Ever wonder who's behind the @oiselle Twitter handle? It's about time to meet these elusive social creatures. We live and breathe social media because connecting with runners like you is the reason we love what we do. Shout out to RunHaven for featuring this last week. We've been excited to share with y'all as well!
Name, age and where you're from?
J: Jacquelyn Komen | Social Media Manager, age 24, Seattle
S: Sally Bergesen | Founder and CEO, age 46, born and raised California, grown in Seattle
What's your favorite part about tweeting for Oiselle?
J: Connecting with runners from all over the world. There isn’t a day in the office where you won’t hear “oh yeah I know them on twitter!” That’s the beauty of tweeting from @oiselle – I feel like I have thousands of friends that I get to check in with everyday, congratulate, and encourage. I get to share in the moments of big PRs, feel the pain and gain of completing a 20 miler, reach out when someone’s training hits a wall, and everything in between. Keeping the “social” in media is so important and is the best part of helping grow a community. I’ve watched our twitter audience grow from 2K to 30K in three years, and I can tell you that when life happens, it happens on Twitter. There’s something electric about that I can’t get enough of.
S: When I started Oiselle, tweeting with people was the fastest, most direct, fun, least expensive way to build a community. It was instant conversation - like had never been possible before. And its short format spoke to my love of the written word. Today, I think about it in much the same way I think about running. Running is a sport of and by the people. It’s an equalizer. When we run, we’re all just runners. The best of what social media has to offer is similar. We’re all just people, and it gives us a way to communicate across locations, jobs, interests, gender, age, position, etc.
Sally, Lesko, Atsuko, JJ at bird camp 2014.
What's the biggest challenge?
J: Twitter is real time, all the time. There is a lot that goes into keeping our feed fresh. Telling stories that are interesting, informative, humorous and entertaining to follow can sometimes feel like a challenge, and that’s why it takes a team to make the magic happen. From year one to now, I am always trying to stay true to who Sally is – her sarcasm, her idioms, her sass! – because she is Oiselle and that’s what we’re all about.
S: Agree with Jacquelyn. It’s constant. For an individual, you can leave it up to your whim as to when to be on or off. For a brand, you really need to be on all the time. So it takes a team. And because it takes a team, it requires consistency in voice, message, and overall vibe. I believe strongly in a brand having a single voice. I’m so lucky to be working with Jacquelyn and our team – fellow runners, colleagues, friends, who know and embody the brand just as much as I do.
What's the best thing about your followers?
J: Ah, how to choose. Oiselle fans are the greatest. From the lifers I tweeted with three years ago to the newest birds, we all have something in common of wanting to be a part of something that’s really special. Our followers are runners, swimmers, musicians, travelers, students, you name it. They come from all walks of life and they come to us to be a part of something. We use the tag “#runfamily” a lot, and there are no ends to how big this family can grow.
S: It’s impossible to name one thing. This will probably sound corny, but I feel very close to our followers through our interactions. And sometimes, I want to hug them. They inspire me, both personally with my running, and professionally in terms of trying to create amazing apparel that’s worthy of their love. I also know I can count on them for candid feedback…the good, the bad and the ugly. After all, it’s great to get high fives, but every now and then we all need a kick in the pants. Even Oiselle pants.
Bottom line...come hang out with us on the interwebs anytime! We want to meet you and follow your journey through running and beyond.
