Gila Cohen joined the growing Kahena team a little over 1 month ago. She jumped in quickly and quickly asserted herself as a card-carrying member of the female SEO crew! With her training winding down, we took a few minutes to get to know the real Gila…. And we found that while she gets down to business at her desk, she’s really a fun-loving kid at heart! So, without further ado, will the real Gila Cohen please stand up?
When you first heard about Kahena, what did you think a “Kahena” was?
To be honest, when I first started I knew very few SEO terms so I just figured it was something SEO related… then I read Ari’s explanation on the Kahena website and that cleared things up!
Any favorite bands, TV shows, books, movies?
Music – I have a very diverse music taste so basically anything, but specifically Michael Buble, Taylor Swift, and Plain White T’s. Basically girlie music (if chick flicks were a music genre, that would be my music of choice!)
TV shows – I follow The Big Bang Theory and Modern Family (so incredibly funny!!), but would have to say that my favorite is watching Gilmore Girls reruns. An oldie but goodie! I was in high school and college at the same time as the main character on the show, so I could relate to it so well then, but still do now! And the dialogue is incredible.
Books and movies – You’ve Got Mail and The Princess Bride, too many others to list!! [editor’s note: sadly, screenwriter and author Nora Ephron passed away today]
Do you have a favorite local (or secret) spot in Jerusalem?
I love the Old City- could walk around there for hours! So many important and meaningful historical events occurred there. I lived there for a year as a student and really loved it! Just as a note of caution, if you’re planning a visit to this amazing place, be very careful in the rain… the already slippery stone floor will only become more slippery, and might cause you to go sliding down a whole flight of stairs. In front of a whole group of people. (Yes, this is from personal experience…)
Any weird hobbies, pets or former pets, talents?
I know a couple of sentences in Wolof (A Senegalese language) and used to be able to breakdance (haven’t tried in a while though!) I also play the flute and piano, love hip-hop dancing, running, and swimming. I recently ran three 10K runs, (not in a row, of course) and although it was difficult at points to keep going, crossing that finish line was very exhilarating! Maybe I’ll try for a half marathon next.
Your first day in SEO was spent at KahenaCon. Did you ever think you would “get” SEO like you do after ONLY being here for 1 month?
The conference was great- even though I didn’t really understand so much in the sessions, it was so nice to be around so many people involved in the industry and sharing their knowledge and ideas with everyone. Was a wonderful first day in the SEO world – I got a sense that it’s really a community of people who want to share, learn, and explore new ideas together. Now, a month in, I’m really loving being a part of that community! It’s so great to be able to understand many of the concepts and topics that went right over my head at the conference at month ago. Even down to the most basic abbreviations such as SERP, ROI, CMS, and concepts like rankings, conversions, and bounce rates. Can’t believe it’s only been a month – I’ve learned SO much! I wish I could have a conference do-over now and would actually be able to understand the sessions!
You have lived in many places. When people ask you where you are from, where do you answer?
I answer Israel, with detours in Nova Scotia, Cleveland, Chicago and New York…. this does usually prompt a follow-up question, and then I need to gauge how much of an in-depth life story the person actually wants to hear. Usually the answer of “two years in Halifax, six in Cleveland, five in New York, and a few months in Chicago – moving with my family for my dad’s job” seems to be short, sweet, and to the point!
What is the #1 destination on your travel list?
Would love to visit Italy. The pictures I’ve seen of Rome’s history and architecture look amazing. Plus, I’m a huge fan of Italian food, so why not? Australia is a very close 2nd though– I’ve heard there’s so much to see and love the beach and surfing. Of course, I have always wanted to see kangaroos and koalas. And as an added bonus, If I go during Northern Hemisphere winter months, I get more summer. I’m SO there.
What is something about you that no one else knows?
Does bizarre allergy fall under this category? I’m allergic to cold – cold water (like at the beach in the winter), snow, etc. I used to think it was just a dislike-of-all-things-winter reaction, until I found out it actually is a rare allergy. Makes the winter kind of unpleasant, but will not let that stop me from building snowmen!
If you weren’t working in SEO and you could be anything you wanted, what would you be?
As a kid, I always wanted to be the person inside a character costume at Disney World, like Minnie Mouse. I still think that would be fun! I always see kids’ faces light up when their favorite character, and I would love to do that! Also just an excuse to be friendly, cheerful, and make people happy. Also to be able to spend every day in Disney World seems like fun…. but really, any job in which I feel like I am helping people and making them smile, even in a small way, is something I would love to do.
Who is your favorite cartoon character?
Tigger from Winnie-the-Pooh. He has endless energy and is hilarious! He always has the most quotable lines. I don’t even remember when I first started being a Tigger fan, but I do remember putting on orange pajamas and “bouncing” around the house.
Do you have a favorite type of soup?
My mom’s chicken soup! It’s so delicious I’ve even eaten it for breakfast! Even though I’ve tried using the same recipe and making it myself, somehow it never turns out quite as good, so I always need to wait until I go visit my parents for the real thing.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Never dive into the shallow end of a swimming pool.
(Just kidding- though that is really good advice- but I could go on for pages answering this question, so maybe I’ll leave it at that…also, this can be a metaphor for many other aspects of life- something to think about!)