Meet the Team: Jake Willard

Meet the Team: Jake Willard

Position at Run Gum: Social Media Specialist

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a junior studying journalism at the University of Oregon. I am originally from Martinez, California. I am definitely one of the biggest running nerds I know and I am also addicted to slurpees.

If you could describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Runner, passionate, big-dreamer.


What do you like best about working at Run Gum?
The thing I enjoy the most is probably how much of a family it is. We have a pretty small team, so we are learning how to do all of our jobs at one time. We have to do things that don't fall under one job title. The environment is flexible and each of us is always learning new things on the go and must be adaptable. Another thing I like is that we are small enough to see how we have actually played a role in our consumers’ lives. We really get to know the consumers who use the product and how it has impacted their every day.

What is your favorite pillar from #HowWeRun?
Live with passion, because I enjoy life more when I am doing things I am passionate about. Being passionate about job, running, friends, family, and people who are important to me helps me appreciate what I do even more.


What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
I run, watch running, and talk about running. I enjoy being a sneakerhead. I also like thinking of creative things to do with friends, my camera, and taking photos. Overall, I strive to just live life in a meaningful way as much as I can.

Favorite flavor of Run Gum?
Fruit. I’ve gone through the spectrum. First, I started at cinnamon, then moved on to mint, and now I’m hooked on fruit.

Favorite artist or song at the moment. 
Macklemore. Marmalade ft Lil Yachty. I’ve been bumping to that one pretty hard lately.

Favorite Quote:
“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” - Steve Prefontaine.

Anything else you would like to share? 
I just want to thank everyone who is engaged with us on social media. It makes my job fun, and I have a lot of fun commenting and seeing what people are doing with Run Gum in their social life. I also want to thank everyone for bearing with me as I am learning how to run a social account. I appreciate the positive feedback I've seen on the comments and captions I make, as it makes me realize what I do is meaningful and people enjoy it, and to know that my obsession with running isn't lost.


Twitter: @runjwill
Instagram: @runjwill, @jwillphotography

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