Meet the team: Shivani

Our meet-the-team series is for you to get to know our team members a bit more.

Hey Shivani, we'd like to get to know more about your role at Halo

What’s your job title?
Copywriter and Key Account Manager.

What sort of duties do you have at work?
Copywriting for various campaigns, as well as proofreading and editing. I am also responsible for managing clients and projects from start to finish.

What inspires or excites you, and why?
I absolutely love when we reach the end of a campaign, and I can tick it off my list. I feel a great sense of accomplishment when a task is has been completed.

What is your #1 tip for your clients?
Before you start a project, set out a clear brief. A clear brief eliminates the issue of going back and forth, saving you time and money. If a project begins smoothly, it will run smoothly and end smoothly.

What’s your go-to productivity hack?
Making a list of priorities for the day and ticking them off as I go along.

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
That I am super efficient, have a staggering work ethic and an eagle eye.

What could you give a 30-minute presentation about with no advance preparation?
In my early twenties, I became obsessed with healthy eating and exercise. I fancy myself a personal trainer, and could give the best presentation on how to get fit and lose weight. If you take my advice, you will get your dream body.

What’s one professional skill you’re currently working on?
Writing more thought leadership articles on LinkedIn.

What’s a work-related accomplishment that you’re really proud of?
Seeing my proofing and editing skills rub off on my colleagues. I feel so proud when they action a grammar rule and say that they learnt it from me!

If salary weren’t a factor, what job would you do?
I’d love to be a personal shopper as well as manage an animal rescue shelter. Who doesn’t love bottle-feeding a kitten or puppy!

Tell us more about you outside of work…

Where are you from?
I grew up in Chatsworth, Durban. I attended pre-primary, primary and high school in Havenside, Chatsworth. I also lived in India a couple months at a time between the ages of 9 months and 5, as my father is from India. So, my mom would travel back and forth with my sister and I. I loved living in India and must go back one day on holiday and to see my family there. After high school, I went to UKZN, which was a goal of mine. I studied law for two years and then switched to a major in English and History. Law was really challenging, and I think if I just put in more effort, I could have completed it. However, I’m glad I didn’t. If I did, I would never have reached where I am today and discovered my passion for editing, writing and account management. I love the high you get from managing multiple projects and completing them successfully.

Do you have a nickname, and how did you get it?
I have a couple of nicknames, which have been lovingly derived from my name by family members, colleagues and friends. Some of them are Shiv, Shivz, Shivvies, Shivmeister, Shivas Regal and Shivaan. A friend of mine also gave me the nickname The Shivinator, haha!

Me being an animal lover

What wouldn’t we know about you, just by looking at you?
That I am a control freak and extremely shy. However, the shyness comes through in pictures.

Cats or dogs (or neither?)
I love both furbabies. But if I had to choose, definitely cats! I’m basically a cat lady. You’ll see me at the SPCA cat café or any cat adoption days when I have the time.

What’s your favorite word in the English language?
Ubiquitous. I think it’s such a cool word.

The best piece of advice you were ever given was … 
You can’t control everything. Sometimes you have to let go, which will take a lot of pressure off you.

What kind of music do you like?
Anything with a good melody. So, whether it’s pop, rock, hip hop, country, classical or R&B, as long as it sounds good and has no expletives, I’m going to listen.

Do you like travelling? If so, what’s the best place you’ve ever travelled to?
I haven’t travelled a lot, but it’s something I want to start doing, so I don’t have enough to compare at this stage. I’ve only been to India internationally. I’ve also visited Portuguese Islands on a cruise ship. Locally, I’ve been to Johannesburg, Cape Town and in and around Durban.

What’s your guilty pleasure?
Biggest guilty pleasure: Waffles, especially Milky Lane waffles. When the craving hits, I answer. Other guilty pleasures are fresh cream, cupcakes, doughnuts, ravioli and noodles.

Are you able to keep a secret?
Absolutely! Your secret is safe with me. However, if it’s something that’s going to cause harm to someone else, I have to do something about it.