#WFH Diaries: Evan Nison of NisonCo
With the coronavirus pandemic surging anew, most folks are still working from home. We're continuing to check in with creative professionals to see how they're faring. Here's an update from Evan Nison, founder and president of NisonCo, a top PR firm supporting the cannabis, CBD and hemp industry.
Give us a one-line bio of yourself.
I'm a cannabis public relations professional who works with both nonprofits and for-profits in various capacities, and I've worked from home for a decade.
Where are you living right now, and who's with you?
I am quarantining in my parents' house with my girlfriend, my sister and brother-in-law. And Landon, my goldendoodle. He's a very good boy.
What's your work situation like at the moment?
I work close to 24/7 and am used to working from home, but the people I'm cohabitating with aren't working as much. Trying to remain focused so it's not a hangout is tricky, since there's more people here.
Describe your socializing strategy.
The strategy is to dodge. That's really it, just dodging into rooms while I'm on calls or trying to answer emails to avoid get distracted.
How are you dealing with childcare dogcare?
Actually, being at my parents house makes it super easy, because Landon has a big backyard to run in. And having three extra people around is great for Landon, as he gets petted constantly. When everyone goes back to work he's going to be devastated.
What are you reading?
Emails, messages and work content. Lots of industry articles.
What are you watching?
TED Talks, mostly.
What are you listening to?
I listen to music in the background when I'm not on calls, but since I'm not driving or in my car much nowadays I haven't been listening to much.
How are you staying fit?
Pacing around while I'm on the phone. Believe it or not I average 4-5 miles a day.
Have you taken up a hobby?
I got a drone. It's perfect for social-distanced fun. I usually fly straight up to about 400 feet and then go toward water at the park, over my neighborhood—just check out the world from a new view.
Any tips for getting necessities?
I own a smoke shop and convenience store, so that helps. The manager of my local store comes and drops stuff off on my doorstep, which is sweet. I'd recommend supporting local retailers and relying on your community for necessities.
An awkward moment since all this started.
I don't tend to feel awkward too often, so can't really recall.
Best work email you got since all this started.
Landing a major client in the midst of the pandemic was a huge relief.
An aha! moment since all this started.
I've had a chance to take a step back and think about the cannabis and psychedelic marketing services we offer at NisonCo, and strategic ways to move forward. It allowed me to reflect on our positioning so we are in the best place to succeed as a company when things "get back to normal," such as the expansion of our cannabis SEO offerings. It's been a slow "aha!" moment over time, which is sometimes the best way to really flush out complex ideas. I wouldn't have had the opportunity to reflect on bigger-picture items without the health crisis.
What's your theory on how this is going to play out?
The pandemic is going to have a big impact on work from home for the average worker and employer, which will expand opportunities for both. Employers can hire the best global employees, and those employees can in turn live wherever they want. Overhead costs are lowered for the employer, making them more competitive, and flexibility is a major boon for employees. Remote work is going to ramp up as a huge employment trend, propelled forward by Covid-19.
