Living in New York City, working with internationally known brands, attending NY Fashion Week events, speaking at a huge start-up week event in Tampa, dating a guy who I met in middle school, but hadn't spoken to in 8 years, becoming a marketing director, and starting my own business. God has quite the imagination, y'all. When I say the last two years have been crazy, I mean it. I've wanted to tell my story for quite some time now, and while I'd like to go back 5-6 years, I will start with the last two for now. So, here we go... Flashback to December of 2018. I'm working as a social media manager at Datz Restaurant Group in Tampa, my first job solely focused on social media. I was having the best time being guided and taught by an awesome director (shoutout to Tony), learning more about every facet of marketing, social media, and press relations. I still didn't know what I ultimately wanted to do with my career at that point, but I was learning, so I knew I was in a great spot. About the same time I landed this job, my best friend Michelle had moved to New York to work at an agency. I knew I just had to visit her even though NYC was never on my radar for travel. I have always been a California girl and wasn't interested in going to a place that I heard was noisy, crowded, and dirty. However, I just had to go see Michelle and I heard New York was "magical" at Christmas, so why not? I will never forget the moment I stepped out on the streets of the bustling city for the first time. It's unlike anything I've ever felt before. I was excited, nervous, lost, and in complete awe. My visit to New York was short, but it was filled with visiting some incredible restaurants, taking my first Soulcycle class, and doing festive activities like getting a glance at the Rockefeller Christmas tree. I absolutely fell in love with New York city that weekend. It was a love that was completely unexpected. After coming home from the trip one night, I was sitting on my couch, watching a movie when I out-of-the-blue decided to browse for agency jobs in NYC. Being in marketing, I knew that the city was the place to be and that I'd learn so much about my field. In my search, I immediately found a company called Socialfly, a digital marketing and creative agency. They looked pretty legit and had a vast client portfolio of start-ups and established, big name brands. So I applied, and I kid you not, I got an email back one hour later where I was asked to schedule an interview. Long story short, just one month after my first ever trip to New York City, I was offered a community manager position at Socialfly and was set to move there just two weeks later. I was terrified, but after much prayer and conversation with my family, I made the decision to go. For over one year, I lived and worked in NYC. I was promoted three times within my company and learned more about the social media and marketing industries than I ever would anywhere. My weekends and weeknights were filled with eating some of the best meals I've ever had at some of the most aesthetically pleasing and top rated restaurants in the country. I made some of my now-closest friends and got to live and work alongside some people that I grew up with in Tampa. Don't get me wrong, life in New York is tough - it gets lonely, it's cold, and you can't escape the hustle and bustle, but I loved it and the personal and career growth was more than worth it. While I was living there, I took on some side work which taught me how to manage my own projects and clients. This experience, paired with watching the CEOs at Socialfly grow a start-up, made me develop an interest for ultimately running my own marketing firm or even becoming an independent consultant. I began researching, having conversations with entrepreneurs, and figuring out what I needed to do next to get there. While I was home in Tampa, visiting my family, I got a call from my old boss at Datz, telling me that he was leaving the company and they needed someone to take over as marketing director... They wanted me and I had no idea why. I laughed and thought to myself, "there is no way I can be a director and manage the strategies and projects for 6 brands at this age. I'm only 23." But after officially being offered the job, talking through the idea with friends and family, and praying a lot, I decided to go for it. Leaving New York so soon was never my intention, but when God calls you to do something, you do it. One of the people I confided in a lot during this big decision was my boyfriend, Micah. He was instrumental in praying with me, and talking me through the option to leave New York and move back to Tampa. Funny story is that I actually met Micah when I was 13 when we were both homeschooled and attending a drama school in Tampa. We both performed as Oompa Loompas in a production of Willy Wonka. I hadn't spoken to him since high school, but we reconnected after is sister moved to New York City the same week as me. Hannah and I became great friends and when Micah came to visit his sister, we made the