My Name Is Claire Juozitis — This Is Why I Joined Aha!

"Expectation too, be off! Today is for itself enough." This line is from my favorite poem To Jane: The Invitation by Romantic poet Percy Shelley. In the piece, Shelley invites his friend Jane to the countryside to welcome the arrival of spring. While I was first drawn to this poem for its rich vernal imagery, the message about embracing the present moment resonates most deeply with me now.

When plans change, embrace the unexpected. New opportunities often bring more growth than the path you intended to follow.

Writing has always been my greatest love. In college, I channeled this passion into studying marketing and advertising. But after gaining experience at a few ad agencies, I realized that the highly competitive environment was not for me. At that point, one of my professors connected me to an entrepreneur starting a predictive analytics company. I jumped at the chance to immerse myself in something completely new.

As the very first hire, I worked directly with the CEO to write blog posts, customer pitches, and presentations. It was invigorating to help transform his vision into words. And I learned that business writing holds value beyond catchy slogans and zippy ad copy — I was helping tell a cohesive and compelling story to customers.

My next move was to an early-stage company that manufactured saltwater batteries. This was my formal introduction to content marketing — I learned how to write for each stage of the customer journey. Although it was a fascinating product and enriching role, the circumstances were not so serendipitous. About a year in, funding ran out and most folks (including myself) were laid off.

In moments of uncertainty, motivation can stall. I have learned that the most important thing to do is stay in motion.

I tried to use this unexpected change of plans to my advantage. I began applying to more established companies — including ones far away from my hometown of Pittsburgh. Soon after, I moved to San Diego with a new job offer and my fiancé and cat in tow.

On the West coast I took on a variety of writing-centric roles, eventually becoming a content marketing manager at an e-learning company. Diving deep into content creation and strategy was compelling, and I envisioned staying there long-term. But after a few years, my growth trajectory began pivoting away from writing towards people management. My nice, neat plans took a turn — and I realized I did not want to give up doing what I loved most.

When I saw that Aha! was hiring a writer, I applied immediately. I had a feeling it was exactly what I needed. Plus, I was already familiar with Aha! as a major advocate of remote work. I was eager to join a company that embraced sustainable growth and happiness.

Acting on my intuition was worth it. Since joining the Aha! marketing team, I have been writing non-stop — publishing more than 35,000 words in my first year alone. (The marketing team does all of our planning and collaboration in Aha! Roadmaps so it is actually possible to track my output!) I contribute to the Aha! blog and our product management and agile development guides. And I have the pleasure of showcasing what our talented team produces each month when I assemble our monthly email newsletter.

When I first started in the role, I remember asking Molly, our group manager of content, what success would look like. Her answer? "Becoming an excellent writer and storyteller." This was not what I expected. But she was right. I have never been so proud of my work and how much I am learning.

Working at Aha! has not just brought me closer to my professional goals — it has actually clarified what makes me happiest.

I used to think that writing would only be one aspect of my marketing career. But now I am confident in my decision to focus wholly on writing. It is a privilege to help tell the Aha! story alongside remarkable teammates. Ironically, I have never put my own story into words until now. But when I was asked to write this post, it felt like the perfect time to accept the invitation.

That is why I joined Aha! — and why you should too.