JumpStart Content Marketing Specialist Nick Worner is a professional writer—but he’s also picked up a few other tricks along the way.

Over the last decade, Nick has worked in a diverse range of disciplines including print journalism, public/media relations, technical writing, non-profit strategic communication and most recently, content marketing. Over the years he’s also pulled duty as an editor, photographer, rudimentary designer and even a public speaker when the need arises.

The versatility definitely comes in handy as a member of JumpStart’s busy marketing team, which is not only responsible for supporting all of JumpStart’s internal needs, but also for helping many of its client and portfolio companies tell their stories.

Recently, we sat down with Nick to ask him five questions about his life and career thus far:

What do you like most about working at JumpStart?
There is always something new to learn and some new way to challenge yourself.  I come from a journalism background, where they teach you to be relentlessly curious and push yourself (and sometimes others) past the point of comfort. JumpStart is very similar. It can be intense, but it’s also extremely satisfying to be able to flex your creative muscles and test your own limits every day.

What is a career lesson you have learned thus far?
The best way to learn something new is to keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut.  I have to remind myself of this all the time, because I’m naturally prone to “monologueing.” In other words, I really love to hear myself talk. I actually keep a little skull on my desk to remind me not to turn into Hamlet every time I have a point to make.  It’s meant as a joke of course, but it does help to remind me that the only way for me to be great at my job is to be as good a listener as I am a talker.

Which JumpStart value resonates most with you and why?
Quality. For better or worse, I am very competitive—especially when it comes to what I do for a living. I take a lot of pride in pushing beyond “good enough,” and doing the kind of work that people are proud to be associated with.  I mean, if you’re going to do something, why not dig in and really do it?

What is your favorite line from a movie?
Anything from the movie “Can’t Hardly Wait.” There are literally dozens of great lines—I can’t pick just one! I think you had to be born at a very specific time to love this movie, but I love it with a vengeance.  Don’t even get me started on how wrong the critics are about this film.

What’s the one thing you can’t live without?
It sounds cliché, but it would have to be writing. If I don’t write something every day, I become very difficult to be around. It’s been that way since I was a kid. I can’t really help it—it’s just the way I make sense of the world. Even when I’m not writing “for me,” it’s still my favorite thing to do. Everybody has something to say; sometimes they just need someone to help them find the right words. Being that someone is a big part of my identity.

---

This post is part of JumpStart’s “Employee Spotlight” series, a monthly feature introducing you to a member of our passionate, talented team.