plan to catch up over dinner. The rest is history and we've now been together for one year. He's pretty amazing and has been very instrumental in my life for the last 365 days. But anyways, God led me back to Tampa where I became the marketing director at Datz Restaurant Group. I was in awe of how the Lord led me through my role and prepared me to the open a brand-new restaurant, manage a three person team, and guide the company in creating strategic plans for promoting our stores. All things that I felt I was not qualified to handle on my own. While at Datz, I was still working with clients on the side, some of which I was managing outside of my job in New York. About three months into being back in Tampa, more and more businesses began reaching out to me, asking how we could work together. These clients were looking for social media management, press relations, marketing consultations, trainings, and more. Although I wanted to say "yes" to all of them, I had to turn some down due to the fact that I had a full-time job and a life to live. As the emails kept pouring in, I began to wonder if this was a sign that I would start my own company sooner than I had planned. One day in September of this past year, Jake Kurtz of Brick Media Group called me up and offered me a contracted position where I'd be able to help manage the company and his clients alongside him. In being a contractor, I would still be able to manage my own clients throughout the week and have a flexible schedule. The way everything worked out was yet another clear sign that the Lord had his hand in what was occurring. To wrap things up, about 8 months into working at Datz, I made the decision to quit my full-time job and pursue running my own company while contracting with Brick Media Group. I started this new chapter on October 1, 2019. Navigating the world of self employment, a new tax structure, managing my own work schedule, and learning the world of selling my skills to potential clients has been difficult, but exactly what I've been looking for. Part of this opportunity has involved dedicating time to mastering creative and analytical skills like photography and social media analytics analysis. I've been able to work with my boyfriend in creating videos and conducting photoshoots for clients, while getting to travel for work, and taking the time to visit friends and family out of state often. I'm beyond blessed and excited to see what God has in store for me for 2020. As I continue to discover where He wants me, what I ultimately want to do, and where I want to go geographically, I wholeheartedly commit my career and life to Him. All I can say from my journey so far, and especially from the last two years, is that there's an incredible future ahead of you. If you open your mind to new opportunities, take risks, and commit to learning and discovering new skills and talents, life is going to be pretty amazing for you. I promise.
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2019 was incredible, but I'm determined to make 2020 even better. Since I was about 20 years old, I began focusing on setting "intentions" rather than solely focusing on end "goals" or resolutions. This is because intentions are practices you can focus on every single day, while goals are often in the near or distant future. Big goals can sometime feel overwhelming or not practical in the beginning, so why not keep your eyes fixed on the daily achievements you can make to get to where you ultimately want to be? This is not to say that goal setting is very important. I encourage you to set goals, but then think about what you can do on a regular day that is going to contribute to your journey. Some examples of my intentions are below: Goal: Feel Healthier Daily Intentions: Workout multiple times a week and reduce intake of sweets, and other non-healthy food. Maintain "balance" by indulging when I want but keeping in mind how what I am eating will effect my body. Goal: Grow my Instagram Page and Blog Daily Intentions: Capture content everyday, write blog posts often, and capture vlogs when traveling. Goal: Grow Relationships Daily Intentions: Check-in with friends, often, plan outings with friends, and experience new things with by boyfriend, friends, and family. Goal: Read one Book a Month Daily Intentions: Read during my free time and before bed. Goal: Go on a few Trips Daily Intentions: Set aside money from my earnings to pay for flights, hotels, and experiences. Goal: Master my Photography Skills Daily Intentions: Shoot daily, watch YouTube tutorials, buy new products that will enhance my skills, and practice editing. Goal: Grow my Relationship with God Daily Intentions: Read my Bible daily, spend time in prayer, and fellowship with others that can encourage me in my faith. Keep in mind that goals should be specific and include deadlines, but this just gives you an idea of how to apply actionable steps to achieving exactly what you want.
I'm wishing you all a very blessed and happy 2020. xx *sigh* Another new social media platform?
