Continuing our new series exploring our “Half-Human” side, we recently (virtually) sat down with Abby Dawson from the Digital Marketing Agency side of Atiba.
How long have you been with Atiba and what is your role?
Earlier this year, Atiba saw an opportunity to expand their digital marketing agency services. They already offered web design and custom software solutions, so digital marketing was a natural next step. I joined the team in May of 2020 to help grow the digital marketing offerings. It hasn’t even been a year and it feels like a lifetime ago! It was the most unusual start I’ve had in a role, never meeting my boss or coworkers in person. But the culture is so strong and inclusive at Atiba that I really felt welcome and included right from the start.
What is your favorite part about working at Atiba?
There’s such a creative spirit at Atiba. I think tech people are curious and creative by nature. They like solving problems and creating new things. I love working with people like that.
What motivates you to wake up and go to work?
I feel like my work is really valued, that my ideas are heard, and I work with really smart, fun, hardworking people.
What makes you a geek?
I think it was clear I was a geek when I was captain of the debate team and president of the debate club in high school. I capped that off by majoring in Professional Writing and Public Discourse and minoring in Philosophy in college. We’re all surprised I found paid work with a degree like that.
I love diving down rabbit holes with people and thinking things through. I like asking lots of questions and talking through options. And I’m always asking, can we make it better? What haven’t we thought about? Are we asking the right questions? Are we solving the right problem? Tech is a good place to be for a curious geek.
If you had to be world-famous for something (not tech-related) what would it be?
I would love to be a world-famous equestrian. I rode and trained event horses in my early 20’s. Off the track, I trained thoroughbreds to ride dressage, stadium jumping, and open field jump courses. It was the best job I ever had. But the pay is absolutely terrible, and I definitely had a few really bad falls, one that landed me in the ER. But it’s thrilling and rewarding. If I won the lottery tomorrow, that’s probably how I’d spend my time.
What’s one piece of wisdom handed down from a family member that you’ll always remember?
I don’t know if it’s been handed down really, but when my husband and I started dating he would say, “There’s always more money.” It’s something we’ve lived by and it’s meant different things to us over the years.
When we were young and working in restaurants it meant we can always go earn more money if we were willing to go earn it. As we got older, the meaning changed as we started prioritizing family opportunities over work.
