Meet Gabriella Layne-Avery | Creative Director & Content Strategist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gabriella Layne-Avery and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabriella, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
I think it’s important to think about your big-picture goal and how far you’ve come in your journey to achieving it. Often when you’re on the journey to achieving something that requires a lot of work, commitment, and tenacity, it can feel like you’re not making any progress – especially when you experience a significant setback or failure. But if you consider this setback in relation to how much progress you’ve made, you’ll find that it’s a great indicator of how far you’ve come and how much progress you’d be throwing away by quitting. Here’s how I like to look at it: the moment you’re ready to give up is often when you’re about to have a significant breakthrough. So in those moments when you want to give up, take a second, cry if you need to, and go HARDER. In other words – never give up.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a social media marketing OG, content strategist & creative director. With nearly a decade of social media experience and a background in journalism and PR, I’m obsessed with helping visionary CEOs work smarter, not harder to show up & strut on social media with strategy, organization, and systems.

Kickstarting my career as a contributing editor for fashion and lifestyle magazines, I have a penchant for making the complex, often overwhelming nuances of social media feel simple and seamless – a philosophy I’ve coined as ‘sustainable social media.’ I credit this to my days of working in journalism.

I also have a knack for keeping a pulse on what’s up and what’s next to create culturally relevant, timely content that stops the scroll on social media for my clients. I’ve used these magic powers to lead the content strategies of leading online communities including PR Girl Manifesto, Epic Fab Girl, and Black Bride Magazine.

I am Brooklyn bred and currently living in Long Beach with my wife (whose name is ALSO Gabby – can’t make this stuff up!) and our pups Louie and Suede. When I’m not serving clients for my creative studio Strut Communications or guest writing for PLANOLY, you can find me reading a good book, bingeing a new series, or taking (very) long walks around my shoreline city. I’m currently in the works of opening a clubhouse for creatives in Long Beach that will be called Find Your Layne Studios.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a hardcore Long Beach girl, so we’d spend the week chilling in one of my favorite LA cities!

First, we’d have to make a stop at Shoreline Village to get a drink and tacos at Tequila Jack’s (they have the best margaritas). Then I’d suggest a nice stroll on the water (or a bike ride) to catch beautiful views of the Queen Mary.

Next, we’d head over to Trademark, which has the chillest vibes and amazing artisanal beers. They often collaborate with other local businesses on pretty cool events too.

Last but not least, I’d 10/10 recommend stopping in at Water’s Edge Winery for a glass of locally made wine and beautiful views of downtown.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to thank Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, for surrounding me with such an incredible support system of sisters & mentors who have guided me on this path. I’d also like to thank Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses for providing me with priceless business education when I needed it most, and Black Girl Ventures for giving me a true sense of community on this entrepreneurial journey.

Website: strutcommunications.com

Instagram: @strutsocialwithgabby

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabriellalayne/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thatgabbystrut

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gabbylayne

Image Credits
Lucia Doynel Hannah Lozano