world (apart from my cat, and no, I am not a crazy cat lady) is to travel.

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In my short life, I have been fortunate enough to explore thirty countries; each one amazing and unique in its own way. Through all my travels though, there was always one place I’d keep returning to; the USA. I fell in love with the people, the lifestyle and the feeling I felt whenever I was here – it was different to back home, hard to explain, but just different. I managed eight trips here in the span of only five years, one even included a twelve month internship working at the happiest place on earth, Walt Disney World!

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It took years and years of hard work, determination and persistence but somehow, I managed to score myself a job here, and at IZEA nonetheless – how lucky am I?!? Having my visa approved to move over here earlier this year goes down as one of the happiest days of my life. I don’t think I’ve ever felt such accomplishment and satisfaction or cried tears of pure happiness as I did that day.

If you want something that badly in life, no matter how hard it seems or what obstacles stand in your way, you will figure out how to make it happen. This is how I am sitting here right now as a proud member of the IZEA family and typing you this post.

I am always grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given in life and the team here just make me all the more appreciative. You know you have a good thing when you love the people you work with and actually enjoy coming into the office each and every day.

While this post is supposed to be about me, I’d like to give a big shout out to the entire team here at IZEA. Even though I talk funny from time to time and although you wont admit it, sometimes I know you have no idea what I’m saying or what my slang terms mean, thank you so much for making me feel welcome these last couple of months.

You guys rock. Bloomin’ Onions on me!