Meet Evie Carpenter

Today we’d like to introduce you to Evie Carpenter.

Evie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
For as long as I can remember, storytelling has been the root of my inspiration. From my first grade teacher requesting that he gets a signed copy of my first book (still working on that, Mr. Reeker!) to sharing true stories with a packed house for Bar Flies, a live literary event, connecting with people through storytelling has pushed me forward and out of my comfort zone consistently.

When I was in high school, I had my whole life planned out. It involved going to journalism school, starting a magazine, selling it once it became successful, opening a bakery, selling that once it became successful too and finally enjoying my later years as a high school English teacher. I had just made it through the first step before I fell in love with photography. Photojournalism, to be exact. Capturing and relaying someone’s story through images felt truer than anything that I could write or speak.

This kind of visual storytelling led me through my first jobs at The Arizona Republic and then Phoenix New Times for a number of years before my focus shifted to public relations and marketing. Two years ago, I dove into the world of telling businesses’ stories with an agency in Tempe while still photographing on the side, just with less urgent deadlines.

And this year, I’ve started exploring a new medium of storytelling: podcasting. My friend, Katie Bravo, and I had joked about making a podcast, like most millennial best friends do, for years before we finally stopped talking about it and started talking into mics. We now publish weekly episodes of a goofy, growing podcast called Trader Hoes, in which we review Trader Joe’s products with equal parts fan-girling, skepticism and humor. It’s just pure fun, and I’m excited to see where it goes next.

Has it been a smooth road?
I have the tendency to jump into a new situation and then figure out how to swim. So, that can create a certain kind of self-induced bumpy road. But that also keeps me on my toes and encourages me to grow. I picked up a camera before I knew how shutter speed, aperture and ISO interplay. I’d only been on the receiving end of media pitches before I landed a job at AWE Collective. And I simply plugged in the mic, opened GarageBand and figured out how to record, edit and publish a podcast from there. While storytelling has been my motivator, an eagerness to learn has been my best tool.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
It’s hard to put a label on what I do. On any given day, I can be managing 14 people for a TV segment, strategizing a marketing plan, planning a launch event, developing a name for a business’ rebrand, writing copy for a campaign, photographing and editing a couples’ portrait session, drafting a new story for a Bar Flies performance or recording and editing the latest episode of Trader Hoes with my co-host. I’d say I’m most proud of continually trying something new and leaning in when something scares me, though. No two days are the same, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Is there anyone, in particular, you would like to recognize? Mentors, etc?
I’ve been lucky enough to have an incredible clan of mentors, friends and cheerleaders surrounding me every step of the way. The big leaps of growth have been thanks to Amy Silverman, Peter Storch, Lauren Saria and Becky Bartkowski, whom I learned from at the Phoenix New Times, the entire AWE Collective crew, who teaches me something new daily, Katie Bravo for inspiring me with her storytelling skills and taking this new podcasting jump with me, my family and friends for more things than I can count and my boyfriend, Brian Bickes, for grounding me and loving me through every up and down.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.eviecarpenter.com
• Email: evie.h.carpenter@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evie.hollis/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/eviehollis
• Other: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/trader-hoes/id1448333380?mt=2

Image Credit:
Blake Bonillas, Katie Bravo

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