Behind The Click: Nichelle Stephens

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It’s amazing that you have time for another gig. How did you connect with Pepsi to become the Community Editor for the Pepsi We Inspire blog?

They actually found me. I buit my online presence six years ago and from day one I’ve been prolific with my writing, I guess they recognized that. They liked my voice from my personal site, my Twitter feed. That’s one great thing about Twitter, you can use it to discuss off-the-cuff things that you are thinking about and relate to other people.

Were you concerned that Pepsi We Inspire was going to be more about pushing the brand than inspiring African-American women?

Before I got the job, I met with the marketing firm working with Pepsi. I was so on-board [with their ideas]. This site was something that was so needed, not just as a site for women, but as a site for the African-American community specifically. The only concern about doing something when it is connected to such a popular brand is that you don’t want to hit the audience over the head and that’s why I liked the approach. The site is interconnected to Facebook-connect, so real interaction is there. The site is beautifully designed, very informative and it gives women a way to contribute to communities by volunteering or donating, or just sharing stories about what inspires them the most.  It’s just a great thing.

With all of the jobs that you manage, do you find you like the path your career has taken?

Only until recently have I felt in control. The first couple of years I struggled to make ends meet and now I’m definitely more comfortable. One thing about the freedom is that when you work a 9-5 there are things that you can never take part in. I can now go to conferences and presentations, I can do things like that now because of my flexible schedule.

Where can we look for you next?

I’ll be attending and presenting at the Blogging While Brown conference in Washington, D.C. June 18-19. My presentation topic is The Business of Blogging.

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