Alrighty folks, we’re continuing on with our “Meet the People of Uncanny” series. Last week, Jess so graciously introduced me (hi, it’s Ashton), and now I get to return the favor.
The three words I would use to describe Jess are: smart, understanding, and relatable. She’s a great listener and has a lot of cool things to say in return — she’s a great writer too! Obviously, there’s a lot more to say, so keep reading to meet Jess, Junior Copywriter and the Crochet Enthusiast of Uncanny Content!
Note from Latasha: Jess is my first-ever partner in crime. She started freelancing with me in 2018!! She’s been here for it all — and we wouldn’t be where we are without her.
State your full name, for the record:
Jessica Bianca Hammons, or Jess if we’re cool.
A note from Ashton: I thought her middle name was Angela for the longest time. She looks like a Jessica Angela to me. This is also partially Latasha’s fault because she keeps referring to Jess as such.
Where do you live?
In the Denver ‘burbs.
Who do you live with?
My husband, John, and our toddler, Ben.
A note from Ashton: Said toddler is adorable.
Don’t forget pets:
One fluffy Maine Coon/Manx mix cat, Kaylee.
A note from Ashton: Said pet is also adorable.
What did you do before working with Uncanny?
I worked for a subscription box company based in downtown Denver! We curated geek merch and collectible boxes, science boxes, beauty boxes, and more. I worked in customer service but also did copywriting, which I loved.
Before that, I worked for a long time at Costco, which was pretty awesome. Yes, the pay was/is as great as they say. (And I still love shopping there.)
A note from Ashton: Jess can I borrow your Costco card?
What’s your favorite movie? (Latasha let us pick two only)
I CANNOT narrow all the movies I love down to one. I refuse. My favorite recent-ish movie I always recommend to others is Parasite, if you like thrillers. If not — Clueless. It’s a perfect movie.
What’s your favorite book?
Picking one favorite book is even harder! I will say that the last 5-star book I read that I keep thinking about is Lessons in Chemistry.
A note from Ashton: Jess’s love of books is amazing. I actually was influenced by her to go to my local library and check out books, and now I’m a regular there. You can’t go wrong with a book rec a la Jess.
If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?
The Philippines, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore…the list goes on.
Who was your first crush? How did that end for you?
Leonardo DiCaprio, thanks to Titanic. You guess how it ended.
A note from Ashton: Badly, I’m assuming?
What’s your favorite part about your work with Uncanny?
The team, hands down. It’s an amazing group of smart, funny, talented, supportive women. We’re actually friends and can talk about anything, but we also work hard and get shit done.
A note from Ashton: You know, you’d think at a work retreat we’d do work things, but we did not. I’d say a good ¼ of the time was devoted to work (ish), 2/4 (or half, if you’re a math whiz) of that time was spent chit-chatting, and the last ¼ was spent stuffing our faces with delicious food while we were chit chatting. So yes, Jess’ statement is 100% true.
What do you wish more people knew about the work you do?
That we don’t just write blogs. There’s so much that goes into the copy and content process before it even gets to me as a writer! Research, strategy, planning, scheduling, all that jazz.
What’s the hardest part of the work you do?
Personally, I’m still trying to balance work and motherhood, hah. But if it’s something actually about the work? I would say writing a piece of content with little direction or guidelines. You have to understand the client’s goals and brand voice, really know them, before you can do that well.
When you’re not working, what do you like to do?
Read, sleep, or eat. I’m a simple gal. More specifically, I’m a huge bookworm. I love trying new places to eat, and I like to cook and bake. And who doesn’t love to sleep?
What’s one goal you have for yourself in the next year (not related to work)?
To work out more! Right now I do Pilates twice a week, but I want to get back into yoga or try a different activity.
Do you have any secret talents or fun party tricks? (You will be asked to do these at a future team retreat.)
I’m pretty good at trivia. Oh, and at typical college games like beer pong or quarters. I can demonstrate at our next team retreat but I’ll let someone else do the heavy drinking for me. The skills are still there but my alcohol tolerance ain’t what she used to be.
You can follow Jess on Instagram at @jessbhammons! You can also catch her on Uncanny’s Instagram @uncannycontent!
