This is the inaugural post for our new weekly interview series where we interview 5by5 hosts, guests, and support team. This week we sat down with the host of The Frequency, Producer Haddie Cooke. Haddie gives us some insight into her experience working at 5by5 Studios and some of the changes taking place.
POLAR BEARS.
Haddie Cooke: ...What?
They break the ice. How's it going?
HC: Everything is going awesome! I'm really excited about a lot of new things happening here at 5by5!
Tell us a little about yourself.
HC: I'm Haddie Cooke, I am the Account Manager/Producer at 5by5 and host of The Frequency.
Where are you from?
HC: I'm born-and-raised in Austin, Texas a bit outside the city, or what my friends in school liked to call, "the country".
How did you and Dan meet?
HC: Dan and I met on Twitter actually. I started out as a fan of 5by5 (not quite a Jackal) and had just tweeted Dan and Merlin something about Back to Work. Dan saw I had "job seeking" and "ATX" in my bio and over the course of a few hours we DM'ed, emailed, and had a call to discuss the possibility of me helping him out around 5by5. My degree is in graphic design so I wasn't sure how I was going to fit into 5by5 exactly. He said he was searching for office space and needed someone to run ideas by, take notes and this would be a good chance to see if I was a good fit. I joined him for a day of searching, followed by lunch at Torchy's Tacos where he said "This isn't an interview". I knew it was. When he offered me the Producer role a few days later I was overjoyed! We got along so well and had the same sense of humor, even on the first day I just knew this was the job for me.
What about working at 5by5 appealed to you?
HC: Even though I got my degree in graphic design, I've always loved computers and it was actually my favorite part of design. To get the opportunity to be around someone like Dan who has such an in-depth knowledge of technology as a whole, I finally had someone to teach me what I've always wanted to learn and in a fun and interesting way! Not only was I going to learn how to install hard drives, what a patch panel was, and have Rails explained to me, but also see how to run a business. I never took any business classes in school so I felt it was something I was really lacking and this was my chance to gain as much knowledge as I can firsthand. I later discovered that I would get to be in the loop of the design community too with people like SwissMiss and Zeldman that were my heroes in school.
This sure is a fancy office. What do you do at 5by5?
HC: Well, officially I work with our amazing sponsors, booking, invoicing, I also write or edit the ad scripts, and get the room and machines set up for recording. I'm keeping my foot in the design world by working on some things for 5by5. In the day however I can be any or all of the following: spider-killer, builder of Ikea furniture, art-hanger, cord-fetcher, tea/coffee maker, and office decorator, SodaStream maker, and the weekly bartender for Quit.
How long have you worked at 5by5?
HC: I started working here in August 2012 so about 9 months. Wow, time flies!
What’s it like to work at 5by5?
HC: While it's a lot of work, it's also a lot of fun. Everyday I look forward to coming into work. I love the people I get to work with, that's including all the hosts and sponsors too! They're all amazing.
How has it changed since you started?
HC: When I first started we were renting two small 13 x 11 foot rooms one was our office with two desks and a lot of cords. The other was the recording room that we reassembled every Sunday for about 5 weeks. Now 5by5 has a nice big office with couches, TVs, an Xbox, Wii U, lots of windows, a great recording room, Dan and I each have our own offices and Danielle holds down the fort that is the main room. We also get to have awesome office mates like Natalie and Anthony Armendariz of Funsize! Oh, also lots of lamps. Lots and lots of lamps.
The Frequency seems a little different. What’s going on with that?
HC: Yes, there has been yet another 'reboot' of The Frequency! With 5by5 as a whole ramping up, Dan and I realized as much as we loved doing a daily morning show, and as much as the listeners enjoyed tuning in, we were getting stretched a little thin. Dan has also taken this opportunity to say, 'it's your show,' and this time he actually means it! It will still be 'Ben & Patty' but now I'm calling the shots! Do you know that feeling of awe and excitement when you can't help but share something fantastic you've found? That we as humans are making and thinking the coolest things and the earth is full of the most amazing, weird stuff? That's how I want the links in The Frequency to make every listener feel, I want people to be happy and excited about things! We are going to have cool segments like tech news, geek news, and design news.
How is that going to affect your alter ego, The Soundboard?
HC: I'm sure my brain will never cease to give The Soundboard new material. Ever.
What projects are you working on?
HC: We're always working on something! We have some new shows coming out soon and acquiring some other awesome shows. We now have the amazing fantastically smart and helpful Danielle who is not only our Producer but she's running the 5by5 Twitter, blog, and writing our newsletters. We're so excited to have her! We're working on a Soundboard App, redesigning the 5by5 Radio app and a new look for 5by5.tv!
What are you most looking forward to this summer?
HC: Well first I'd have to say The Great Gatsby movie, catching up with the current season of Mad Men, Gus coming home from college, snow cones and pools . I am not looking forward to getting my wisdom teeth out (I need all the wisdom), how hot it will be in Austin, how many sunburns I will get or how much Bat will shed.
What are you reading this summer?
HC: This summer I know I want to try to finish the comics Dan has lent me (The Walking Dead, American Vampire, and my first issue of Adventure Time). My favorite book is 'Snoop: What Your Stuff Says About You' by Sam Gosling, so I'll probably reread that along with The Great Gatsby, and Tess of the D'Urberville's. I have a terrible habit of starting books and then getting busy or distracted so I have a pile by my bed that are different chapters into each one: How We Decide, Why Do We Say It, and The Brain That Changes Itself. I need some new fiction books.
What movies are you most looking forward to this summer?
HC: Iron Man 3, The Great Gatsby, Star Trek: Into Darkness, Man of Steel, Despicable Me 2, Ragnarok, and The To-Do List because Aubrey Plaza is pretty cool.
I hear you have a cat, Bat. How is he?
HC: Bat's great! He's either sleeping or biting me. He learned to use his cat door finally and goes in and out like a boss king.
Thanks, Haddie! Be sure to check out The Frequency, live on Monday at 1:00PM CDT. Anything to add, Soundboard?
The little... The little long box.
