how i got into my industry & why it's not easy

I've never explained how we got into our industry.

This is going to be long. Here goes...

Back in college my roommate and I would work at local events for extra money.

We wouldn't actually work for the event, we'd work at the event for another company.

Have you ever been to an event (maybe a concert or a sporting event) and there are tents set up, maybe large trailers? And people are trying to hand you a free stick of gum, a can of Monster or a sample of ice cream?

Bingo.

That's what I did/do... in a nutshell.

Or have you ever been to the mall at Christmastime and Santa's Village is set up in the middle?

Bingo.

That's what I did/do... in a nutshell.

I used to work these events as staff.

Now I run them.

Bryan and I manage the events from set-up to break-down.

We work for a marketing agency and represent their clients on a contract by contract basis, hence why we represent a different client/product every few months.

Okay, so lets start at the beginning...

I'd work at local events and was a liquor promo girl at bars back in college 10 years ago.

To graduate in my major you had to hold an internship.

So I interned one summer at a marketing agency in Manhattan Beach.

A promotional marketing agency who I had represented in the past at a special event.

Through this internship I learned that what I had been doing - working events and liquor promotions - could be parlayed into a career.

An actual career.

There were big companies with beautiful offices (and Fortune 500 clients) orchestrating these events from behind the scenes.

I knew I needed to do this after I graduated college.

This was my calling.

Special Events, that is.

Once I graduated I started sending out my resume to all of the companies I had worked with in the past.

I networked a lot.

I interviewed and got hired to manage my very 1st tour, NutriSoy.

It was amazing.

Not only did I gain and boat load of experience, I gained my sistafriend, Renee.

Renee and I traveled the country (just like Bryan and I do) for 3 years together.

And when I say travel, I mean WE DROVE!

In BIG trucks. Not pick up trucks, but 24-26 ft trucks. Or SUV's pulling BIG trailers.

We would eat, drive, work and hang out in our free time together.

We were with each other literally 24/7.

We were 24, 25, 26 year olds blowing into town and then blowing out of town a week later... and onto the next.

We were compared to a tornado more than once.

Many memories we have will go to the grave with us.

It was an amazing time in life!

* Baltimore

We worked our tails off, took our jobs very serious and made a name for ourselves in our industry.

During our free time we played hard.

But when it came to work, we worked even harder!

*Little Rock

We made friends everywhere we went, all over the country.

And we still have many of those friends in our lives today.

But after 3 years of living life on the road I decided that I had missed enough birthdays and holidays and that it was time to settle down and be near my family and friends.

After my final contract was up (again, we work on a contract by contract basis... still do) -- with Soft and Dri deodorant -- Renee and I were going to Susan G Komen breast cancer walks around the country and executing events.... I decided it was time to get off the road.

*Wichita

I started flying to events.

I was working for a marketing agency out of San Diego and was representing their client, Choice Hotels International, by flying to LPGA Tournaments every weekend to execute events on behalf of Choice.

*Phoenix

This was so much easier on me because it wasn't at all what I had been doing before.

Before I'd be gone for 3-5 months at a time.

Driving everywhere.

With this, I was gone 4-5 days at a time.

Flying everywhere.

This was a piece of cake for me and I was able to have a normal home life.

I then transitioned in-house with that same marketing agency and worked as an Account Manager.

I was still in the same industry as I was in before, promotional marketing, but I was managing programs and clients from the office instead of from the field.

The clients I worked with were Choice Hotels International, Chiquita Bites and Coppertone sunscreen.

I loved my life in San Diego.

I was living downtown in Seaport Village with my best guy friend, who owns a condo just 5 blocks from the Gaslamp District.

I was back with my high school and college friends again (all of them live in SD) and was only an hour away from my family.

Life was great!

Then this hottie strutted into my life.

Bryan lived 2 hours from me.

Me in San Diego.

Him in north Orange County.

We saw each other on weekends.

Life was still great!

After explaining to him what I used to do for a living -- executing events, traveling the country, truly living life-- he pretty much said "What are we doing slaving away at desk jobs when we could be doing that together?"

He was right.

So he worked several events with me to gain experience (see the above Choice Hotels picture from AZ), updated our resumes and sent them out to dozens upon dozens of marketing agencies.

We got a bite.

And not just any ol' bite.

It was a bite from one of the most well respected agencies in the industry!

We nailed our interview.

Before we knew it we were quitting our office jobs, moving our stuff back into our parents garage, packing our suitcases and flying off to training to represent Oscar Mayer/Kraft for the summer.

This was May 2008... and we haven't stopped since!

Soooo, although I post a lot of the more fun pictures on my blog, I have worked really hard to make a name for myself in my industry and to work my way up the ladder.

I started at the bottom of the barrel - local staff.

I then interned.

Managed tours.

Was an Account Manager.

And now have managed tours for Fortune 100 clients and have worked with the most respected agencies in our industry.

This month I celebrate 10 years working in this industry!

I don't share many work related photos here, so you really only see what happens in our free time.

It looks all fun and games, but our work is highly labor intensive with extremely long hours outdoors in the elements and on our feet all day.

There is no sitting, ever.

And you always have to be peppy, friendly, outgoing and approachable.

As a manager we have to train our staff daily, keep them motivated, send them on breaks and make sure they're performing at their highest level... all with a smile plastered on their face and ours.

You can't EVER be tired, hot/cold, reserved or quiet.

There is no such thing as having an "off" day in our industry.

We must always be happy and social.

Needless to say, we're exhausted after a days work, but we love it more than anything!

*Live on Eyewitness News

* Sampled all of this to consumers

*radio promotions

I will never really explain what my job is like on a day to day basis or the details of it because... well, it's a lot of work.

Just like any job.

And who wants to hear about that?

What I will say is that it's a hard industry to get involved in and an even harder industry to stay afloat, and eventually excel, in.

Many people say that could do it, but most wouldn't last.

Every day.... week... month....... year... is a roller coaster of the unknown.

The highs are very high and the lows are oh-so low.

We sacrifice much -- births, birthdays, holidays, family get-togethers, weddings, friend time, etc. -- for our job.

But, for us, the rewards are well worth every bit of it.

And for those who say "you two are so lucky to be able to travel together" I say:

We work, not just travel.

We work hard.

And the travel is still work. Trust me.

You try living out of 1 suitcase for 4 months and 3 varying seasons.

That's work in my book.

So is loading and unloading that suitcase from the truck, switching hotels several times a week and sleeping on hotel pillows every night.

We are not lucky.
Well we are, but it's a strategic move.

We market ourselves as a team.

It's not luck that we work together. It's calculated.

But I must say, we love our jobs and our lifestyle and wouldn't trade our experiences for anything!

And off to the next city we go...