My Persona

Since personas should include concrete facts, storytelling elements, and design-relevant or extraneous information, I will attempt to give as much detail as possible about my persona without confusing the reader. There are so many things about a persona that could be studied, but the important thing is for relevant information to be included so one can extract valuable customer insights. My persona most closely fits the “Educated Working Women” segment; however, I can also relate to the “Savvy Career Women” and “Grads”.

SUMMARY

Single grad student who values a balanced healthy life and is looking forward to the next career step.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Female

30 years old

Single

Grad Student (no income)

Makes online purchases

Gives to social causes

Votes democrat

Budget conscious

Avid reader

PERSONALITY

I’m very budget conscious except in a few areas – Donating to charities, travel, books, and healthy/organic products.

What new vegan recipe should I try this weekend?

Once the weather gets better I need to plan a camping trip.

A fun evening with close friends - food and dessert sounds nice.

Staying in touch with friends so is much easier now thanks to Facebook and Skype.

LIFESTYLES

Outdoors

Probably because I grew up in Oregon I love the outdoors. I’m not an extreme sports enthusiast like many Oregonians, but I love being in nature and all its beauty. I prefer jogging/walking outdoors versus the gym. I make a point to try new hiking places around town. Since I love the ocean but it’s too far to travel there in a day, my favorite spot in Austin is Pedernales Falls.

Audio/Video

I own an ipod and all the accessories (car, bedroom, on-the-go etc.). I can’t imagine life without it! Although I am labeled “Gen Y”, being born on the tail end of it is my excuse for not being as tech-savvy as some of my peers. Sure I may be familiar with all the latest tech products, but I’m definitely not an early adopter. I prefer to read and watch the news online. I also buy over 50% of my purchases online.

Healthy Eating

I am a vegan because I love being healthy, both mentally and physically. If I don’t recognize something on a food label then I probably won’t buy it. I tend to avoid processed foods altogether and gravitate towards natural, organic, and local products. My interest in health sparks from my religion as a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. Adventists are strong promoters of lifestyle medicine (ie. preventing lifestyle related illnesses such as diabetes through a healthy diet). They are a featured group in the book “Blue Zones” by Dan Beuttner and in a National Geographic Study on the "Secrets of Longevity". I was a vegetarian for many years and then recently decided to go 100% vegan after reading the research conducted by Oxford and Cornell entitled "The China Study".

I love Whole Foods and can spend hours browsing new products (cosmetics and household items too). My favorite restaurant in Austin is Mothers Café. I own a Vita-mix blender and a juicer. I love trying new recipes and am in the process of launching a vegan wedding cake business. Below is a picture of a vegan cake I recently made. The henna design is inspired by my Indian background

Connoisseur

I love art, culture, and staying current with world events. I take advantage of all that my university has to offer – educational lectures, the symphony, theater, museums, and community volunteering groups. I’m also passionate about social causes. A summer internship at the UN opened my eyes to the various humanitarian issues in the world and I hope to one day work in international development. I’ve traveled to over 30 countries and have also lived abroad. I can understand some Spanish and Hindi and speak Telugu fluently.