By Gini Dietrich
I met Chel Wolverton on The Twitters a few years ago. She always struck me as someone who is not only smart and savvy, but someone who really gets it.
You know the type. The person who can take theory and actually make it work (which, unfortunately, is something not many people can do).
And then I had the sheer pleasure of meeting her in person earlier this year…and gosh darnit! I was right!
She also is one of those people who is exactly the same in person as she is online so I felt like we’d been in real life friends for years.
Being with her is like being with your best friend who you can pick up with right where you left off.
I heart her so very much and that is why I asked her to sit on the Spin Sucks Inquisition hot seat.
What is the Biggest Mistake You’ve Made in Your Career?
Spending way too long in the beginning not believing in the value of my work, my brain, and my contributions.
Trusting people far too easily to have my back, do the honorable thing, and do good work.
Trust takes time. I learned that the hard way and more than once.
What is One Thing about Yourself that Would Surprise Most People?
I adore BBC’s Sherlock. It’s not only B.C.’s acting, but the entire cast and the writers that make that show exactly what it is.
I say this because people are genuinely surprised (or cynical) that I don’t identify as a Cumberb****. That term (and Cumberbabe) is disgusting.
That I’ve always had severe hearing loss and spent a great deal of my childhood not being able to hear most of what was going on around me.
I somehow managed to be a phenomenal student anyway (and extremely introverted).
If You Could Achieve Everything You Ever Wanted in Life, but Had to Die 10 Years Sooner, Would You Make that Trade?
Wow. (I was really torn on this one. Libra.)
I don’t think I would make that trade. What we achieve sometimes turns out to the things that weren’t what we truly wanted. How disappointing would that be?
I’d rather live a long life and make mistakes along the way (and boy, have I!) and then be able to course correct, deviate, and explore different paths that sound appealing to me than know I had only so much time to achieve a handful of things that wouldn’t make a real difference.
On the other hand, if I could achieve a safer world for everyone by dying, I would do that.
I would die if it would achieve change in the long history of rape culture or climate change or any number of other issues. If my early death could change one thing, I’d want it to be a genuine change in the sense that rape wasn’t ever a concern for any person ever again.
“Show me what a culture values, prizes, puts on a pedestal, and I’ll tell you who is likely to get away with rape.” – Ross Douthat
What Industry Advice or Practice Would You Most Like to Cry Foul On?
SOV. Please stop. There are better ways to measure how a brand is perceived than this outdated method.
Previous agency taxes. (When agencies who don’t do a great job get fired and good agencies pay a tax because of the shoddy work.)
Newsjacking. Smart people do not use Ebola as a reason to pitch reporters. Or rape. Or natural disasters. Be smart and creative, not unintelligent and creative.
What is the Best Book You’ve Read in the Past Six Months?
Spin Sucks (psst, isn’t that the right answer?).
It’s probably Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior.
The title sounds new age-y and maybe the book is to some degree, but don’t let that turn you off. It’ll teach you more about yourself than a lot of things in this world: fear and fearlessness, really and truly being human, feeling, and being.
Wow, that sounds so cheesy, but give it a try, you’ll learn something about yourself I guarantee it.
Also, Game of Thrones. Because Arya.
Why Does Spin Suck?
Because you can always say what needs to be said, do it in a way that your audience/fans/whomever is on the other end needs to hear and be honorable while doing so.
Don’t PR me, bro.
Where You Can Find Chel Wolverton
Go forth and stalk Chel online. She can be found on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, and her blog (which she promises me she’s going to revitalize).
Editor’s Note: I laughed out loud at Chel’s answer to what people don’t know about her. EVERYONE knows she loves Sherlock!