It’s 2023, baby! Not only are we starting a new year, but also about to celebrate the one year anniversary of Brittany Flaherty at Hiveclass! So we thought it appropriate to hand the microphone to our teammate from Library & Marketing Communications, a woman of many hats.
HIVECLASS (HC): Welcome, Brittany! Thanks for taking some time today to tell us a little about yourself.
Brittany Flaherty (BF): Of course! Glad to do it.
HC: So, jumping right in – what do you do at Hiveclass and when did you begin?
BF: When I started my role at Hiveclass, I was the person handling social media- scheduling and posting content, writing copy, creating the calendar. Now that I’m full time, my role has transitioned to helping with Library Business Development, Library Marketing and Conference Planning. In February 2023, it will be one year since I joined Hiveclass.
HC: How did you get started in this role?
BF: I was interning with a freelance social media company and wanted to work towards doing that full time instead of my previous retail job. Elizabeth, the Library Business Manager at Hiveclass, got in touch with me about the opportunity – I sent my resume over and here we are!
HC: What do you like most and least about your work?
BF: I like that my job is never quite the same on any given day. It keeps my brain sharp and I don’t ever fall into a dull routine because there’s always something new to look at. Sometimes that can also be a negative though, because I’ve got to make sure I’m very organized and not dropping the ball in a given space.
HC: What do you envision for the future of Library & Marketing Communications at Hiveclass?
BF: My biggest goal is to create a solid process for Client Onboarding that makes everyone that partners with us feel heard and supported. The Hiveclass platform wouldn’t exist without us really listening to librarians and their patrons and why not have that relationship start the moment they come on board.
HC: What are the skills necessary to perform your role?
BF: Communication is a MUST because I have to ensure I’m communicating with not only the clients, but every other department as well. I consider myself the pseudo-liaison between 3 different departments, and in order for things to get done I have to make sure we all understand each other.
HC: What specifically drives you to do your best work?
BF: What drives me is the possibility that what we’re doing has the potential to change the world, to change the way people utilize education and to increase accessibility. Growing up, I was a kid who got left out of a lot because my family didn’t have the means to enroll me in the programs I wanted to participate in. So if my work enables even 1 kid out there to not get left behind, then I’ve done what I wanted to, and then some.
HC: What is your most prideful achievement at Hiveclass?
BF: Being invited to my first conference in March 2022 was definitely my proudest achievement. Not only was it my first visit to the west coast (the conference was in Oregon), I had also never traveled for work, EVER. While it took me out of my comfort zone, I had so much fun and I was so honored that I was trusted to be at the first conference Hiveclass ever attended.
HC: What is your favorite thing about working at Hiveclass?
BF: My favorite thing is the camaraderie – no one judges you for making mistakes or not having an answer in the moment. If there’s a problem, we all band together to figure it out and no one is left out to dry or take the blame.
HC: What is your personal mission while at Hiveclass?
BF: My personal mission is to leave this world at least 1% better than how I found it.
HC: Now work aside – which team were you rooting for in the 2022 World Cup? (We won’t judge…)
BF: So, I’ll be honest and say this was the first year I really sat down and watched any of the World Cup games. Brazil felt like the smart choice from the start, but when it came down to the finals I was totally rooting for Argentina.
HC: Well, cheers to that! And cheers to almost completing your first year at Hiveclass! I’ll speak for the team when I say we are so happy that you’re a part of it.
BF: Thank you! I’m already very excited to see what year two brings.