Education

Marketing is a lot like mountaineering. You set your sights on a high peak of success and meticulously plan out how to get there without going broke or bust. Then you wake up at 2 A.M., switch on your headlamp, and take the first determined steps towards the summit.

Sikkim Himalaya - Photo by Brett

I also see marketing as a kind of modern alchemy - transmuting messages into gold. You study the secrets of the past masters and amalgamate them with the newest technologies and design trends. You carefully craft your message and deliver it to the right people with laser-guided precision. Then you test and remix your strategy until you arrive at perfection.

How I Decided

I decided to climb the marketing trail while working as an account rep at a small firm in Portland. I discovered that writing ad copy and devising lead generation strategies was a zillion times more satisfying than doing customer service.

I went to Powell's and traded in my entire bookshelf for store credit and walked out with a small library of marketing books. I subscribed to every good marketing blog and forum I could find. As I began my training, I quickly saw that the slopes and learning curves on the interactive marketing trail were steep ones.

You're faced with an endless stream of new technology and software puzzles to crack. And you're up against some of the quickest thinkers on the planet. But I remembered the one lesson that I learned - time, and time, and time again -   during my travels: choosing the high, steep trail is always well worth the effort.

Whatever It Takes

I want a full-time position that I can totally pour myself into, getting the satisfaction that only comes from finishing beautiful creative projects. When it's work that I love, I have plenty of stamina. I've consistently put in 16 hour days over the past year and a half.

My Style

Like all good copywriters, I have an optimistic, quick, problem-solving mind that is stacked full of references and tangents. I have a witty (Simpsons-esque) sense of humor, and I find people interesting. But I'm not the type that lives to chatter and forward funny e-mails all day: I am serious and focused when it comes to my work. I use noise-canceling earphones if things are noisy and plow right into what needs to be done.