Meet Carly Allen: Marketing Associate & Brand Influencer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carly Allen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carly, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I’ve been developing a work life balance since I started working as a publicity intern in college. Separating these two aspects of my life has definitely proved challenging since social media plays a large role in my career and my personal life. Digital detoxes proved to be a vital part of this. Taking a break between work and personal projects that use the same tools (social media/general screen time) help me separate the two into more manageable pieces. I think developing my own routine has helped me immensely so work doesn’t bleed into my personal life and vice versa. This balance has improved over time and I hope I’ll be able to increase my time away from my computer/off of my phone to avoid mindless scrolling when possible. 

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m the Marketing Associate at OOLY, a colorful place full of seriously cute, rainbow school and art supplies. One of my primary roles is handling all of our partnerships and collaborations. This is something I take personal interest in since I’m a brand advocate in my day-to-day life as well. This was what initially interested me in this role, having a firm understanding of both sides of this is incredibly helpful and part of my professional toolkit. Getting to this point was a journey that began at the start of college and has generally been smooth. Beginning to intern at the start of college was what showed me what I was and wasn’t looking for in my more permanent career. There were definitely both positive and negative experiences in these jobs and learning how to work with different personalities. That was one of the most valuable lessons to learn throughout my time as an intern. I think it’s important for people to understand that everyone’s journey looks different and success comes in many forms and no two paths are going to be the same. I believe that I am where I am today because of the various mentors and challenges I overcame at each work experience.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Living in Southern California definitely has proven that we have a little bit of everything. If I had a week with my best friend here, I would show them the sites between San Diego and Los Angeles. Beginning in San Diego, I would spend the first couple days giving them a tour of the sea caves in La Jolla, along with Balboa Park, Liberty Station and Old Town. These are some fan favorites that offer every type of food imaginable and plenty of boutique shops where they could find something for everyone. Heading further up north to Orange County, we have Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm and the Anaheim Packing District. Theme parks are some of my favorite places to be since they always have a fun sense of whimsy and magic. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Anaheim Packing House – this is a massive food hall that has a little bit of everything, including a secret speakeasy I went to for one of my birthdays called The Blind Rabbit. I would wind down the trip with time in Los Angeles, the city of stars. Some of my must see locations here are the Lacma Lights, Griffith Observatory, Row DTLA, Little Tokyo and Two Bit Circus. There’s so much to see, do and eat Los Angeles. These stops would only cover the tip of everything this city has to offer. I absolutely adore living here and having all of these opportunities to see some incredible sights.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The Public Relations Student Society of America club I was part of when I attended California State University, Fullerton was where I initially found my confidence in going out of my comfort zone and connecting with others in my field. The first of the two years I was a member made the strongest impression. The board members organized amazing panels and events for us to network and hear from various Communications professionals. This made such a difference in my career path and college journey. Finding my niche in this helped launch me to where I am at this point in my story.

Website: https://carlyjunallen.wixsite.com/portfolio
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlyjunallen/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carly-allen-94b81b149/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/carlyjunallen
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjNaO9FkYSIjBrxy7o_xvug