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MEET JODI TAYLOR
From small town to big time fashion editor
Jodi Taylor grew up in a tiny town on Lake Huron called Kincardine, but she always knew that her plans went beyond the small town she grew up in.
A strong interest in fashion and the editorial world led her to intern at Coveteur, an established online fashion publication, and her hard work paid off when they hired her permanently after the internship. Years as an editor led to interviews with some of the most notable names in fashion, music, and entertainment— Lionel Richie, Gunna, Young M.A, Kerwin Frost, and Biggs Burke to name a few.
Taylor’s accolades as a writer and creative consultant are endless but what’s always set her apart is her ability to spot emerging designers, artists, and creatives before they go mainstream. Leveraging that talent as an editor meant that she’s a tastemaker, telling some of the most interesting stories about today’s stars. Taylor’s go-getter mentality, talent, and hard work are what’s led her to turn her passion into a career— coming a long way from her hometown. Below, we talk to Taylor about creative blocks, the struggles she’s overcome, and where she finds inspiration.
Taylor’s accolades as a writer and creative consultant are endless but what’s always set her apart is her ability to spot emerging designers, artists, and creatives before they go mainstream. Leveraging that talent as an editor meant that she’s a tastemaker, telling some of the most interesting stories about today’s stars. Taylor’s go-getter mentality, talent, and hard work are what’s led her to turn her passion into a career— coming a long way from her hometown. Below, we talk to Taylor about creative blocks, the struggles she’s overcome, and where she finds inspiration.
From small town to big time fashion editor
Jodi Taylor grew up in a tiny town on Lake Huron called Kincardine, but she always knew that her plans went beyond the small town she grew up in.
A strong interest in fashion and the editorial world led her to intern at Coveteur, an established online fashion publication, and her hard work paid off when they hired her permanently after the internship. Years as an editor led to interviews with some of the most notable names in fashion, music, and entertainment— Lionel Richie, Gunna, Young M.A, Kerwin Frost, and Biggs Burke to name a few.
Taylor’s accolades as a writer and creative consultant are endless but what’s always set her apart is her ability to spot emerging designers, artists, and creatives before they go mainstream. Leveraging that talent as an editor meant that she’s a tastemaker, telling some of the most interesting stories about today’s stars. Taylor’s go-getter mentality, talent, and hard work are what’s led her to turn her passion into a career— coming a long way from her hometown. Below, we talk to Taylor about creative blocks, the struggles she’s overcome, and where she finds inspiration.
Taylor’s accolades as a writer and creative consultant are endless but what’s always set her apart is her ability to spot emerging designers, artists, and creatives before they go mainstream. Leveraging that talent as an editor meant that she’s a tastemaker, telling some of the most interesting stories about today’s stars. Taylor’s go-getter mentality, talent, and hard work are what’s led her to turn her passion into a career— coming a long way from her hometown. Below, we talk to Taylor about creative blocks, the struggles she’s overcome, and where she finds inspiration.
“I’m thankful that my career has pushed me out of my comfort zone; it’s really helped me to grow as a person.”
@jodtaylor
“I’m thankful that my career has pushed me out of my comfort zone; it’s really helped me to grow as a person.”
@jodtaylor
What are you doing when you feel most passionate?
When I’m writing, whether it’s in my journal, in the note app on my phone, or I’m writing an actual story or feature for a job. I guess it comes down to storytelling—there is just something so special about it.
What was the first moment you felt successful in your career?
Good question—this can be tough to pinpoint. I want to say it was when Coveteur hired me to officially join the team. I had interned for them and been off for a month or so before they called me and asked me to come back for a full-time position. I had always wanted to work in editorial, so I remember the day like it was yesterday.
What struggles have you had to overcome to pursue your passions?
Even though I’m quite outgoing most times, I’m also pretty shy. It took me a while to get comfortable with being on set and having my work published for anyone to read. I’m also not the most confident person (it’s a work in progress), so it took a lot for me to speak up and share my ideas. I’m thankful that my career has pushed me out of my comfort zone; it’s really helped me to grow as a person.
What are you doing when you feel most passionate?
When I’m writing, whether it’s in my journal, in the note app on my phone, or I’m writing an actual story or feature for a job. I guess it comes down to storytelling—there is just something so special about it.
What was the first moment you felt successful in your career?
Good question—this can be tough to pinpoint. I want to say it was when Coveteur hired me to officially join the team. I had interned for them and been off for a month or so before they called me and asked me to come back for a full-time position. I had always wanted to work in editorial, so I remember the day like it was yesterday.
What struggles have you had to overcome to pursue your passions?
