What do I think and feel? A lot of what I think and feel has to do with my family. I am an only child and my family has a real estate and finance company. So I have been brought up around people who own a strong work ethic and have big ideas. What’s most important to me is that I’m happy, successful in my career, and that I make my family proud. My biggest concern has probably been that I’m taking too long to figure it out. Many people in my family have Master’s or PhD’s, so getting my Master’s wasn’t exactly a big accomplishment, and it was expected that I would someday be successful regardless of my education. However, the fact that I dropped out of law school, to pursue a Master’s in Advertising really bothered people. But, I loathed law school— try being over-caffeinated and sleep deprived ALL the time with no end in sight to the hundreds of pages of reading everyday. Everyday I would ask myself, “Why am I doing this?” I was a little worried for a while that I had made the wrong decision…But after much thought (and laying in bed staring at the ceiling), I soon realized that if I really wanted to become a lawyer it wouldn’t have been that difficult or been such a hardship to endure. Now I get that law school isn’t supposed to be easy. But if I liked it enough, I wouldn’t have been so miserable and it wouldn’t have felt like so much work.
Although I may have taken the scenic route, I finally found what I truly want to do—customer insights research with the goal of producing meaningful advertising! I guess it takes some people a little longer…but better to know late than never. So what do I worry about now? I worry that I won’t live up to my own expectations. I worry that I’ve wasted time. I worry that I take too many things for granted. But I aspire to become great in my career and eventually be my own boss.
What do I see? I see that the advertising industry is constantly changing and that my role within it will be changing too. I see that the stock market is recovering. I see that it’s becoming more and more important to be bi-lingual (I know some Spanish, but I’m working on becoming fluent). I see that my friends are all getting married and having kids. I see that most people my age already have jobs—some love it and some have just settled for a paycheck. I see that my parents are getting older. I see that with more choices comes a need for better understanding in the differences between products and what suits my wants/needs the best. I see that advertising can be sophisticated and still reach the masses.
What do I say and do? I’ve always wanted to help people less fortunate and work on non-profit projects I feel strongly about. I belong to charitable organizations and give my time to causes like LIVESTRONG, SafePlace, Habitat for Humanity, Boysville, and Light the Night Walk for Leukemia. I just try and be and all around nice person to others. I try to be eco-friendly by recycling and buying organic foods and products. I support farmers markets. I say that I will cook more, work out more, and eat-out less. I say that I will spend more time with my dog, Levi (he’s a white and red spotted miniature Dachshund). I’m a runner, scuba diver, hiker, hunter (rifle and bow hunting), and a traveler (favorite trip was Rome, Italy touring the Forum). I like sci-fi and horror movies best. I don’t really care for romantic comedies. I enjoy a good boxing match or basketball game (if the Spurs are playing). I buy most things online, including furniture. I even purchased my dog online! I don’t buy things on credit, though I have 3 or 4 credit cards. I make the best fireside Smores and home mixed Sangria.
What do I hear? Friends say: I’m their best friend, I’m always so put together, sometimes I can be a little uptight, I’m lucky, and I’ve got it all figured out. Family says: I’m very particular about what I buy (I don’t impulse buy and I hardly ever return things, and though I prefer designer brands, I won’t buy something just for the name--it has to be exactly what I’m looking for, and of good quality), I manage my money well, and I tend to wear a lot of black or neutrals.
What are my pain points? When I’m asked about starting a family (I’ve been married for 6 years and have not yet made definite baby plans). It bothers me when people ask me how much something costs. I like nice things, but I don’t want those things to appear expensive to others—in other words, I don’t like flashy stuff. When people mistaken my reserved demeanor as being unapproachable.
What do I hope to gain? I want to live comfortably, and be happy in my career. I want to be financially independent and free from the support of family. I think it will be a challenge to progress in my career and also have a family.
