This month’s Pepper Talk features none other than Lisa Van Wormer!

Just a little background before we get started, Lisa is a Content Strategist who has been with Eleven Peppers for a little over one year!

1. Do you have any nicknames?
Well, my mom always called me the “Boss of Applesauce” (no idea why, haha), but in high school, everyone called me Pippi because of my red hair and signature two braids when I ran track.

2. What is the first thing you do when you wake up?
Wrestle for a little more blanket from by 75lb American Bulldog who takes up more space than I do.

3. How would you describe your writing style?
I love persuasive writing. It has been amazing writing on a marketing team because I get to stretch my creative fingers, but even in the monotony of technical writing, I try to add a personal touch or interaction with the reader to keep things interesting.

4. How did you get started in this industry?
It wasn’t planned. I thought my easiest avenue of employment post-military was to remain a linguist but learning another language as an adult and the rigors of never quite being able to communicate in the nuance and level I wanted to really drove me towards a job in English. So, when I left the Army, I took my clearance and I’ll try anything attitude to a small Training & Documentation company and started technical writing for them.

5. What are your favorite tools of the trade? What are the worst?
I have to say, I love Microsoft Word. I know it gets a lot of hate, but I can make it do exactly what I want and fix it when it has a hissy fit. For large-scale projects, I really like In-design as well. As far as worse goes, Apple… why are you even bothering with Numbers and Pages, they are THE WORST!

6. What is your favorite thing about being a content strategist?
I have a small creative team and my best days at work are when the three of us are whiteboarding ideas and talking designs, words, and overall strategy. And, because the customer loves our products and the immense care and effort, we put into them before presentation, we have unique opportunities to be as creative as we want with products, designs, content, and message. After almost 20 years working for the government, this is the first time I have found such creative freedom.

7. What do you draw inspiration from?
I am a reader, I love to read words, even in terrible stories. A clever turn of phrase always grabs me and reels me in. I try to read as much as I can, from full length books, to short stories, or even blogs. Reading what others spend time and effort to craft, design, and put the “words on the page” inspires me to do the same.

8. Rapid-Fire Round:

Caffeine or no: Caffeine all day long!

Sweet or savory: Savory all the way.

Favorite Movie: Tie – Footloose and Wizard of Oz.

Favorite place to travel: Alaska.

Hobbies: Reading, Netflix consumption, travel, and extroverting.

9. Okay, admission time… If you could pick one design that you wish you had come up with first, what would it be?
I don’t know about a design, but man I wish I had come up with the concept of nanowrimo!

Thanks for meeting Lisa. As always, stay tuned for next month’s Pepper Talk to meet another member of our team!