Today we’d like to introduce you to Lynn Yates
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started my career later than most. Married at 19 with two boys in diapers by the time I was 25, I returned to school as a single parent and worked my way toward a degree in Media Management (Communications) at MTSU. I scheduled my classes as best I could around my children. In my final semester, I juggled two part-time jobs (one of which I commuted to what was once Music Row 3 days a week) and an internship at Middle Tennessee Medical Center producing health-related radio spots, I finally graduated when I was 32.
I originally set my sights on the entertainment industry, but realized very soon I needed a profession that would pay a more substantial income in a shorter amount of time. The next 30 years were a cornucopia of part-time, full-time, temporary and freelance positions that provided a wealth of opportunities to develop my skills as a copywriter and marketing communications professional.
My first full-time position began as a temp role for HCA. Within a few months, I became a permanent employee and grew with the company over the next 12 years. I will always be grateful for the opportunities the company gave me. Once my directors knew I was a creative soul, I was given a blank slate to practice my creativity wherever there was a need. I had always been resourceful, but my positions at HCA/HealthTrust allowed me to learn new technology and push my professional boundaries.
Recently, I made a choice to reinvent myself and my career. I’ve lost a total of 5 jobs over the years due to corporate restructure or other reasons outside of my control. I realized I no longer enjoyed the 9 to 5 waiting on others for weeks to make decisions that could have been made in an hour. I’m 63, and while companies tout their commitment to diversity, opportunities for professionals like me are becoming fewer, not because I lack the skills or technical knowledge, but because of generational gaps in communications. Unless leaders are committed to nurturing their culture by bridging those gaps through open dialog and inspiring workers to step outside their comfort zones, they’ll simply have an office of Gen Z employees who treat experienced workers like grandparents. That’s not an environment that welcomes all — it’s an environment that checks a few boxes.
Last month, I formed an LLC called Papermill Road Creative to promote my creative writing services. Papermill Road is the street I grew up on in Knoxville. Though I only lived there until I was 6, that time in my young life created some of my happiest and most vivid memories.
At the same time, I began developing a Kindle Publishing ebook business that will also be promoted through Papermill Road. I’m currently prepping my first book for publication. A nonfiction book tentatively called “The Tattoo Diaries: The truth about tattoos and the people who have them. Inspiring stories told through body art.” I plan to publish digital, print, and audio versions with a coloring workbook.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My career path hasn’t been a smooth road at all. As a creative, it’s never followed a straight line, starting with my college experience as a “non-traditional” student. I think the term today is “adult learner.” I had some fantastic professors, but one was a well-known predator with tenure. My dean encouraged me to report him — I did and it was a horrible experience. I’m not saying I regretted it — it was the right thing to do but was handled very poorly by the university. I believe that professor has since passed away.
The lessons I learned in corporate environments are the ones that built the most resilience. While I had some amazing learning experiences, I also worked in toxic environments and became accustomed to misogynistic behavior by men who were promoted to leadership positions while more talented women were passed over. That was tough to see time and time again.
And then there are the corporate restructures and budget cuts resulting in layoffs and terminations. That’s another animal.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I always say I’m a writer by heart and by trade. Writing is my core skill and has served as the foundation of several successful marketing communications roles over the years.
In between corporate jobs, I worked freelance as a writer for large and small companies, which included writing feature articles for publications as well as scripts and storyboards for corporate videos.
Some of my favorite roles
I managed event communications for the annual materials managers conference sponsored by HCA/HealthTrust Purchasing Group for several years. I was part of an extraordinary team who worked together beautifully to orchestrate amazing events for materials managers each year. In my role, I booked the keynote speakers and entertainers, wrote and directed the real-time video for the general session and managed the creation of all visuals for the event.
After nearly 12 years with HCA, I left the company to pursue a freelance voice-over career after several years of representing TriStar Health in a series of health-related television commercials called HealthBreak. I was the spokesperson for 13 years. What a great production company and team — I’m very proud of those segments.
Other memorable projects include writing feature articles for Gresham Smith’s annual showcase booklet for four consecutive years. The showcase presented the firm’s most impressive architectural, engineering and design projects in a stunning four-color magazine. I interviewed the project managers and SMEs for the chosen projects that spanned work for hospital designs, roadways, infrastructures and global design competitions.
I’m also proud of the work I did for Yates Construction (no relation). I wrote proposals for large hospital and hospitality construction project pursuits and created a variety of digital sales enablement tools to help persuade selection committees to choose Yates for their projects.
My last full-time role was at Healthcare Bluebook, a leading healthcare cost and quality data SaaS. I produced a series of instructional videos for client members and employees that walked them through the process of using Bluebook’s tool to shop for high-quality affordable healthcare services. Though my position was eliminated in November 2023, the company was more than fair and I left with fond memories and lasting friendships.
The project I’m most proud of is the one I’m working on now with the publication of my first book for Kindle Publishing, to be published in early 2025.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Oh gosh, so many!
HCA Healthcare/HealthTrust Purchasing Group
I’ll always be grateful to my directors at HCA during my first year with the company as a temporary employee. Betty Murchison, especially, was patient with my creative personality and very smoothly steered me back on track when I strayed outside traditional corporate lines. I made some doozy mistakes during that time, but Betty was wonderful and was instrumental in my promotion to specialty communications coordinator for HealthTrust Purchasing Group when it launched in 1999. CEO Jim Fitzgerald, VP of Communications Tim Cranford, VP of Marketing Doug Swanson, and my direct manager Monique Hunter were fantastic to work for. They gave me the opportunity to spread my creative wings wherever I saw a need. I’m forever grateful.
HealthBreak MBC & Associates
The team at MBC & Associates, originally spearheaded by Madeline Bennett and later led by Chalayne Sayes were tremendous to work with for 13 years for HealthBreak. Barry Richards, VP of Production is now one of my trusted partners for corporate video projects. I’m not even sure I can count all the videos we’ve produced together. Andy Ross was also a supportive producer at MBC, so easy to work with, patient and kind.
Freelance
So many colleagues who graciously threw voice-over work and creative projects my way: Eve Hutcherson, Nate Fleming at Red Pepper, Stefan Speligene at Roux Creative and the folks at Averitt transportation, to name a few.
Yates Construction
Rocky Wooten, Barry Scearce, Robert Sutherland, Debbie Tipton
Healthcare Bluebook
Former CEO Scott Paddock and co-Founder Bill Kampine
Pricing:
- Per project
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lynnyates.com; www.papermillroadcreative.com; writetolive.blog (in process)
