Phoebe Summersquash: Digital Media Manager by day, Drummer by night

Meet Phoebe Summersquash! Phoebe has become an invaluable member of Groundwork, bringing her multifaceted passions, knowledge, and enthusiasm for community connection to our Fall River space. Working in digital media for A+E Networks, she navigates a dynamic workday filled with collaboration and strategic decision-making. Get to know more about her creative routines, productivity hacks, and the inspiration she draws from the world around her in this member spotlight blog.

What’s your profession?

I work in Digital Media for A+E Networks, managing the content for our direct-to-consumer streaming products – A&E Crime Central, HISTORY Vault, and Lifetime Movie Club. These are apps which allow you to watch deep catalogs of A&E, HISTORY and Lifetime series, specials and movies without a cable subscription.

Describe a typical work day for you.

In order to strategize what content to include in the streaming products, and to make sure everything is running smoothly from an operational perspective, I work closely with multiple teams throughout the company – research & data analytics, linear scheduling, marketing, asset fulfillment, product & technology, etc. This means I am most often glued to the computer, meeting with folks, and swimming in excel spreadsheets.

What’s the biggest challenge you face at your job?

Having to do more with less. The television industry has been getting leaner over the years, so there are fewer resources and demanding goals. Time management is important and something I struggle with, as I often set unrealistic expectations of what I can get done in a set amount of time. My husband John says I’m a time fantasist!

Do you have a morning routine?

I aim to not get out of bed until I’ve done Wordle, Connections, and now the latest NY Times game Strands. Our two cats Rocco and Olive don’t let me stay there for too long though before it’s on to cat duty (and cat doody!) – feeding, scooping, tidying. Then prepping the day’s at-the-office meals. Ideally, stretching and exercise are part of the morning routine, but since moving to the area within the past few months, I have yet to get my act together on that.

What are your favorite productivity tips or hacks?

Assign a specific period of time to complete a task. Bookend these tasks & times with short breaks to walk, get fresh air, commune with something or someone outside myself. I love discovering new places and looking at the architecture and details of buildings around the Fall River office neighborhood. I take a lot of pics of textures and shapes.

What do you listen to during the day?

I stream WFMU (NJ station). Or WKCR (Columbia Univ. station). Or try to discover music, bands, composers based on instruments I find captivating, depending upon my mood – kora (Toumani Diabaté), bass clarinet (Angel Bat Dawid), harp (Mary Lattimore), flute (Eric Dolphy, Hubert Laws, Bach, Vivaldi). Music that can transport me, bring me to a grounded and focused space. Mostly I aim to go no-vocals while I’m working for the distraction-factor. So jazz (Sun Ra Arkestra), synthesizer music (Terry Reilly, Suzanne Ciani, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith), and classical (smaller ensembles, not so much full orchestras).

How do you benefit from using a coworking space?

I love connecting with people and the co-working space has allowed for that. The community at Groundwork is lovely and diverse and supportive. Being in a place with so many different people, ideas and businesses is a gift. It offers visibility into how people are approaching work and life in ways different to my own. Having that broader perspective has been helpful. The physicality of extracting myself from my insular space at home has been a refreshing change too. And I love Fall River, so it’s been fun to explore and discover places… Hartley’s Original Pork Pies, the carousel down by Battleship Cove (in walking distance!), the local library on N. Main St., also just a couple blocks away, which always has cool displays and happenings (you can borrow a ukulele, what?!), the old abandoned Night Owl Diner, Portugalia Marketplace (a 15 min walk), good eateries, etc. It’s been a very positive experience working at Groundwork!

What’s in your digital toolbox?

Airtable! It’s been an invaluable tool for housing data and being able to slice and dice it in a million different ways. It’s sharable and customizable and intuitive. So, it’s been great for creating streamlined workflows. I love to simplify things as much as possible, while also having everything you could possibly need at your fingertips, and this has been a handy tool for that.

What inspires you?

Surprises. Unexpected people and ideas and things. Also, interesting spaces. Places which either have a lot of untapped potential or have realized their potential. The history of spaces. Estate sales hold this fascination and inspiration for me. Being in a space, thinking about the history, legacy of a place, and interacting with it on a physical level. Also, people who overcome adversity and pay it forward to help lift others up.

What are some of your goals for the future?

Finish setting up our new (old) house. Travel. Ride my bike more.

Anything else we should know about you?

I am a sometimes-drummer these days and will be playing in a band called Gramercy Arms at Myrtle in East providence on November 22nd. Come on out! The show isn’t listed yet but keep an eye out.