Jackson Spalding’s Joanna Singleton: ‘Channel the resilience’

What’s getting you through the last few days before holiday break?

Is it mealtimes with family? Reheated coffee in the microwave? Zoom and Sharepoint? The answer is all of the above for Joanna Singleton, partner at Jackson Spalding.

We caught up with her to get her take on the changes facing the industry in the latest in our “Day in the Life” series. Here’s some of what she has to say about what’s for now, and what is coming next:

1. How much coffee do you drink during a day?

Singleton: I slowly sip two cups of coffee between 7 and 11 a.m., which definitely involves at least one reheat in the microwave.

2. Who is the most important person you talk to every day?

Singleton: Breakfast conversations with my two kids set my day on a happy trajectory. Then, I’m ready to enjoy dynamic meetings with clients, problem-solving chats with our teams and culture-affirming instant messages with our Dallas office.

3. How much of your day is spent on Zoom calls?

I’ve cut back to about 60% with a goal of having at least one meeting per day as a walking phone call outdoors.

4. What’s a tool you couldn’t live without right now?

We migrated to SharePoint – a cloud-based storage platform – early in the pandemic, and it has made remote collaboration more efficient. Also, this month I purchased a new adjustable base and mattress from our client Mattress Firm. I am delighted by sitting up to read and sleeping at a zero-gravity angle.

5. What’s been the biggest change you’ve faced since the pandemic started?

Where to begin?! The biggest change is not being together with our Jackson Spalding team. Normally, we sit at shared tables, eat lunch together and are constantly in large meetings gathered around a white board. I miss the casual interactions and idea-sharing. I also miss the ability to walk around and check in with people.

6. Are you still working from home? If so, what’s been your favorite part of WFH?

Yes, we are working from home based on local guidelines in our markets. I have significantly more time to fit exercise into my day, which I enjoy and keeps my brain refreshed and ready.

7. What’s your No.1 message to clients, co-workers or employees for the rest of 2020?

Let’s channel the resilience and strength we learned in 2020 by facing one challenge after another into determined optimism in 2021.

8. What makes you hopeful about the future of PR? Any big predictions for 2021?

At Jackson Spalding, our aim is to be the most trusted and respected agency. Trust and respect are important themes for the future of PR as we navigate misinformation online and help our clients engage effectively with credibility and integrity. This year, many agencies have made internal changes and collaborated with our clients on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. In 2021, we have the opportunity to further deliver stronger thinking by having more diverse teams and showcasing more diverse client voices through our work