Julia Hodges is an Account Manager who has worked at RELYCO since January 2018. The last Monday of that month, to be precise!Julia’s sense of humor is difficult to define, but we’ll try. She’s darkly funny - just the right kind of self-deprecating, with a slightly dry, matter-of-fact (yet somehow also chipper?) delivery. She keeps us laughing on Teams chats with the perfect GIF reaction for every circumstance. Julia Hodges, Account Manager There’s a quiet, observational side to her personality as well. Julia notices when people put in a little extra effort, and she’s always quick to say thank you for it. As a self-described “fussy customer who wants things done right,” Julia has a lot of empathy for the customer experience.She has a pragmatic, kind and fair approach to challenges. This probably comes from years of experience as a solo parent. Read about how she embraced work from home life with her two kids during COVID here. Months of that would be enough to make most people nutty, but Julia wasn’t soured by the experience.See the interview below to learn more about Julia in her own words: What's your favorite season?I loved summer when I was a kid, but now that I’m the event coordinator for my own kids’ fun, summers get really hectic. Watching children at the beach is like babysitting in the desert - not relaxing. Right now I like the fall the best. I like to think I also get cooler with time. (Dad joke!)Where did you grow up?Tuftonboro, New Hampshire. Which is essentially just the wooded area between Wolfeboro and Moultonborough. You’ll need a map, don’t be embarrassed.Do you drink coffee or tea in the morning?I drink coffee, but really I will drink anything caffeinated. No shame in manufacturing a little youthful exuberance, I say. What’s your favorite smell?Oh gosh. I want to say something fancy - like a really nice Northern Italian red wine. I do love a good Nebbiolo. But the truth is, on a day-to-day basis, my favorite smell is clean laundry. I have two adolescent children that are going through all kinds of really really aromatic changes. What do you listen to in the car?Podcasts mostly. [Asked to share her favorites.] Let’s see, I like Science Vs because I’m not quite nerd-status, but I’m a fan. Sometimes if I’m feeling ambitious, I’ll listen to business and finance podcasts - sometimes news and culture podcasts. It’s my way of keeping up with current events, even though my life is busy. If you could talk to your 16-year-old self, what advice would you give?Oh my god, I had more advice then! Something about actual life knowledge really puts your teenaged “certainty” into perspective. What’s that saying, ignorance is bliss? I’d just wish her good luck, I guess. Your house is on fire, what’s the first thing you grab?Let’s see, I mean…[long pause]....and this is why I would die in a fire. What’s your favorite song to dance to?I don’t know, honestly. My kids put on music and dance battle each other. That makes me laugh. I don’t recommend dancing in front of your own children unless you want the Simon Cowell treatment. Tough crowd! Do you consider yourself an introvert, extrovert or ambivert?Ambivert, I think. I only recently learned that term. I’m a loner that likes people. Do you have any pets?I don’t. I have two children. They’re both still alive. [she laughs] So here’s the deal. I do like animals, but I am very particular about the way people treat animals. I think that, as with children, you have an obligation to give them the best life that they can have. An animal can’t advocate for itself. So if you don’t have a lifestyle that is really conducive to providing a home for that pet, and a person for them, then it’s not fair. It’s a commitment. They’re depending on you entirely. I might get a dog when I’m older, or a cat, but I don’t have any right now because keeping my children alive is like hit or miss. [she laughs]What would you choose for your “last meal”?That’s a really tough one! I would probably have ice cream. It’s celebratory and good in any amount. I could not eat almost anything, but I can’t not eat ice cream. It’s elemental. What’s your most used emoji?It’s probably a toss-up between the hysterical sideways smiley face 🤣, which is very typical of my late Gen X age, apparently, or also the exasperated side-eye 😒. Usually in conjunction with each other.Do you have one favorite holiday tradition?Yes! We actually just celebrated it. So it’s not an actual holiday, but I have six siblings. Six of us are girls and we share a brother. Once a year we get together for Sibling Weekend. Basically, it’s a big slumber party, just for us (no kids or spouses are allowed). We just get together and talk and make amazing food and sometimes we’ll try to do projects or plan excursions like a wine tour or a hike, although it’s normal to get talking and lose track of the itinerary. It’s a chance for the seven of us to just hang out. So, it’s a little invented holiday, but it is really amazing. Family is wonderful. To contact Julia, send her an email at jhodges@relyco.com or connect with her on LinkedIn here. To contact RELYCO, give us a call at 800.777.7359. You can also click here.