The Singing Salesman is Born

In June of 2010, my professional path was so undeniably clear in front of me. I had just graduated from University of Florida's New World School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Music and was steadfast in my resolve to pursue a career in opera.

I had decided to take a year off before applying to grad schools (which was either a blessing or a curse), which would allow me to save money, take lessons, do gigs, and develop as a performer. I had (and still have) a voice teacher that I was excited to work with, I had a supportive household, but I just needed to find a way to save more money.

At the time, I was working at the Gap as a sales associate and, while not the most illustrious role, it paid the bills. For someone, who at the time, was living at home and whose lessons & coachings were all covered in their tuition- they were miniscule.

In my job search, which at the time was limited mainly to Craigslist (yuck)- I found a job fair for a company called FOH Inc. for customer service positions. So- let me back up to provide some insight into my meager experience up to this point. I joined the working class slinging ice cream at Coldstone Creamery, I then traded in my lactose stained apron to work at Old Navy. From there- I worked as a call center agent for the McClatchy company- selling newspapers and, in a dwindling market, trying to convince people NOT to cancel their subscriptions. Inevitably, that role was outsourced to the Philipinnes. I took my $800 severance check (at the time it felt like $800,000) and sought out another job, which proved challenging (looking back at my resume at that time, I wouldn't have hired me either). Despertately, I took a job at Equinox as a front desk person AND was started working at the Gap. Eventually, I quit Equinox- and by quit I mean I just stopped showing up (which I feel really bad about still. Sorry, Equinox!) and was happily employed at the Gap, spending what little of a paycheck I had on clothes every damn week.

OK. Are you with me? So I here I am at this job fair thinking I'm TOP shit because I have a degree.... in music. No B2B experience, no experience working in an office, but cute AF. My soon to be boss, though, Jennifer Gomez saw something in me and a few weeks later I was hired.

I won't bore anyone with my ascent up the corporate ladder. As I ascended, though, I put more energy and focus into my role with FOH and less on singing.