Even though I’m quite outgoing most times, I’m also pretty shy. It took me a while to get comfortable with being on set and having my work published for anyone to read. I’m also not the most confident person (it’s a work in progress), so it took a lot for me to speak up and share my ideas. I’m thankful that my career has pushed me out of my comfort zone; it’s really helped me to grow as a person.
What advice would you give to your younger self and why?
I’d tell my younger self to be more confident. To not take to heart what other people say about you because their opinions don’t matter. Focus on making yourself happy, and the rest will come together.
Have you had any mentors? How have they helped you on your journey?
So many. There are a few incredible women in my life who I have considered to be mentors of mine for years, and then there are many others who have provided me mentorship and moments of clarity along the way. From advice to helping me connect with other people, to just being a sounding board when I needed it—a combination of these things has helped me to progress, all thanks to some incredible mentors. And knowing my worth, I can’t forget that. Mentors have been so key to help me learn my worth, find my place, and value myself appropriately.
You started off at Coveteur as an intern and worked your way up to editor, how did that happen and what did you do to stand out as an intern?
Interning at Coveteur was such a fruitful experience. I was lucky that it wasn’t the type of internship where you’re just grabbing coffee and setting meetings, I was able to actually fully immerse myself in the editorial world, writing interview questions, pitching stories, and eventually writing a few stories of my own. In terms of standing out, taking the initiative, and going above and beyond the ask helped, as did having a positive attitude. It sounds cliche, but that was the most common thread of feedback I’d receive, that I had a positive attitude and that it didn’t go unnoticed. I never really had the opportunity to stay really late as I juggled bartending to pay the bills at the time, so I instead put extra effort into those other two things.
What advice would you give to your younger self and why?
I’d tell my younger self to be more confident. To not take to heart what other people say about you because their opinions don’t matter. Focus on making yourself happy, and the rest will come together.
Have you had any mentors? How have they helped you on your journey?
So many. There are a few incredible women in my life who I have considered to be mentors of mine for years, and then there are many others who have provided me mentorship and moments of clarity along the way. From advice to helping me connect with other people, to just being a sounding board when I needed it—a combination of these things has helped me to progress, all thanks to some incredible mentors. And knowing my worth, I can’t forget that. Mentors have been so key to help me learn my worth, find my place, and value myself appropriately.
You started off at Coveteur as an intern and worked your way up to editor, how did that happen and what did you do to stand out as an intern?
Interning at Coveteur was such a fruitful experience. I was lucky that it wasn’t the type of internship where you’re just grabbing coffee and setting meetings, I was able to actually fully immerse myself in the editorial world, writing interview questions, pitching stories, and eventually writing a few stories of my own. In terms of standing out, taking the initiative, and going above and beyond the ask helped, as did having a positive attitude. It sounds cliche, but that was the most common thread of feedback I’d receive, that I had a positive attitude and that it didn’t go unnoticed. I never really had the opportunity to stay really late as I juggled bartending to pay the bills at the time, so I instead put extra effort into those other two things.
“Having control over my time makes me feel like I have control over my life.”
@jodtaylor
“Having control over my time makes me feel like I have control over my life.”
@jodtaylor
Time is so valuable - how do you power your time?
For as long as I can remember, I would agree to anything and everything, constantly making myself available for whoever needed me to be, and it worked against me in the end. Not only was it exhausting, but it never left anytime for me. It’s been a steep learning curve, as I can promise you not everyone in your life will be thrilled at you setting new boundaries, but you have to look out for yourself at the end of the day. Becoming greedy with my own time and how I want to spend it has made me so much happier, and it’s also opened a lot of new doors for me, ones I might not have noticed that were there otherwise.
Where do you see yourself in five years? What's next for you?
Being happy. If I had been asked this question a year ago, I probably would’ve laid out a comprehensive plan for my career path because, well, I am a Virgo, but this last year has shown me that no matter how much you plan, obstacles are going to pop up. So, for now, my five-year plan is to practice self-love and really focus on finding true happiness in both my personal life and my work life.
Time is so valuable - how do you power your time?
For as long as I can remember, I would agree to anything and everything, constantly making myself available for whoever needed me to be, and it worked against me in the end. Not only was it exhausting, but it never left anytime for me. It’s been a steep learning curve, as I can promise you not everyone in your life will be thrilled at you setting new boundaries, but you have to look out for yourself at the end of the day. Becoming greedy with my own time and how I want to spend it has made me so much happier, and it’s also opened a lot of new doors for me, ones I might not have noticed that were there otherwise.
Where do you see yourself in five years? What's next for you?
Being happy. If I had been asked this question a year ago, I probably would’ve laid out a comprehensive plan for my career path because, well, I am a Virgo, but this last year has shown me that no matter how much you plan, obstacles are going to pop up. So, for now, my five-year plan is to practice self-love and really focus on finding true happiness in both my personal life and my work life.
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