Hi there! If you are reading this post, I want to start off by thanking you for being here. This has been a wild and exciting two years talking about the lovely state of Ohio. I thought I would take a moment to (re)introduce myself and how we both ended up here-- me with a website dedicated to Ohio and a blog post you are currently reading.
My name is Delaney Hendershot, but feel free to call me Laney. I was born in 1997 in Lima, Ohio. I spent the first 18 years of my life calling Lima home; living with my Mom, Dad, sister (Molly) and Yorkipoo (Charlie). My parents are adventurous, and every Saturday we would do a day trip around Ohio. We would go to Toledo, Dayton, Cincinnati, Columbus, and everywhere in between! I credit them for initially introducing me to the best Ohio had to offer.
For undergraduate college, I attended the University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio--Go Oilers! Findlay is a wonderful micropolitan community. I loved going to Main Street Deli, Dietsch Bros Ice Cream, and George House Coffee (RIP)! My high school relationship also flourished since my boyfriend also attended Findlay. During my college career, I landed my dream internship: Fan Experience & Special Events at the Cleveland Browns! I moved up to Berea in Summer of 2016 to fulfill the internship, and what a time to be a Clevelander. Lebron James and Company brought Cleveland their first sports championship in fifty years and there were events happening every weekend--including Browns Training Camp which I helped run! I fell in love with Northeast Ohio that summer and had a goal of moving there.
I graduated Findlay with a Bachelor's of Science in Marketing, Minors in Accounting and Sports & Event Management, and a job offer at The J.M. Smucker Co. in Orrville, Ohio. That same high school boyfriend became my fiancé and we acheived our goal of moving to Northeast Ohio! We started off in Wadsworth, but eventually moved to Akron.
At Smucker, I initially was part of the Consumer Relations Social Media team. I learned the ins-and-outs of posting, analytics, and understanding insights on digital media. Now, I am the Assistant Brand Manager over Milk-Bone, managing the Soft & Chewy and Wellness parts of the brand. I love my job and never stop talking about it.
So how does an Akron-based Brand Manager end up on TikTok talking about Ohio?! Surprisingly, not because of COVID. I never joined the app when we all were forced to be at home. I actually downloaded it as a joke after watching The Greatest Showman Dance Videos on Instagram and my phone directing me to watch the full tutorial on TikTok. I reluctantly downloaded the app, learned the dance tutorial, and thought that was it. The next day, I log on to TikTok to deactivate my account and to my surprise, the app was way more than dance videos. People were educating, informing, and entertaining on subjects they were passionate about! Three creators showed up on my feed that day and ultimately inspired me to post. Four TikToks later, I had over five thousand followers and hundreds of thousands of views.
I would be remissed if I didn't introduce you to these three creators. Not only did they initially inspire me to post, they have helped me grow AND I am friends with them all! Definitely one of my favorite parts about this entire TikTok journey:
Joey (@SirYacht) also calls Ohio home and posts hilarious videos about the state. He is brilliant, but he also is incredibly kind and taught me to how market myself. I love bouncing ideas about Ohio off of him and 100% recommend you follow him if you aren't already!
Ashley (@recycledlungs) posts heartwarming videos about her health journey--one I could relate to through some of my family and our journey. She is sweet, sassy and her storytelling inspired me to post series about the state! My husband and I travel once a year to Canada to spend time with her and her husband!
David (@davidtorresfuentes) is a children's entertainer and his posts are informative--addressing questions and misconceptions about his profession. His videos challenged me to incorporate humor into everything I do. My husband and I have became close to him and his wife, and we love making trips to Nashville a few times a year to see them!
I realized that people wanted to learn more about Ohio, they want to have pride in the cities and the state they call home. They want ideas of how to enjoy a day or weekend while supporting local. So I combined my social media experience with knowledge through traveling the state to transform a small TikTok into LaneyInTheLand: a brand all for the love of Ohio. Every weekend, my husband (yes, that same high school sweetheart) and I travel the state, meet amazing small businesses, residents of each community, and partake in events unique to Ohio. We would likely be doing this even without LaneyInTheLand, but it's now our purpose with the brand.
Outside of LaneyInTheLand and my day job at Smucker, I am a Zip studying for my MBA at UAkron! I am obsessed with football (never ask me to hang on a Sunday unless it involves Browns or Bengals football), constantly sipping on cold brew, and always repping a pair of Doc Martens. There is a 100% chance I will want to say hello to your dog if I see you in public (if you have one). Please show me your cat photos, I will also show you photos of mine (Olivia and Iliza, they are a hoot). We also definitely share a favorite music artist because I listen to everything! I will throw some of my favorite jams below.
If you are still reading this, I hope this paints a picture of who I am! If you ever see me out in public, say hello! It always makes my day and makes my husband laugh. I hope to help you love and learn more about Ohio!
With Love and Laughter,
Laney Hendershot
My Current Jams
Giddy Up! By Shania Twain
Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down) by the Original Hamilton Cast
9 Lives by Machine Gun Kelly
Jumpsuit by twentyonepilots
Death by a Thousand Cuts by Taylor Swift
The Whole "Being Dead" Thing by the Beetlejuice Original Cast
RADIO SONG by HARDY and Jeremy McKinnon (A Day to Remember)
Last Night by Morgan Wallen
TRUSTFALL by P!NK
Told you I listen to a wide variety :)
Comentários