The Community Exchange Podcast by OpenWeb The Future of Community with Jess Giles
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Aug 26, 2025 Jess Giles, Managing Director at Code and Theory, shares her fascinating journey from film school to transforming legacy media. She emphasizes the importance of evolving brand strategies in the digital era and the critical role of first-party data and community-building for publishers. Jess discusses the disruptive influence of AI on content and predicts that future winners will focus on quick, differentiated solutions. Her insights into creating a compelling content experience amidst a commoditized internet are both refreshing and thought-provoking.
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From Film Student To New Yorker Intern
- Jess Giles started as an NYU film student who missed reading and writing and used a professor connection to intern at The New Yorker.
- That internship shifted her career from directing films to media and editing roles at Condé Nast.
Saying Yes To An Assistant Role
- Jess took an assistant role at Glamour after convincing HR she wanted the job and then earned editorial trust by doing it well.
- She steadily expanded responsibilities despite initially being told the role was meant to be static.
Jumping Between Startups And Legacy Media
- Jess left Condé Nast to join a startup briefly, then returned to Teen Vogue and built a digital role becoming deputy editor of the website.
- She later moved to Hearst to lead Marie Claire's and Cosmo's digital transformation and unified print and digital.