Working Girl

I've always worked. Took off early in high school to work at McFadden Music at Cross Creek Mall in Fayetteville, NC. Transitioned to fashion with Foxmoor Casuals, also at the Mall.

Went to East Carolina University for a short time before moving to Hotlanta to continue school in the Entertainment Marketing field.

After I moved to Atlanta I started working in the advertising world here, while pursuing my musical quest...first with pop rock girl band, Amanda Jones (Some Kind of Wonderful, John Hughes film, popular girl character was Amanda Jones).

It was very cool. I started working for Earle Palmer Brown supporting HR and Account Service departments. Think Mad Men in the 1980s. Big clients were the likes of coveted Coca-Cola, Georgia Pacific, Chick-fil-A (I think their cow campaign started there), Haverty's Furniture, any car brand, Arby's, Publix. Some B2B.

Aussie Alf Nucifora had just started at the helm as CEO coming from Fahlgren and Swink (I think...if memory serves). He had a health issue right after he started and was walking around the office still hooked up to a drip!

Such a charismatic man! Harvard MBA with an accent. He was smart, savvy, suave. It was a very dynamic environment as I sat in my cubicle typing up whatever needed to be inputted.

My supervisor was a great lady named Judy Perdue. She was almost like a surrogate mom for me since I had to leave mine behind in NC. Judy was supportive and even got me featured in the company newsletter with my then-band Gidget...my fled

As Director of HR she really kept the agency going. We were in Colony Square in Midtown...10th floor maybe?

My mom, being a graphic artist as her career my whole growing-up, worked at several different ad agencies I remember and I visited her at work from time to time. So this working environment for me, even as a glorified word processor, was great! Diversified, interesting and I learned a lot. Plus, I had the copy room at my disposal and could print up band flyers and promo kits.

But, I digress...

I started with EPB and then went with Alf when he left to start his own consulting firm. He was hot and he knew it and took advantage of it.

I worked at Nucifora Consulting Group as Alf's right hand, executive assistant. His wife Debbie was awesome and handled the financials. They became like family to me. Such great people!

With Alf I worked on many client files and reports, and special projects such as the Power and Influence Study sponsored by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and the Marketing of the City of Atlanta campaign when he was head of the Convention and Visitor's Bureau. There were also his many speaking events, presentations, WSB radio show, Small Business Marketing syndicated column and a plethora of focus groups.

Very busy and rewarding time working with Alf. After I left the firm, we continued working together on his speeches and columns.

I landed another cool gig, this time with sports marketing firm, Advantage International. I also supported the C-level executives at the Atlanta office, but was also called upon to do more client service and events. Worked on Mastercard's MLS, NHL and NASCAR events including tabling at races, Kick for Credit (MLS) and retail athlete appearances. Special events including the Jamaican Tourism Board's James Bond Jamaica Festival hosting celebrities including Maude Adams, George Lazenby, original Moneypenney, Ursula Adress, Jaws. Placed trip on Wheel of Fortune. Atlanta Olympics hospitality for Home Depot, IBM, BMW, Sara Lee, General Mills, Beaulieu Carpet Mills and others. Worked on Wheatie's Press Conference.

Went from Advantage/Octagon to J. Walter Thompson technology arm in Atlanta after they acquired DWP/Bates Technology. Worked with a great fellow named Eric Hyman in Business Development working on branding and new business proposals. It was a very exciting time with the onset of all the new tech firms, start ups, new cell companies! Wish I would have bought Amazon then! Clients or pitches included Marconi, CDW Computer Discount Warehouse, Mindspring, Cingular, BellSouth, Interland. Eric was always on the hunt and really stayed on top of all the new brands emerging. He may have even been featured in Fast Company if memory serves. A very exciting time. Until 9/11 which shook everybody's world.

I was downsized after that. Fell into marketing for a real estate firm. I always thought of real estate advertising as super cookie cutter, but was willing to do it. I needed a job!

So that is how I ended up in real estate. I never set out to be "one of them." I was way too cool for that. haha! Never in my wildest dreams, but for my niche with estates and horse farms I was well suited. With over 200 transactions, I guess I did ok!

Here are a few haphazard clippings, copies and letters I saved from this illustrious time in my life!