One of the perks of being a writer is that I get to see every new product and brand we’re bringing in before customers are able to purchase them online. While writing the copy that appears on the item detail page, I’m able to learn about them and find ones I want to try.
2. I get to pretend I know how to cook when working on our cooking videos.
I don’t cook. I don’t bake. And I don’t try new foods. So how I wound up on the team that makes cooking videos is still a mystery to me (and a source of humor to my friends and family). But it’s one of the tasks I enjoy most. With my role as producer on the videos, I get a chance to look through interesting recipes and then work with a team of videographers, production assistants and our host to create videos. We have a fun time prepping for the videos and filming them. I’m learning a lot about cooking and discovering new-to-me ingredients (hello parsnips, tahini and wonton skins). Maybe one day I’ll actually work up the courage to try the food we make…
3. I have fun with my teammates outside of our office.
Throughout the last year, the web department has taken part in monthly team building activities. Together we’ve volunteered at local charities, challenged each other in our own bowling tournament and cheered on our hometown minor league baseball team. We have fun when we’re out as a group and it’s been great getting to know my coworkers outside of our office.
4. I get to meet customers at the Swanson Health Products Health & Fitness Expo during the Fargo Marathon.
Every May, the Fargo Marathon is held and in conjunction with it is the Health & Fitness Expo, sponsored by Swanson Health Products. For two days, thousands of marathoners and running fans are able to check out various vendors. All the Swanson employees that work our booth have fun getting face-to-face time with our customers and introducing Swanson to new customers. But my favorite part of the expo is the day before it starts, when we work together to set up a small version of the Swanson store at our booth – complete with supplements, healthy snacks and beverages, health and beauty items and tons of product giveaways.
5. I get to do my job from one of the best places in the world.
With strong Midwestern values and a strong work ethic, Fargo, North Dakota is a great place to live and work. Growing up in a small town an hour away, I was happy to find a job that’s close to my family. I also live just down the street, so my commute to work takes all of two minutes (which gives me more time for sleep). Sure, there are times in mid-January when the temperature doesn’t get above zero that I wish Swanson would relocate to sunny Arizona, but Swanson wouldn’t be Swanson without Fargo. I enjoy working for a family business that got its start at a house just blocks away, by one man with one vitamin supplement. While the company may have grown, it still maintains the family atmosphere that makes me glad to be a Swanson employee.
