Tool Belt
Web Design
Real Estate
Creative Writing
Marketing
Social Media
Content Creation
Photography
Executive Administration
Project Coordination
Email Production
Social Media
Event Coordination
Market Analysis
SEO Practices
Software Prowess
Photoshop
Lightroom
Adobe Pro
Quick Books
Capcut
Canva
Illustrator
Some InDesign
Wix
Wordpress
Squarespace
Matrix
Transaction Desk
Mailchimp
MailerLite
Constant Contact
Microsoft Office Suite
Slack
Monday
Opus
Google Workspace
Airtable
Bonus Material
Conversational Spanish
ENFP
Cat Herder
Fast Learner
Adaptable
Intuitive
Flexible
Jo Ann Lee Breaux
Realtor® / Writer / Marketer
My name is Jo Ann, my friends call me Jo. I have been working since I was 14 years old. My very first official job was in retail. I was a retail sales associate for 17th Street Surf Shop selling women’s street and beach wear, but I wanted to be behind the skate counter selling skateboards and skate accessories because I was ambitious and passionate. This was my first lesson in office politics.
I continued along the retail path during my high school years where I found myself creating balloon bouquets and running a party store, putting subs together at a sandwich shop, honing my typing skills as an Admin at my step dad’s insurance firm, and then ultimately leaving Richmond to attend college. Turns out living in a strict household all my life and then being cut loose on a remote college campus is not good for one’s academic focus.
Once back in RVA, I was introduced to the service industry where I remained for a vast majority of my young adult life (12 years). I learned how to serve, bartend, host, and market in local restaurants. I designed menus, wrote on chalkboards, listened to slurred stories of woe, and broke a lot of beer mugs. Those were the most impactful roles of my life. I learned psychology, sociology, and excelled at customer service in that setting, very valuable skills indeed.
I decided during that time to go back to school. I ended up on a Dean’s List with a degree in Computer Science. This would enter me into the “corporate world”, well, more the academic one. I became the Web Developer and Executive Admin for a State funded cancer research project for the Department of Pathology at Virginia Health Systems at MCV. Here, I successfully created a data collection program, ran logistics and admin functions for three university health systems, was the liaison between the doctors, surgeons, and hospital staff for all three labs, and implemented and created a website where we could share data, news, and publish our research. After four years of this rewarding and mentoring position, I married, I packed my bags, and I started a life in New York.
There is no such confidence booster than landing a job in New York city. Once the role I had lined up at Sean John fell through, $3,000 of drum equipment stolen from the trunk of our car, and ultimately my entire car found gutted on the side of the road in Red Hook, well nothing preps you for life like being welcomed into NY with such fanfare! I walked out the bar to take a call from my mom. “I always thought you were going to be a writer,” echoed in my head. Coming from a woman who gave no indication of interest into my psyche, it hit my eardrum like a gold digger’s pick upon discovery. The next week I was interviewing on the 17th floor in the “Devil Wears Prada” building. It was protocol for the CFO to interview candidates as well for the role. He commented on my taste in shoes, asked if he’d work for him instead at a higher salary, and off I went—”if I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere…”
At the same time I started screening emails, taking calls, making appointments, writing correspondence, filing invoices, creating presentations, taking minutes, doling out paychecks, as well as upping my shoe game, I started a magazine—Anti-Mag. I decided to create a web magazine that would showcase local artists, musicians, writers, chefs, fashion designers, and anyone doing passionate and interesting things. My magazine would interview some of the most upcoming well known artists in the mainstream today. I also grew outside of New York and featured individuals from several different countries including Canada, Ireland, France, and Spain. I facilitated a happy hour event every month called “Thirst Fursday” where I would collect different people from different walks of life and host an event condoning the art of conversation. I assisted artists who didn’t know how to promote themselves to collaborative individuals they could trust. I curated art shows and fundraisers. I worked with local venues to host these events. I raised awareness and funds for organizations in need. I eventually became an internet radio host interviewing persons of interest and playing tunes. I successfully wrote every single word and has been my proudest accomplishment to date.
Good things don’t last forever. My role at BMG became a stepping stone into tech. I was promoted to Front End Developer to work on BMG website where I could build htmls/css based email campaigns featuring musical artists. Should have been a dream job and a learning experience, but I found out quickly it came with some undesired attention. After a merger, I was let go. The last of my two years in NY were contracted gigs in the tech field, hand coding email campaigns for the likes of Scholastic, The Knot, Reuters, and Lumina. It was duty, not passion that lead me here.
There was an economic decline as you recall. After several attempts of job stability, it turned out I was being called back to Virginia. I had an opportunity at the very coveted and much desired Martin Agency. This was it, I had hit the big time and here would be the place I’d flourish—home. The employer that understood my nature, my need for a creative outlet, my passion for packaging, my childhood love of commercials! A place I could grow and be myself in while giving me the skills I desired. Much to my ego and disappointment, my role as Senior Creative Assistant was much like the lunch room scene in “Mean Girls”, or maybe it resembled the atmosphere and camaraderie of Runway Magazine. Yes, that is more accurate. I have never fetched more coffee nor made to feel so insignificant in any role in all my life, to this day. I handled eight Creative Directors juggling and managing schedules, booking flights, processing expense reports, creating presentations, escorting to and from meetings, taking minutes, and acting as a liaison between them. I was then met with a significant personal tragedy and was let go shortly thereafter, leaving me with the crumbled pieces of my life to put back together again. This was the part in my dream job scenario where I quit. After that experience, I gave up on being part of the cool kids’ table because I just didn’t have the street cred nor did I believe in myself and my capabilities any longer. How do they say, “they broke me.” I did however establish some amazing relationships during that time.
Fast forward through the bad times where the security blanket was initiated and I went back to serving and bartending. It saved my life quite honestly. I had a short stint as an appellate paralegal where I picked up some new skills and worked on some very disturbing briefs. And even as I worked in this environment, I was constantly thinking of how to market attorneys better, and how a lot of them were in need of good web presence. To alleviate my creative tendencies, I began a new magazine called Craft RVA, celebrating the breaking of bread and the craftsmanship of the RVA food culture. It was during this time I would meet the accomplished dancer and owner of Latin Ballet of Virginia and here is where we will end this story and transition to resume form.
Thanks for getting this far, it has been quite the varied and winding road for me, but it is through the collective tools I’ve added to the belt that has been most beneficial. I have utilized them, I have let others borrow them, I have also traded them for new and improved ones, but I always have it on and it is my best accessory.