Meet Jessica - our member of the month in January!
Introduction round: Who are you and where are you from?
My name is Jessica Allen and I'm the owner of a boutique fashion PR agency called Allen Media Consulting. I live in New York where I've been based for close to twenty years. Prior to that I was living on the West Coast of the US in Washington state where I went to school.
What makes you come to Berlin on a regular basis?
My husband’s business is based in Berlin while mine is based in NY, so I'm fortunate to be able to split my time between two fantastic cities. I fell in love with Berlin on my first visit over seven years ago, and I am very happy I’ve found a way to work from there whenever I’m in town.
What exactly do you do? What's in the pipeline for the near future?
I'm a publicist for designers in the fashion business. Since I have my own agency my days are spent pitching the media on what's new with my clients, keeping my clients updated or sharing ideas on how to get them more visibility. I also spend a lot of time showing my clients’ work to writers, editors and stylists. This industry works in seasonal cycles, so as soon as I’m finished showing one collection, it’s not long before we’re talking about the next one. I travel a bit to meet my clients in Los Angeles and in Europe. And of course no one who owns a business can avoid dealing with the mundane office tasks such as ordering supplies and sending invoices.
For the near future, I’ll continue to split my time between New York and Berlin. I have a couple of new clients that I've added to my roster and I'm excited to see how I can help them grow their brands in the new year.
Since when do you cowork at Office Club?
I've been coming to Office Club to work since 2012. I'm usually there working for a couple of days up to a week at a time when I'm in town. I decided to give it a test run the first visit, and now I feel like a regular coworker!
What is the benefit of using a coworking space for you?
I don't know what I'd do with out having Office Club to work at in Berlin! It really enables me to have an office space when I'm town and to be just as productive as when I'm in NY working at my office there. Because my schedule can be a bit hectic with clients in so many time zones, I am very happy to have access to a quiet, comfortable space whenever I need it.
Which questions / problems could you help your coworking neighbour with?
Since I'm a native English speaker I'm always happy to help read or correct any writing in English, aber ich bin nicht sehr gut auf Deutsch.
Do you have favourite spots in Berlin? Something to recommend / consider especially for people coming here?
My favourite spots in Berlin are definitely the restaurants! I love Yam Yam on Alte Schönhauser Strasse, The Bird, Maria Bonita on Danziger Strasse, Street Food Thursdays at Markthalle Neun, during the holidays I love going to the Weihnachtsmarkt in Kulturbrauerei and in the summer to the Prater biergarten on Kastanienallee.
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Thanks a lot and all the best to you!