Enplug is one of the fastest growing tech startups in Silicon Beach. Learn more about the team that’s building the world’s firstopen digital signage software platform.
Here is our interview with Cassie Paton, Enplug’s Web Content Specialist:
What are you most excited about these days?
I’m looking forward to earning my masters in journalism from USC Annenberg this spring. Just a couple more months to go!
Favorite holiday?
Thanksgiving. All the pleasure of great food and great company with zero stress about gifts.
Favorite Game of Thrones character?
This is awkward…
Favorite hobby you’ve picked up?
I’ve gotten into hiking a lot more since moving to L.A. There are so many beautiful places to hike here, and I just want to be outside all the time!
When did you start working with Enplug?
The week before Valentine’s Day. I’ve replaced Katie as the office newbie.
What is your fondest Enplug memory?
I don’t have very many to choose from yet, but the day I got hired was a pretty good one. Also, the time I put a hole in the wall playing darts…
What app do you find yourself using most?
Lately, my podcast app—I figure I might as well use my commute to get smarter. My favorite podcast is Invisibilia.
What’s your favorite website?
Mine!
What’s the best part of living in L.A.?
The proximity to the coast and national parks. The opportunity to meet all kinds of fascinating people. And, of course, the diverse food options.
What’s your best recipe?
A simple yet delicious couscous salad with chickpeas, fresh veggies, herbs and feta tossed in olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice.
Slack, email, or text?
Just a couple of weeks on Slack and I’m already a convert, though it’s best I turn it off when I’m trying to focus.
If you could step into the shoes of one person for a day, who would you choose?
Someone ridiculous, like Lady Gaga. Just to see how they operate, the kinds of people they meet and what goes through their minds when they perform in front of a massive audience.
If you could have coffee with someone from the past, who would it be?
Wow, tough call, but Joseph Campbell immediately comes to mind. He could talk about pretty much anything, and my mind would be blown.
What’s the biggest thing you learned about working in tech?
I already knew this, but I’ve come to understand even more deeply just how essential it is to always be innovating. You don’t create a great product and just sit back because, hey! You’re done now. It’s amazing knowing I’ll never stop learning and that I’ll never run out of inspiration for new ideas of my own.
What’s the best thing that happened this year?
I got a job with Enplug!
What’s the best thing that happened this month?
Well, we’re only three days in, but having a rainy Sunday was quite nice (and much-needed).
What’s the last book you read?
I re-read Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, one of my favorites. I’m currently reading Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique, which is still profound to this day.
What’s the last song you listened to?
“Turn it Around” by Lucius. I love female voices harmonizing. (And hand claps.)
“Working on my master’s while working full-time is both challenging and exciting. It’s the ultimate time management balancing act!”
What’s the best way to decompress?
Yoga, wine and a good book. In that order.
Worst subject in school?
I’m a writer. So, math.
What is your super power?
I can fly in my dreams.
What is your spirit animal?
Patti Smith.
Coffee or tea?
Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon.
Favorite game?
Cards Against Humanity, Apples to Apples, Catchphrase—anything wordy that doesn’t have complicated rules.
Favorite movie of all time?
There’s no one movie, but I could never get sick of The Devil Wears Prada.
Favorite author of all time?
My mom, Suzanne Supplee!
Any hidden talents?
Yikes, no, all my cards are pretty much on the table (or on my LinkedIn profile). Though I can play a little guitar, wiggle my ears and do a not-bad rendition of Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive” in karaoke.
Any advice to your younger self?
Do scary things. Make bold decisions. You’ll learn to trust your gut.
What is one skill still unmastered?
I’d like to become a great photographer. I have a good eye for interesting angles and composition, but I haven’t mastered manual DSLR settings yet.
Which of these was your favorite question?
“Any advice to your younger self?” I love hearing other people’s responses to this question, too. It makes me think of the kind of advice I might give to my younger self 10 years from now and how I can start living by it.
How has running your own blog translated into your role as Enplug’s lead content specialist?
My blog was a big factor in being offered this job! It’s a pretty natural transition—for my own blog, I’m constantly coming up with new ideas, collaborating with other bloggers, scheduling content, promoting it and, most importantly, writing. The same applies here, except now I have a lot more brains to bounce ideas off of and learn from.