| So,
where are you from?
A suburb of Washington, DC; which is where most of my family
is from and still lives. Now I am a denizen of New York. Best.
City. Ever.
And
where did you go to school?
I went to school in Ann Arbor, at the University
of Michigan. I graduated from what’s now called the
Stephen M. Ross
School of Business, concentrating in Corporate Strategy
& International Business. B-school was fun and smaller than
the huge university; kind of like being in High School again,
but better because it involved perks from corporate recruiters
:)
What
do you do for a living?
I'm the Director of Marketing at futurethink,
an innovation research and consulting firm.
Where
else have you worked before?
Most recently, I was the Global Manager for Interactive Marketing
at Coty Inc.,
managing the digital / online marketing for the Marc Jacobs, Vera
Wang, Calvin Klein, and Gwen Stefani fragrance brands, among
others. Prior to that, I was the Assistant Marketing Manager for
the Calvin Klein brand.
Before
working at Coty, I was a management consultant at EffectiveBrands,
a global brand strategy consulting firm. The firm focuses on
marketing strategy in the areas of global Innovation, Organization,
and Marketing Capability Development. At the time, my clients
included Coca-Cola, Unilever, Philips, Dove, and Starbucks.
Along
the way, I worked on a few side projects to mix things up and
give me exposure to other industries and functions. For instance,
I helped write components of a business plan for a new fashion
label. Expanding on that tiny bit of 'fashion' experience, I
had a brief stint as a writer, reviewing designers and boutique
shops in Soho for the New York 2005 edition of Where to
Wear, Jill Fairchild’s 'insider fashion shopping
Bible'. |
So
what are your other interests?
I'm interested in helping people or businesses grow and achieve
their goals. It's a hobby I find challenging and rewarding.
It's not entirely selfless since I learn a lot as well, but
I still think it's a better hobby than 'stamp collecting' or
something equally as banal.
In
my free time, I tend to do a lot of volunteer work. I'm involved
in a number of non-profit projects
that are in line with my personal interests and capabilities.
I
am on the Board of Health
Jam, a non-profit that educates adolescents about health-related
issues including HIV/AIDS, Drug & Alcohol Abuse, Teen Pregnancy,
and Self-Esteem. I have been on the Board since 2003 and am
involved in the organization's strategic planning, fundraising,
special events, and marketing efforts. It helps me feel like
I'm contributing to society.
No
seriously, what do you do in your free time?
Ok
fine, so I follow my friend 'Open Bar' out wherever she goes.
Ironically, though, I don't really drink. I'm somewhat allergic
to alcohol, but I figure if I'm out trying to be social, there's
no point in me paying for something that makes me sick. But
if Open Bar's not around, then I try to catch up on sleep. Sleep
is a luxury very few people can afford, it seems.
Fair enough. Any final insights about yourself?
Hmmm... well, despite having no style (self-deprecation crept
back in!), I have this burning desire to one day be in New
York Magazine's Look
Book. I don't know why. Hopefully someday I'll wear something
interesting and it'll happen for me. *fingers crossed*
Overall,
though, in most things I do I strive for excellence, occasionally
achieve perfection, and rarely settle for mediocrity. To that
extent, I’d say I have a Type A-Minus personality –
almost perfect, but not really worth the extra effort. (Almost)
Perfect example: this 80/20 mock interview. Most of the information’s
here, but there’s clearly no formal ending.
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