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 |
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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