Yes, but trust me when I say that this one is different. Similar to Vine in its content style, Tik Tok boasts over 1.2 billion global installs and 500 million active users, surpassing Twitter, LinkedIn, and Snapchat. It started in China as Music.ly and soon rebranded to "Tik Tok." In the article, I will tell you everything you need to know and how to utilize it for your personal brand or business. How it Works.It's a video first platform that allows users to capture, edit, and post video all on the application. Videos can last up to 60-seconds and can be pieced together in increments of any length. Unlike Vine, you are able to upload videos directly from your phone that you've shot in the past. After you post your video you are unable to edit the content itself or your caption, so make sure you get it right the first time. Who's on it.TikTok is mostly used by people between the ages of 16 and 24. This age group encompasses 41% of the total user-base. That's a lot so I definitely recommend using TikTok in your marketing efforts if you have a young audience. This doesn't mean that the audience won't expand in the near future. Remember, Facebook started as a platform for college students and now everyone (especially the older demos) uses it. What to Post.Right now, I'm seeing a couple things trending on the platform: comedic content and dancing. Take a dabble in creating original content and work with friends to come up with something new. The most random styles of videos are going big, so you never know what might happen. Make sure that when you do post that you include hashtags in your captions. Pay attention to what is trending and try to include those. Is it Worth Downloading?100% Yes. Why? Because more people are on the platform than there is content. I posted a video of my friends playing Spike Ball and it got 26K views. Don't believe me? Check out my profile: @casspalm. There was nothing to the video that I posted, but people are just looking for content to consume on there. Tik Tok is the easiest way to go viral right now. For marketers, I anticipate paid ads and influencers being big on the platform in the very near future. I recommend that brands jump on using influencers on Tik Tok before others catch on. _______________ Are you on Tik Tok? What's stopping you? We all look at successful companies like Apple, Chick-Fil-A and Disney and wonder, "how do they do it?" This question is answered in a recent "Business Made Simple" recording where Mark Miller of Chick-fil-a and Donald Miller of StoryBrand shed some light on their secrets of building a strong, profitable organization. After listening to the recording, I learned that there are FOUR things that these well-known, high-performance businesses have in common. 1. They Bet on Leadership When hiring leaders, executives are purposeful, thoughtful and strategic about who they are bringing into their organization. "Betting on leaders" simply means hiring with the intention to develop them and help them grow not only for their own benefit, but for the advantage of the business. Bottom line, hire leaders and foster their growth. 2. They Act as One If you study successful businesses, you will notice that they all have one brand mission and one set of goals that all employees are aware of and reminded of often. There is unity. Power comes from the alignment in understanding of and belief in brand mission and vision. After someone is given a job, consistently update them on the company goals and how the organization will work together to achieve them. Employees that feel they have a purpose and a part in achieving success will be motivated to work hard. 3. They Win the Heart In the recording, Mark Miller shared that "70% of Americans are not fully engaged at work, which results in dollars lost in opportunity." People have to care in order to excel in what they're doing. This goes hand-in-hand with the previous point in that employees need to feel engaged and important in order to feel motivated. If your staff is engaged, they will in-turn engage customers. 4. They Excel at Execution Organizations must perform well in the previous three areas in order to excel in their business execution. Execution is a result of a routine: Leadership, Alignment, and Engagement. Focus on these three areas and you will see great results. Perfecting your practices does take time; however, so test, optimize, and keep moving forward in reaching your goals. Watch Recording Here.
