The second in our series of recent graduate spotlights is 2018 grad, Amber Hallmann. Amber triple majored in Entrepreneurship, Interactive Media Studies, and Marketing and is now a Client Engagement Specialist at Quicksilver Studios in Chicago. She previously worked at The Garage Group as an Associate Innovation and Growth Strategist. During her time in Entrepreneurship at Miami, Amber led Igoodea and WCIW, participated in Startup Weekend many times, interned through the Altman Internship program, and now serves as an advisory board member for WCIW. Today, Amber shares with us some of her favorite experiences in ESP and lessons from the working world.
Tell us a little about your role; what do you do day-to-day?
My role is a hybrid of account management and marketing so my day to day is never the same, but usually involves many different forms of marketing. I am responsible for bringing in new business as well as engaging with current clients and enhancing their experience. Some days I am physically at networking events and in-person meetings while others I work more on the background; writing content, updating our website and social media pages, emailing prospects and sitting in on pitches. A big part of our business is branding so I make our brand and messaging consistent across all our assets and our company. Some of my days are spent ensuring we build out an entire identity by ideating and iterating on who we are, what we do, and why we do it.
What experiences through the Entrepreneurship program prepared you for your role and the professional world?
Oh gosh, so many! Creating brand identities, business model innovation, facilitating ideation sessions, and having real-world internships are just some of the ESP program experiences which prepared me. Startup Weekend comes to mind as a game changer from an exposure to business models standpoint. The team you work on but also all the types of business you are exposed to allow you to better understand the business and potential ways you can scale. We are scaling at Quicksilver right now and that has been very useful. Igoodea and WCIW prepared me the most from an anything and everything aspect. Thinking outside of the box, leadership, organization management, negotiations, and the list continues. Those two experiences really taught me how to think on my feet, be a team member, and make things happen. Those are the skills you really need in any role. Oh! And internships! The way ESP does internships is unlike any other. I learned how to work in many different situations with different people and on meaningful projects with the support of my professors, which was such an awesome opportunity.
What skills did you gain from ESP that you have continued to use after graduation?
Personal branding comes to mind first. Creating and developing my personal brand was so important and those lessons directly carried over to my new role developing clients’ brands and Quicksilver as a company. In ESP, I not only had the opportunity to create my own personal brand and learn the tools of doing so, but I was also able to run innovation sessions for Igoodea and guests of ESP. These real-world opportunities and experiences (which you should always say yes to) gave me so many soft and hard skills that I still use every day. In client sessions now, I even hear faculty members repeating cues such as “read the room”.
What about the transition to the professional world was surprising or challenging?
Honestly, I would have felt so much less prepared if it weren’t for the real-world projects and thinking that ESP prepared us for (I’ve actually had friends in other majors say how they wished they took an ESP class so they would have learned some of the things I did). There were not many surprising things but even when there was, I could pick up the phone and at least one of the ESP professors was there to offer advice or guidance on how to handle the situation. Challenging… yes, I mean who isn’t challenged after graduation. It is important that people know it is challenging to start a new job, find your place, move to a big city and so many other transitions, but that you aren’t alone. Everyone has times like this but if you really made an effort during your time in the ESP program, you already know you can call on any student or faculty member in that family for support. The program is real-world for a reason, the lessons you learn and people you meet don’t just disappear after graduation.
What advice would you give underclassmen in the ESP program?
Do everything. You won’t regret taking the harder class, doing Startup Weekend multiple times, going to office hours, or even just sitting in the conference room and meeting random people. Take advantage of the professors and older students who push you. Cutting corners isn’t going to teach you anything, so go interview the 20 people for class. You will get better at it every time and you will be even more prepared when you need to meet with clients for the first time. Lastly, ask questions, ask to help, ask to do more, ask to sit it in on a conversation, just ask and they will help make it happen. The worst answer you will get is “no” and trust me, most of the time anyone in the ESP hallway will never tell you “no”.
Does any memory stick out to you from your time in Entrepreneurship?
Oh wow, one fond memory? There are too many, but most of them happened in that hallway. I met my best friends in the conference room. Late nights ideating, working on projects, eating snacks during Startup Weekend, and so many more. We all might be a little weird, but we all work hard and know what it takes and support each other. The memories and friendships I made are still some of my dearest and I wish we were all in that conference room every Wednesday, not spread across the country.
Interviewee: Amber Hallmann. Interviewer: Maryanne Smith.