Spotlight:
Sasha

Explain your role at VidMob and how it contributes to the Tripod?

As a UX Writer, I write copy for the product UI, define product terminology, and create language and grammar consistency across our platform. In the past year, I’ve helped to introduce a UX writing practice to the product, design, and engineering workflow, helping all the teams understand how to work with a writer on our products.

What brought you to VidMob?

After working at a larger tech company for a little while (as well as one somewhat chaotic startup that pivoted too far into the NFT world for me to keep up), I really wanted to work at a place where my work was visible and I could actually hang out with my coworkers. Enter VidMob! 

How did you get into your field?

I majored in Writing and something called Decision Science in college, which was a cool mix of psychology and math/statistics (I’ll pretend I understood the part that had to do with numbers). After college, I moved to the Bay Area and worked in some marketing roles. After realizing it wasn’t for me, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to try a UX Writing role that was open at my company. I loved getting to apply my writing skills while learning about UX, and didn’t turn back!

Name three people (living or dead) who inspire you and why?

• My grandma and my great-grandma: They were both bad-ass women. They raised children, held down jobs, and my grandma even climbed the corporate ladder in a communist and patriarchal society.
• Any female cast member of SNL: I hope to be half as funny as any of them!

What do you like most about your work?

The most exciting thing for me was transitioning from working in marketing to working on the product side. I loved seeing something that I worked on show up in our product, and knowing that people were using something that I helped to create.  

What’s the biggest work or life challenge you were able to overcome? 

Moving to California out of college was a big step for me at the time. My family, who are first-generation Russian immigrants, were shocked that I didn’t want to live at home until I was well into my thirties! It took them a while to get used to the idea of me moving across the country, but it might have been the best decision I ever made. 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? Why? 

“You can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself.” It’s a simple piece of advice to follow when it feels like there’s too much going on or I feel overwhelmed.