For our Career Day series, we've profiled some of my favorite entrepreneurs and makers for you to learn about through the lens of a kid going on a field trip to a creative office. For our newest post, we thought it would be fun to bring Ruby to the Oh Joy office so she could learn a little bit more about what her mom and team do over here! Come see how she spent the day at our office and what she did with each member of the team…

Julia Wester – Creative Producter and Stylist

What do you do at Oh Joy? I'm the Creative Producer and Stylist which means I handle all of the DIY/crafting that's on the blog as well as styling all the photos. I also handle production for all of the video content that we do. I paint all the backdrops for the Dressing the Babe series and sometimes hand model. I'm also part of the Oh Joy! floral design team, and I'm in charge of keeping all of the plants in the office alive. 

How long have you been working here? 3 years. 

Favorite part about your job? My favorite part of my job is being able to do so many fun, creative things. Some days I'll be painting a backdrop and other days I'm working on floral arrangements. With crafting, I love seeing the process—I start with brainstorming an idea, then figure out how to put it together, then I get to see the final product shot and posted on the blog. 

Least favorite part about your job? I think my least favorite part might be having to clean up and keep the art table clean! Since I'm constantly in the middle of making things, it can get pretty chaotic. 

What’s the best thing you’ve eaten while working at Oh Joy? I've had the chance to eat so many great things working here. I really loved the lobster roll from Son of a Gun and the spicy fried chicken skin sandwich and trout toast from The Hart and The Hunter. Eggslut was pretty darn good, too. My favorite sweet treat hands down was my birthday cake from 3 years ago. It was a crepe cake from Lady M, and I literally still dream about it. 

Jessica Hong – Crafting Assistant

What do you do at Oh Joy? I'm the crafting & styling assistant, so I basically get to do arts & crafts all day long…which is a dream come true! I help Julia with ideas and creating DIY projects for the blog as well as setting up scenes for photo/video shoots.

How long have you been working here? 6 months!

Favorite part about your job? My favorite part of this job is that every day and every project are different. It never gets boring and I feel very lucky that I constantly get to use my creativity. Plus, it's nice that I'm up and moving around all day rather than just sitting at a desk.

Least favorite part about your job? I know I just said I like that I'm not stuck at a desk all day, but lifting heavy furniture for photo shoots on a hot day isn't the most glamorous. I bring extra deodorant on those days :) 

What’s the best thing you’ve eaten while working at Oh Joy? We've eaten A LOT of good food, but I think the best thing I've had while working at Oh Joy was a chocolate, strawberry, and caramel cake from Matchbox Kitchen that we got Joy for her birthday this year.

Courtney Ketchersid – Executive Assistant

What do you do at Oh Joy? I am Joy’s Executive Assistant.  That means I handle Joy’s work schedule, plan calls, answer emails, prepare contracts and invoices, communicate with clients and fans, open mail, answer the phone, package outgoing mail, keep track of current partners, manage social calendars, update the website, do hand-lettering, paint murals, model, clean dishes, water plants, organize shelves, assemble furniture, go to circus training, decorate cakes, slide down skyscrapers, and basically have the time of my life. Did I mention emails? Lots of emails. 😉

How long have you been working here? Almost six months.

Favorite part about your job? Filming Joy’s outfit of the day dance for Snapchat. Also, getting nice emails from followers and fans about how much they love Oh Joy!

Least favorite part about your job? Probably getting emails from someone desperate for an Oh Joy! for Target product that is sold out and won’t be restocking. I don’t like having to disappoint them. So buy your products early so I don’t ever have to email you back and say “Sorry, they’re gone forever”.

What’s the best thing you’ve eaten while working at Oh Joy? The fried chicken sandwich from Howlin’ Rays was probably the best thing I’ve eaten while working at Oh Joy! It was a delicious sandwich, and the hour wait makes you really eager to eat one :)!

