Some creatives get inspiration from film. Others books.
But if you’re Brafton Senior Writer Molly Ploe, that inspo comes from a nice loaf of homemade sourdough bread.
Hey, if that’s what it takes to be a great writer and content marketer, then we could probably all use a few lessons in the fine art of baking. And, no, Molly is not available for appointments.
That’s because her calendar’s already filled with hours of writing, editing, keyword research, client calls and even more writing.
Have pen, will travel
It’s no surprise that small-town Michigan was too confining for big dreams. That’s not to say we have anything against Houghton, Michigan, it’s just that Molly knew early on that Chicago was where she wanted to be. (Also don’t you ever dare use the term “Yooper” in vain in Molly’s presence.)
“From the time I was five, I wanted to be a writer,” Molly said. “If not a writer, then a teacher.”
Well it didn’t take long for her to cross teacher off the list of potential occupations.
“In high school, I worked at an elementary school and realized pretty quickly that it was exhausting and not quite what I thought it would be,” she said. “After that, I knew that writing was what I should pursue full time, which is why I majored in journalism in college.”
Upon entering the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Molly dove head first into every creative outlet she could. She wrote for the student paper, landed a web content internship, was the treasurer of her school’s Public Relations Student Society of America and president of the Society of Professional Journalists.
After graduating, she worked at a nonprofit that provided counseling and education services to those in need, particularly those fighting addiction.
It was inspiring work, and Molly was in charge of producing copy for the organization’s brochures, newsletters and landing pages. Throughout her tenure there, she learned just how much value there was in writing for a living, as her words helped raise money for a worthy cause.
Not too long after, Brafton came calling, and her goal of moving to Chicago finally was achieved.
Never be afraid to learn something new
With more than two years at Brafton under her belt, Molly’s become a go-to resource for all things finance and industry.
Unsure of the process for acquiring a business loan for your water treatment facility? Molly can help.
Never heard of a shell and tube heat exchanger? Molly has.
Wish you could bake Nisu, a Finnish bread flavored with cardamom? Molly can.
These are just some of the things she’s come to know.
But beyond her own expertise, she’s also picked up experience in the fields of UX, site layout and every form of marketing collateral. And her favorite?
“I’ve always liked case studies,” she noted. “It’s a more human piece of content, and it allows you to be more personable as a writer. Conducting interviews with a client’s customer means you can talk about real-world problems they face in their business, rather than speaking in jargon like many marketers tend to do.”
It’s this personal touch that Molly brings to all things Brafton. And her clients will say as much.
Molly’s become a go-to resource for all things finance and industry.
One of Brafton’s education clients recently asked Molly to hop on an impromptu phone call to go over an upcoming article she was to write. The first thing the client said to her was, “I really hope you aren’t planning on leaving Brafton anytime soon because I want you to keep writing for us forever.”
How’s that for praise?
As Molly puts it, “You can never be afraid to learn something new, and in content marketing, there’s something new every day of the week.”
Up next on her agenda of things to conquer is perfecting at-home yeast fermentation for a new batch of sourdough.
Comment below for a free copy of Molly’s soon-to-be-released cookbook.