I get asked frequently: "How have you done it?" "How did you get to where you are today?" The questions often surprise me; however, because in my mind I'm still trying to "make it." I'm still mid-journey. When I look back on my life and career so far, I am humbled and thankful to have been given the opportunities that I've experienced. I've now found myself building a passion for passing along any knowledge or advice that has been shared with me in the past. To those that have poured into me in the past - Thank you. And for those that are just trying to figure it out (as I still am), below I've compiled some advice I've learned along the way. Be Assertive And Ask For What You Want. If there's a company you want to work for and there are no positions open, ask them about opportunities anyway. If there's a position open that you want within a company, ask them how you can land it. Reach out to company executives via email and LinkedIn and let them know why you should work with them. Explain to them the value that you'll add. That's how I have landed 90% of my past positions. Overall, be confident in yourself and in your experience. That will get you far. Never Stop Learning And Be Resourceful. Once you lose the desire to learn, you lose the opportunity to grow. Subscribe to relevant newsletters, listen to podcasts, read books, get coffee with high-level executives in your field, and do whatever it takes to absorb new information. Even if it's for 15 minutes a day, take the time to learn. You'll thank yourself later. In addition to learning, be resourceful. If you're asked to complete a task that you don't know how to execute, try first. Use Google or YouTube to find resources that can help you complete projects before asking for help. Doing this will impress your managers and help you learn in the process. Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone. Putting yourself in situations that are uncomfortable will force you to grow personally and professionally. One of the biggest examples that I use for this topic is my move to NYC. The city was new to me and unfamiliar, but I went and I'm sure glad I did. So, if you want to move to LA, NYC, Chicago, or Dallas... do it. If you want to take on a project that is over your head... do it. Ask questions, take risks, and be innovative. That will get you far. Build Relationships. You've heard the phrase, "it's all about who you know." Well, it's true. Relationships and your network will open up more doors than you can ever imagine. These connections can be built both offline and on the internet. Use LinkedIn to find people within and outside of your geographical area that you can connect with and build a relationship with. Approach networking with a value-driven mindset, meaning expect to add value to the person without anticipating to receive anything in return. People hate when they feel they're being taken advantage with, so think about how you can add to the person and who knows...you might just get something in return. What is some of the best career advice that you've learned over the years?
This topic came to my mind as I was listening to former Chick-Fil-A CMO Steve Robinson, speak on how he built the restaurant brand from the ground-up alongside company founder, Samuel Truett Cathy.
The whole time he was speaking he emphasized EXPERIENCE. EXPERIENCE. EXPERIENCE. Although his role was to lead the marketing department, his core focus was the customer and their needs and wants from Chick-Fil-A, along with their impression following a trip to one of the stores. Notice how none of the points in the above paragraph mentioned advertisements, creative, social media, or television appearances. That's because Robinson knew that a positive customer experience (food, service, and cleanliness) would lead to free marketing (word-of-mouth). The founding Chick-Fil-A team knew that no matter how many marketing plans were developed, if their tactics drove a customer into a store only to have a poor experience, did that marketing really matter? No, cause generally negative experiences with a brand will likely deter customers from wanting to return. Let's take a look at some of Chick-Fil-A's business and marketing principles:
Chick-Fil-A is now the 3rd-largest restaurant chain in America and they're not event open on Sunday's. In fact, "the chicken chain grew sales by 16.7% in 2018, reaching about $10.5 billion." So obviously the principles that they applied, years ago during their founding, are working for them and they can work for you too. What are you passionate about? Is it drawing, designing architecture, or running races? For me, it's photography, writing, and cooking. Lately, I've been trying to make an effort to practice my passions and spend time on activities that bring me joy. I've been there where I get in a rut of feeling like I “don’t have enough time” to work on them, but in all actuality there’s always time in the 168 hours per week that we're given... Even if it’s just setting aside 30 minutes to an hour in a week. As adults we often shut away our passions in order to solely focus on our careers, friends, and family when these passions are developed in us for a purpose. Discovering your passions and talents, while figuring out how to put them to action in life, can be difficult. I’m still figuring it out. A couple ways to pinpoint them is to remember what you loved doing as a kid and to identify what you could see yourself doing (all the time) if money were no object. Whether you put your passion to action as a hobby or a career, don't let it go to rest. You never know what you might accomplish and how you might impact others. I grew up swimming which resulted in dry, brittle hair. Now