Angie Stalker – Graphic Designer

What do you do at Oh Joy? My main role/title is designer. I occasionally step in as a hand model. As a designer my work falls primarily in helping Joy with our Target line by drawing CADs of our designs, inventing prints and patterns, and prepping files for production. I also have the opportunity to create graphics for our videos, print/promotional material, and occasionally I create visual assets for blog content. 

How long have you been working here? It has been a very fast, colorful, and fulfilling 3-1/2 years. 

Favorite part of your job? I really, really like a lot of things about my job. It’s pretty much my dream job. 

I love that no day is the same, and that every time I step into the office I have the opportunity to creatively explore different design challenges. 

I love that I get to make visual things. I get to make marks (with ink, with cut paper, with paint, etc.)

I love the variety of projects I get to work on, from small Band-Aids to large scale murals. 

I love the creative, witty, supportive, and intelligent team.  

I love that I am always busy.  

I love working on projects from concept to production. I love being involved in the whole process, from making the first mark designing a pattern to tweaking product samples before they go into production. 

I love creating things for people that make them/ their home/ their family happy. 

Least favorite part of your job? If I am ever the first one in and have to unlock the door/turn off the alarm. Or if I’m ever the last one to leave and have to set the alarm/lock the door. So much anxiety. 

What’s the best thing you’ve eaten while working at Oh Joy? Family Meal is my favorite. I can’t choose the best out of all of them, but Courtney’s chili is pretty great.   

Casey Brodley – Photographer

What do you do at Oh Joy? I'm the photographer (and sometimes videographer for our short videos).

How long have you been working here? I was previously Joy's assistant and photographer for three years. Six months ago, I left my full-time job at Oh Joy to pursue my own photography business, but I still shoot for Oh Joy a couple times a week as a freelance photographer.

Favorite part about your job? Do I have to choose one? I really love shooting anything that brings me somewhere new, or puts me in the vicinity of dogs and babies (specifically Ruby, Coco, and Tuna the Frenchie!). My favorite posts to shoot are Career Day posts and Field Trip posts.

Least favorite part about your job? There isn't much to not like about this job, but I'd have to say that the worst thing is photoshopping my reflection out of all the gold plated props we use for styling! 

What’s the best thing you’ve eaten while working at Oh Joy? After three years, I have tried so many things that I can't possibly name one favorite, but among the top of the list are the day we ate Amaze Bowls and the lobster rolls from Son of a Gun! The weirdest, best thing was the mashed potato ice cream from Salt and Straw. Joy has also introduced me to some of my current all-time favorite foods like ramen!

PS. Joy jokes that my favorite thing I've tasted would be durian. In reality, durian tasted like wet gym socks dipped in burnt hair. And my face definitely reflected that! 

Joy Cho - Founder/CEO/Creative Director

What do you do at Oh Joy? I am a designer and blogger at the core. But now, I serve as the Creative Director of Oh Joy which means overseeing everything and setting the direction of all creative content and products. I come up with concepts for our editorial stories and for our product line at Target, I write all the copy for the blog and for a lot of our social media, and I work with my team to see my ideas come to life into a real product/story/scene. As the owner of the company, I am also the HR manager, accounting department, business negotiator, supplies orderer, social media strategist, and lover of teen pop.

How long have you been working here? Since the beginning in 2005. I'm the OG of Oh Joy.

Favorite part about your job? Getting to see something go from just an inkling of an idea in my head to an actual realized product or story. It took a long time to get to this place, but I also love that my job can now be whatever I want it to be and that I get to show my kids everyday that you can create a job you love.

Least favorite part about your job? The administrative stuff. I wish I could design and create things all day, but I have to leave most of the fun stuff to the rest of the team while I manage the business and make sure it keeps running smoothly. That stuff is obviously very important, but not the most glamourous.

What’s the best thing you’ve eaten while working at Oh Joy? I am not sure why I made up this question because it's impossible to answer! I've made food such a focus of my business and my life. Howlin' Rays is probably one of my favorite sandwiches ever and Jeni's ice cream will always have a special place in my heart.

{Photos by Casey Brodley}