A digital enthusiast with vast experience in the publishing world, Directories Group is excited to announce that Annie Stevens is joining the company as the editor of homeheaven.com.au. Starting in the role on Monday, beautydirectory sat down with the experienced journalist to find out everything about her career path and working for the new site.
How did you get your start in media?
I started my journalism career on The Age news desk in Melbourne, answering the phones and doing other glamorous jobs such as sorting the mail and ordering lunch for the journalists. I was so excited to be surrounded by journalists and editors and I took enormous pride in my work, I was a total boss at sorting the mail and doing sandwich runs. From there I started pestering editors to let me write and I started contributing articles, interviews and reviews for The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald. I wrote everything from reviewing pole dancing classes (not one for the clippings book I must say) to news features about the rise of plus-size fashion.
Where did your career progress from there?
After moving to Sydney, I started working at the Sydney Morning Herald on the launch team of its iPad app, which was a very exciting project to be involved in. I was then part of the launch team of dailylife.com.au where I worked for 2.5 years, first as a writer and producer and then later as the fashion and food editor. Working on Daily Life was an incredible experience and I loved working with such smart, funny and fierce women to create a site that quickly became the highest read website in its category. My time at Daily Life turned me into a proper digital evangelist, and I became hooked on Google Analytics and the rush of seeing a story go viral. In my time at Daily Life I would estimate that I wrote approximately 109 stories about the following: Lena Dunham, Jon Hamm’s handsomeness and how much I loved Amy Poehler.
What attracted you to the homeheaven position?
I was initially attracted by the success of beautyheaven.com.au and beautydirectory.com.au, both are pioneers in the digital space and have created the kind of engaged and passionate communities that websites dream of. Upon meeting Jackie Maxted (the boss) and other members of the homeheaven team, I was struck by their cleverness and digital savvy. I can’t wait to work with such smart, dedicated women (and one man I believe?!) who have world domination on their mind. Plus, editing a site about all things homes, how-to, lifestyle and food is a pretty fantastic gig, and it definitely allows me to justify my addiction to #foodstagram and my secret thing for Goop (right?).
Have you always had an interest in homes?
As a supremely nosy person who can’t walk by a window without peering in, I have definitely always been fascinated by other people’s homes and seeking inspiration for my own home everywhere. I also can’t get enough of the following: beautiful linen sheets, other people’s swimming pools, floor to ceiling bookshelves and bathtubs with claw feet. Editing homeheaven gives me permission to indulge my love affair with all things homes, interior design, lifestyle, gardens, living your best life (thanks Oprah) and food. Always food.
What are you most excited about in regards to the role?
This is such an exciting opportunity to be part of something new and big in the homes and lifestyle sector, and to build a community of passionate and committed homeheaven fans. It’s a new adventure for me with all of the opportunities that this presents. I’m looking forward to working with the homeheaven team to create something really special. I'm also really thrilled about homeheaven's charity partnership with Habitat for Humanity, helping others in need in such practical ways will be very rewarding.
What do you hope to achieve with the site?
I want it to become the number one, must-visit destination for all things homes, how-to, practical advice and lifestyle. I want it to inspire and engage readers, and to build a community of diehard homeheaven groupies.
With your digital experience, is it appealing to be moving to an exclusively-digital publisher?
Absolutely. I can’t wait to work for a company that lives and breathes digital, and that believes in its power. There’s so much exciting, fun stuff happening in the digital space and I believe that the Directories Group is at the forefront of it.
