Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsey Hamel.
Kelsey, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I always loved writing, but wasn’t sure where I would make a career out of it. During a summer internship while I was at UNH, I found my passion for Public Relations and working with hospitality clients. I knew that the path I wanted to take would encompass my love for writing and being around restaurants. After I graduated from UNH in 2015, I moved to Boston where I started working at a PR agency in the Seaport. Even though I was working in my dream career, I still found myself looking for a more creative outlet, which led me to creating East Coast Behavior earlier this summer.
My hope for East Coast Behavior is for the site to become a community – a destination where anyone can write a blog post and share their favorite restaurant recommendations, recipes, DIY tips – anything that enhances our day-to-day lives.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’m still working to grow ECB’s Instagram page, so in that sense it’s not necessarily a smooth road, but other bloggers I’ve come across are all very supportive. The biggest struggle I’ve found is finding time to work on a blog while also working a full-time job. But after you find that balance, it’s much easier to maintain a rhythm. I think it’s incredibly valuable to be able to engage with others in an authentic and genuine way to build meaningful relationships – and start to grow a following – which is worth the time you put into it.
What should we know about East Coast Behavior? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
While East Coast Behavior is relatively new, I’m hoping it will become a destination for those looking for recommendations around Boston and beyond – from restaurant recommendations to where you can score free fitness classes across the city – as well as for people who are interested in sharing their own experiences and recommendations and contributing their own blog posts. I think what will set us apart from the competition is to be able share real life moments, both on Instagram and on the website, and allow others to help contribute to the platform as well. That’s my hope.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
I believe the biggest barriers in female leadership are finding the courage to speak your opinions and stand up for yourself professionally. I think it’s crucial to be able to speak your mind in the workplace (something I’m still working on) and make a change, no matter what industry you’re a part of. I think now is a time when more women are supporting and building each other up – and it’s an upward trend I hope continues instead of viewing each other as competition. If we can work on this across all industries, the workplace will be a better place for it.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.eastcoastbehavior.com/
- Email: eastcoastbehavior@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eastcoastbehavior/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eastcoastbehavior/
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