that I've said goodbye to the daily pool sessions, I've been able to focus on taking care of my locks and incorporating a routine that helps them grow long and strong. So what exactly are the methods and products I've adopted? Well, I'm giving away my secrets that have resulted in the healthiest hair I've EVER had. 1. Skip the Washing. In high school, I was using shampoo and conditioner on my hair every day. Despite the frequent washes, my hair always felt so greasy. I finally spoke to my stylist and found that I was just washing too frequently. In fact, "natural oils are so good for the hair and if the hair is washed too often, it can cause an imbalance,” said celebrity hairstylist, Matt Fugate. What I finally decided to do was "train" my hair to go longer between washes. The result was that my scalp wasn't getting oily in between washes as quickly and my hair was shiny and less-brittle. 2. Eat Right. Believe it or not, diet can impact the health of your hair. A few years ago, I saw that first-hand when I adopted more nutrient rich foods and began skipping those that hold no nutritional value. What I found is that drinking plenty of water, taking vitamins (including vitamin C and iron) and eating greens, along with foods low in sugar and high in healthy fat aided my cause. Additional ingredients that help promote positive hair health include high ORAC-value foods, "such as berries and dark chocolate, and unexpected things, such as oregano and cloves, which you can dump in and on anything." Nutritionist Lisa Drayer's beauty food staples via Allure:
3. Go Easy on the Heat. What would happen if you spent too much time in the heat? You'd get bad sunburns and you'd probably end up with sun poisoning. Too much heat isn't healthy, and this is also true for your hair. One way to cut down on using heat tools is to air dry your hair. I started doing this in high school and within a few weeks, I noticed less split ends and breakage. While I still use a straightener everyday (can't help it), I'm sure to use a good heat protectant that will minimize the damage. 4. Choose the Right Products. Products can literally make or break your hair, so it's important to choose the right ones and not overdo it. Hair care is not one size fits all, so talk with a hairstylist about choosing the right shampoo, conditioner, and serums for your hair type. When it comes to any product, try to avoid ingredients like dyes, chlorine, sulfates, and fragrance as these lead to hair damage. Currently I'm using DoTerra's Protecting Shampoo and Silk 18 Conditioner which helps to tame frizz and leave my hair smooth and nourished. One benefit of using Silk 18 is the smell. It smells like warm vanilla and maple. YUM! You can learn more about hair damage and how to tame it within this article. 5. Skip the Towel. Believe it or not, towels lead to lots and lots of frizz. There's an easy solution to this; however. Use a t-shirt! This method leaves you with less damage and is the best way to absorb excess water. Who knew?! 6. Put Down the Brush. ...Only when your hair is wet. Brushing before your hair is dry causes breakage. "While brushing hair regularly will help stimulate the roots and promote faster growth, brushing right after washing is terrible news for the hair’s bonds – that once broken, are difficult to get back to their former glory" (via Marie Claire UK). Do you have any hair secrets worth sharing? Let me know in the comments below.
As much as I like Nike, this is not a blog where I profess my love for the brand. Within this post I share my viewpoint on taking risks, something I've been thinking about a lot in the last year. For the longest time, I was living my life in a comfortable way. I did what was familiar, went to places that I already knew, and spent my time with those I had an established strong relationships with. I was perfectly happy with my life, but I knew that if I wanted to grow, I had to do something out of the ordinary. I had to take a risk. The change that I was looking for eventually came in the form of a big, geographical move. Out of a whim, I decided to pack up my stuff, say goodbye to friends and family, and move to an unfamiliar place that I had barely even visited before. Making the decision to transition my life to NYC did not come easy. It took consulting with friends and family, lots of thought, and a great deal of prayer. All signs eventually pointed to the Big Apple and just like that, I ripped off the Band-Aid and went for it. Now that I've been living here for almost one year, I cannot begin to tell you how much the personal and professional sides of my life have been impacted. This experience has forced me to grow in more ways than I can describe. Life in NYC has it's ups and downs, but I know I'm right here for a reason. Sometimes it's easy to focus on the negative impacts of risk. We think about what might go wrong instead of the beautiful journey that lies ahead us. It's safe to say that taking risks isn't supposed to be easy. It comes with challenges, but trials bring growth. And you know what develops out of growth? Potential, success, and happiness. So to wrap things up, here's my advice for you... Just Do It. Take the risk, make the move, do something crazy. Start the business you've been dreaming of, take a year off of work and travel, pursue a new career, move to an unfamiliar city, or even just visit a restaurant that you've been dying to try. You never know what these risks, big or small, might lead to and how you might grow. Push yourself into new territory because you know what? Drake was right. You only live once, so why not make the most of that one life? This post was inspired by Micah James. Thanks for encouraging me to write this.
