When I first sat down with Destinee Thames, I expected the usual, “So…what’s your plan?” or something similar. Instead, she sat back in her chair grinning at me and simply said, “I like to listen because you can find out a lot when you listen.” In the time that followed, I explored the story of a bright spirit who thrives in her “organized-chaos”, bends the rules when it counts, and approaches everything she does with compassion and confident audacity.
Ask Destinee to pick a color and she doesn’t hesitate. “Neon, bright, wow yellow, none of the butter or mustard tones that you see all over your Instagram feed.” I personally believe she couldn’t pick a better color to describe herself. She’s unapologetically bold and lights up every room she walks into. In an office that can be gray and dim, she’s the light that shifts the atmosphere.
“Organized chaos” is how she describes her workspace. As I watched her shuffle through papers and supplies on her desk, she pulled out exactly what she needed. Her secret to being orderly despite what it may come across is her phone calendar, “My lifeline,” she called it. For anyone buried in deadlines her tip is pretty simple: find the system that feels like second nature, even if it looks like a tornado to everyone else.
Destinee entered college a semester ahead as a double major in organizational interpersonal communication and communication, with an emphasis in broadcast journalism. Halfway through her first term, she realized that newswriting wasn’t her thing. A (very) persuasive professor steered her into advertising and eventually she dropped the extra major, not only graduating early and saving tuition but also carving out space for her to find her true passion. Her very first role? A Disney College Program Vacation Planner (or ticket sales representative). Which is where she learned to pitch with a smile and handle high-pressure situations. All of these experiences help to shape the amazing communicator she is today.
Therapy taught her the word empathy, but her journalistic foundation taught her the practice. “I don’t always agree with someone’s choice, but I like to learn and understand why they made it,” she said. The ability to get rid of judgement and ask the right follow up questions is at the center of every powerful interview. Combine that with her experience with investigative journalism (her favorite), she has become a storyteller who can go deep without losing her heart.
For those pursuing journalistic careers in the future, we can take some nuggets from her.
Listen first – You never know what you’ll be able to learn when you stop talking.
Own it – Don’t be afraid to let your unique energy light up everything you touch.
Embrace chaos – Systems can be messy or not make any sense, all that matters is that they work for you.
Take smart risks – Sometimes starting over or starting something new altogether is exactly what you need.
By the end of our discussion, I felt like I got to know Destinee on a deeper level. She doesn’t just do work, she becomes the stories. She embodies them. If you take anything away from her, let it be that it isn’t necessary to try to fit into a mold. Be you, be bold, take up space, even if you’re the only yellow swatch on a palette.
