FRANKLIN
Rachel Lassiter is the new advertising account executive at The Tidewater News.

Born and bred in Newsoms, and currently living in Zuni, Lassiter has brought her personal knowledge of the region for her work.

But working with individuals and businesses to advertise in the newspaper is not her sole job; she is also a hairstylist in downtown Franklin.

“It kind of fell in my lap,” she said about the connection from one career to another. During a session with the mother of a newspaper employee, Lassiter discovered an opening and decided to apply. After presenting her resume to ad director Mitzi Lusk and interviewing with publisher Tony Clark, she was hired.

“I’ve been wanting to grow professionally,” Lassiter said, adding that she’s also looking out for her family, which includes her fiance’, Trent Parker, and their daughter, Kylie, 3.

Renting a booth from the two shop-owners makes her technically self-employed, said Lassiter, and this in turn serves to motivate her for ad sales.

“I have to go out and be eager to learn about their business. That’s something I have to do with my own business,” she said, adding that earning and maintaining the trust of all her clients is important to her.

Her territory will be predominately in Southampton County, as far west as Emporia and even down to Murfreesboro, North Carolina.

As mentioned, Lassiter’s roots are in Western Tidewater. Her parents are Charles and Susan Lassiter of Newsoms; and she has three sisters and two brothers.

The ambitious new employee said that she’s already learned that many people know her parents — and they seem to know everybody as well.

She, in turn, wants the same for her family, pointing out that in Western Tidewater, “people are going to wave at you. That’s awesome. I’m glad I was raised here.”