Hi, I’m Jessica K. Murray!
This site is a work in progress and attempts to showcase some of my best writing, photography, web-videos, and web-content productions from over the past 20 years or so (much of the early stuff was lost, so thank goodness for finding my past creations on Archive.org).
My true passion is communicating and knowing that it's been understood, preferably in a longer format (brevity is not my strength/vice). There is nothing like the satisfaction of seeing my efforts reflected through increased and recovered sales, the zing of seeing a YouTube video go viral, or the excitement of beating out a competitor on a search engine keyword.
As a marketer and creator focused on small businesses, my holistic approach begins with understanding and identifying primary goals, challenges, and KPIS, followed by developing a strategic plan and, if needed, establishing the organizational/process framework before moving to execution and subsequent refinement. I believe that time and money are too precious to blindly forge ahead, and that the best gut feelings are backed up with data.
I’m currently employed full time but available after business hours for side-projects that interest me.
I have been the lifelong companion to Boo my goffins cockatoo since May 2000. My other two cockatoos, a Moluccan named Misha and an umbrella named Sara, feel like they've been with me for as long. These species of cockatoos can live 50-80 years in captivity, and I am 100% committed to my small flock.
TechStack
I am a big believer in supporting small software developers and upcoming SAAS companies; and I like to save money, especially on personal projects.
Here are just a few of the programs, products, and apps in my personal techstack:
- Nuelink and Sociamonials - social media scheduling and automation (I have the agency plan on Sociamonials)
- SEOCrawl.com for keyword tracking and reporting
- WriterZen.net for keyword and topic research, and competitor analysis
- VoiceAir.ai for AI voices (need to use this one more)
- Afforai.com for longform content writing and research; Magai.co for team projects that involve AI
- Noota.io for meeting transcription and analysis; Minvo.pro for editing social media video and extracting shorts
- MyDigitalCMO.io for marketing planning (need to use this one more, got it for a great introductory price)
- ProWritingAid for grammar and spelling; AutoCrit for my forays into fiction (it provides analysis of style, wording, pacing and word choice)
- Unlimited lifetime member of ElegantThemes.com (Divi) and WPZone.co (Woocommerce and Divi plugins)
Check out a few of my passion projects:
VintageReveries.com – My original vintage fashion and history blog, complete with ecommerce since 2011. I still have over 1000 pieces of vintage clothing to sell since officially going out of business in 2016. In my spare time I try to list items, blog, and post social media.
TheBirdyBabe on Instagram -- Join over 18k followers who agree that my two cockatoos are cute and interesting.
ReachingMyDreams.com - AI art and a print on demand product shop. This brand (also on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, and Pinterest) is my "visual AI playground" for experiments and random AI
StLouisCovidMemorial.com – My attempt at a memorial to lives lost in St. Louis MO due to COVID-19. I updated it regularly, mostly with deaths I found by pouring over obituary websites and public information, between June 2020 and February 2021. I stopped documenting because it was too depressing, and I needed to focus on more positive projects for my mental health.
Learning Achievements
I love to continually learn. Below are just a few notable courses and certificates that are evidence of my passion for learning and marketing.
2023-2024
Salesforce Training Progress
Although I have not used Salesforce since leaving Spirtas in 2021, I still try to stay current with it. The Salesforce Trailhead courses are well designed, and taking them has helped me understand other Customer Relationship Management platforms including Zoho, Hubspot and Jetpack CRM.
Yoast Academy SEO courses
Although targeted to WordPress and WooCommerce users, the Yoast SEO Academy coursework is relevant regardless of publishing or ecommerce platform.
In 2015 and 2016 I went viral on national TV
In 2015, I was testing a new video camera hidden behind a pumpkin that I was trying to get my birds to stand upon. Getting a bloody ear and no cute Halloween photos, I posted the clip of Arthur biting my ear to my brand new Youtube channel. When an agent from Junkin Media contacted me about licensing the clip, I figured that I was making no money on the clip, so it's not like I could make less. A few months later my friends started calling me and I got a ton of hateful comments and emails, signs that this clip had gone viral. After that, it was shown widely on national television including Tosh.0, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Right This Minute.
I pride myself in being fearless, spontaneous, and taking calculated risks.