I’m Ashlyn Puckett, social media specialist for Raxis. Though I’m a new employee, I’ve been an “associate” since the beginning. I also might be a little biased, but I really think you should follow Raxis on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Also, be sure to check out our careers page and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Jim: Of all the team members we’ve featured, you’re one of the two who can say you were there at the start.
Ashlyn: Ha! That’s right. Because my dad founded the company, I’ve gotten to watch Raxis grow since its launch in 2011. I was in elementary school back then, so being a part of the team now is a great full-circle moment for me, even though I just do part-time social media marketing.
Jim: Let’s talk about that. How did you decide that was something you wanted to do?
Ashlyn: I remember we were sitting at dinner one night with Bonnie (Smyre, COO) and my family, and someone made a comment about Raxis’ social media. Having seen the pages, I knew there were some changes I thought the brand could benefit from, so I made some recommendations. At that point, my dad suggested I work with our social media team to implement my ideas.
Jim: Is that something you’re considering as a career?
Ashlyn: It’s more of an interest than a career option. Currently, I am majoring in marketing with a concentration in digital marketing and a minor in English. However, I plan to graduate a year early to attend law school, which is my real passion. I do enjoy marketing, but it’s the legal field that piques my interest. In addition to my work with Raxis, I’m also working for a professor at LSU to gain some experience before I go to work with a law firm as a clerk or intern.
Jim: What sparked your interest in becoming a lawyer?
Ashlyn: As much as anything, I think it was my involvement with the Model United Nations organization during high school. I started when I was a sophomore, was vice president my junior year, and served as president when I was a senior. It started as a really small club with maybe 10 people, but I helped to grow the membership to about 20-30 people.
Jim: It sounds like you really put a lot of yourself into that organization. I understand you earned a lot of recognition for it as well.
Ashlyn: Well, I did win multiple awards at the conferences I went to (they tend to vary on titles but generally they’re called “distinguished delegate,” or “honorable delegation”). I put a lot of effort into creating speeches, lessons, and coordinating for the club, but I had an amazing team helping me through it all. Their dedication – working before, during, and after school – was really the reason we were so successful.
Jim: You’re at Louisiana State University (LSU) now. College life must be incredibly busy, especially with two part-time jobs.
Ashlyn: Three, actually! I’m also working with the Office of Business Student Success (OBSS). And, yes, it’s crazy busy, but it’s also fun.
Jim: I’ve heard LSU has a football team. Any truth to that rumor?
Ashlyn: Now that you mention it, I’m way more into football than I thought I would ever be, but I guess that’s what I get for going to an SEC school. I also just love the culture here in Louisiana. There’s something to be said about the overwhelming pride people have for their school and state. They’re just so upfront and in your face about everything, which I love because that’s how I’ve always been.
Jim: I don’t see how you would find the time, but are you involved in any extracurricular activities?
Ashlyn: As a matter of fact, I am. Recently I became the president of Pi Sigma Epsilon – Beta Xi chapter, which is a national business organization focusing on marketing, management, and sales. Just like Model UN, it’s a smaller club – about 30 members, at present. My goal is to help transform it into something awesome!
Jim: Do you have any time to just relax? Hobbies?
Ashlyn: My schedule is hectic, but I play the cello and read (for pleasure) when I have time. Other than that, I like to consider myself something of a food tourist. I love going to good restaurants and trying new and strange things, particularly if they’re spicy. It’s quite a fitting hobby for living in Louisiana. I can honestly say I haven’t had bad food here yet.
Jim: Keeping in mind that your dad is going to read this, how do you like working for Raxis?
Ashlyn: I can say very honestly that I have really enjoyed working with Teresa (Zwierzchowski, social media director), Bonnie, and the rest of the Raxis team. Everyone is genuinely kind and helpful, and you can tell they are all excited about the work they are doing.