BluWave office operations, team outings, hiring, & billing all would not be possible without BluWave’s HR and office manager extraordinaire, Libby Hall Cornelius (not to mention the lack of caffeination our team would experience without her stocking the kitchen!). Libby is the Senior Manager of Office & Facilities, People, & Event Management at BluWave and has the honor of holding the title of BluWave employee #1. We recently talked to Libby to learn more about why she decided to join and help start the BluWave team as well as what it is she loves about her job.
How did you hear about BluWave?
A former colleague of mine from San Francisco introduced me to Sean when he was starting BluWave and was looking to hire someone in Nashville that had a background in events.
What made you want to apply for BluWave and why did you ultimately decide to join the BluWave team?
I didn’t have a background in private equity but after meeting Sean, I could tell that he understood this industry, the pain points it had, and how to solve some of those pain points. His vision and the fact that he had a number of people who were willing to financially back the company sold me on the idea of BluWave. It was definitely a risk to be the first hire but it is also a risk that I’m glad I took.
What’s your favorite part about our team and culture?
I love that we make a point of getting to know each other as people, not just coworkers. We do this through internal passion project presentations, social events, and volunteering. We’re all working hard, but we do try to keep it light in the office (I like to think putting up animal and travel cams on the tv near my desk contributes some!).
What excites you the most about the future of BluWave?
The nearly unlimited potential – I’m amazed every day at how much we’ve grown in such a short amount of time and I only foresee that continuing.
Moving into some of the specifics with your role, what was your background before joining BluWave?
I received my degree in Music Business here in Nashville at Belmont University but then worked in tech marketing and events in San Francisco for seven years. When I moved back to Nashville and joined BluWave, my focus was initially going to be events, but my role has progressed as the company has evolved.
What’s your favorite part of the job and what do you find most rewarding about it?
My favorite part of the job is the variety of things I get to do — everything from planning a weekly office snack break, working with our clients and service providers on billing, and doing phone screens with potential new team members – sometimes all in a single day.
Out of these activities, planning our team events, both social and volunteering, is most rewarding. Our culture is a big part of what makes BluWave such a great place to work, and these events are integral to that.
Now for the fun stuff, what are your favorite hobbies and activities when you aren’t in the office?
Volunteering with Nashville Cat Rescue (and spending time with my own cat, Sophie), doing yoga, listening to podcasts, and planning the next home improvement project or trip with my husband.
Favorite podcast?
Mostly anything true crime – Morbid and The Piketon Massacre recently, but Disgraceland is also a favorite.
Outside of the true crime genre, Reply All is a top choice.
Go-to vacation spot?
I always like to go to different vacation spots — next up are the Maldives, Morocco, and maybe Savannah, GA.
If you’re interested in joining the BluWave team, be sure to check out our open positions.