The last time you had a bad day, what did you identify as the root of that? Was it client problems at work or bad family news? Although those things can drastically weigh on your life, I believe that developing a positive, impactful morning routine will set you up for a successful day no matter what occurs. "The morning is the time of the day in which your brain is the sharpest. For this reason, mornings should be devoted to your most important work: bettering yourself and the quality of your life" (via Medium). While there is not a one-size-fits-all routine that everyone should apply to their life for optimum results, there are 3 key elements which all can be tailored for your personal situations: 1 - Gratitude The first thing I like to do each morning, before reaching for my phone, is I think about what I'm grateful for in life. I often think about specific things that have occurred that week or the simple aspects in life like shelter, food, a job, and family. The mindset of gratitude is incredibly powerful and can switch the focus of your day so easily. Keeping thankfulness top of mind guarantees happiness and reminds us that we are exactly where we are for a reason. Personal Application: Whether it's making a list, praying and thanking God, or simply taking a minute to meditate, including gratitude into your routine shifts your thoughts to the present moment and hinders you from dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. 2 - Exercise The next step in my morning routine is working out. Getting exercise in at the beginning of the day boosts my energy levels, jumpstarts my metabolism, and keeps me alert at work. Elite Daily shared that "exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy." Therefore, working out enhances your mood and sets your day off on the right foot. Now, I'll admit... it's not always easy to get myself out of bed at 5:45-6 AM, but keeping those benefits in mind acts as an incentive to do so. Personal Application: Physical activity in the morning can be tailored depending on your preferred exercise. Recommended options include doing a 10-minute yoga set in your bedroom, heading out to your living room and flipping on your favorite YouTube workout (here's one of mine), heading to your local gym for an hour, or simply stretching for 5 minutes. The most important part is that you listen to your body and do what works for you. Especially if you're used to working out in the evening, getting adjusted to this routine will take time. One habit that I recommend beginning is setting out your exercise clothes the night before. That way, you're mostly prepared to workout as soon as you wake up! 3 - Priorities The last step to a successful morning routine is organizing priorities and setting intentions in order to motivate you for the day ahead. As soon as possible, it's important to know what you should be prepared for and when. Take 5 minutes to take a look at your planner (this one is my favorite) and make a to-do list, emphasizing your top 3 priorities. Whatever you add to your list, be sure to weigh those tasks against the goals you've set for yourself over the next week to 3 months. It's important that you're both getting things done, but also working toward those overall, personal objectives that you've identified for your life. To do this, I will ask myself: "what am I doing today that will set me up for success in 7 to 90 days?" Personal Application: Living in NYC, I have the opportunity to identify my daily priorities during a 20-minute morning subway ride. Depending on where you live, the amount of time you have to get ready, or how you get to work in the morning, this step can be tackled at a number of different times:
What are the aspects of your favorite morning routine? I'd love to hear about what has worked for you in the comments below!
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Welcome to my blog! Here, I share posts about my favorite topics, including health, marketing, and lifestyle. My biggest hope is that you are inspired by what you read. Enjoy!
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January 2020
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