V2 was recently named as one of Boston Business Journal’s Largest Public Relations Firms in Massachusetts, and our team’s numbers have only increased since—by 11% over the course of this year, to be exact. While headcount at PR agencies in the state has been on the decline in recent years, V2 has made hiring top talent a priority, even when it has meant making an investment in our staff. Our belief has always been that great people will be followed by great clients and that has been borne out by our experience, even during COVID-19. In the past couple months, we’ve welcomed five new V2ers to the team to support our growth, and they’ve already proven to be great additions. Get to know them below.
Q: What’s been your favorite part about working at V2, so far?
Hannah Fairbanks, an account executive from Boston who graduated with her Master’s in Communication from the University at Albany: How kind the team has been! Everyone has been so helpful as I get up to speed on client accounts. Everyone at the agency is so collaborative.
Ellen Miles, an account executive who graduated from Royal Holloway, University of London, in 2015 and currently lives in South End, Boston: The people! Even though I was only in the office for a week before we started working from home, everyone was so welcoming and couldn’t have been friendlier. It made the transition from office to home so much easier knowing that I could reach out to anyone, no matter how small or silly the question was.
Elizabeth Trompeter, an assistant account executive who graduated from the University of Alabama in 2016 and lives in South Boston: Learning all about my new clients and their industries.
Ava Gruzen, an account coordinator originally from Austin, TX, but currently living in Boston, MA, after graduating from Boston University in May 2020: Being so generously welcomed onto the team—everyone’s been so helpful with onboarding virtually and extremely attentive to helping me learn.
Steph Simon, an account coordinator from Wellesley, MA, who graduated from Connecticut College in May 2020: 100% the people and culture. Without either, V2 wouldn’t be what it is. When I first started over the summer, I was amazed by all the warmth and kindness everyone displayed, and it definitely makes work way more enjoyable!
Q: Workstation must-have?
Hannah: My water bottle, blue-light blocking glasses, a notepad and Air Pods.
Ellen: Hand Cream, phone charger and colored pens/highlighters (I color code EVERYTHING)!
Elizabeth: Iced coffee and La Croix.
Q: What’s been the biggest challenge of starting a new job virtually, during the pandemic?
Ava: Not having face-to-face interactions with coworkers, so definitely missing that social aspect of working in office; also, it’s so much easier to have a quick question answered when in office next to the people on your teams.
Steph: Having to get to know everyone virtually and not being able to just tap someone on the shoulder to say hi or ask a question!
Q: If you could go on vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Hannah: Banff National Park.
Ellen: The Maldives.
Steph: Indonesia or Australia.
Q: Favorite restaurant in Boston?
Hannah: The Publick House and Lone Star.
Ava: Lolita’s or Earls Kitchen and Bar.
Steph: Committee in Seaport or Terra at Eataly in the Prudential Center.
Q: What was the highlight of your socially distanced summer?
Hannah: How much time I’ve spent outdoors.
Ellen: Enjoying a month by the lake in Maine.
Ava: Spending time on the beach in Martha’s Vineyard.
Q: Fun fact about yourself?
Ellen: I am from a tiny English island off the coast of France called Guernsey.
Elizabeth: If I wasn’t working in PR, I would definitely be working in a bakery.
Ava: I have a fraternal twin sister!
For a behind-the-scenes look into our hiring process, stay tuned for next week’s interview with Annie Laporte, our HR Strategist.