My First Month
In short:
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More detailed:
I’ve been in NYC & working for a month now. And what a month it’s been. For those of you who don’t know, I’m working as Project Manager for VaynerMedia, a digital brand consulting company started by Gary & AJ Vaynerchuk. So what do we do? We consult for personal and consumer brands on how they can best promote themselves through the Internet. We focus on social media.
I could write paragraph after paragraph about why this month has been so great, but I think I’ll highlight a few specific points to show you why it’s been so special.
- Working with friends. I met AJ on the first day of school freshman year on the basketball courts. We’ve been friends ever since, even though I left Boston University after freshman year for the west coast. AJ told me to start reading blogs like TechCrunch & Mashable and to pay attention to that “scene.” So I did. I started reading and became engrossed. The Internet is something we all use on a daily basis, but it became a passion of mine. I love what I do. But I love it even more because I’m surrounded by friends. Not just AJ, but Gary, and the rest of the VaynerMedia team. Working with people you feel comfortable with and respect creates an unbelievable environment. I’m excited to go in to work everyday. Not everyone is lucky enough to be able to work with friends, but I highly recommend it if you can.
- The Internet is an #awesomeparty that never ends. There’s a back story to this phrase that’s not really worth explaining. Simply put, being a part of this industry is inspiring & incredibly exciting. It’s impossible to keep up with everything going on in this space. I read a ton, believe me, but I miss out on things. The industry is always changing and growing, innovation happens every single second. It’s truly incredible, and it’s because of all of you! The people in this space are creative, smart, and inherently social. I’ve already made dear friends (my SXSW people, you know who you are) and look forward to making many more. It’s amazing what I’ve learned so far from each of you and how much more there is to learn.
- The VMPPL. If you know me at all, you know that I love sports, or anything competitive for that matter. Good thing the VaynerMedia office is full of similar people. We’ve been playing a lot of ping pong lately, and we’re starting the VaynerMedia Ping Pong league, complete with an official Twitter account and stat sheet (wins, losses, points per game, points against, even strength of schedule). It’s ridiculous, but it’s exactly what makes me happy.
- I LOVE NY. There’s just a lot happening here. It’s a cool city, a place where I’ve always wanted to live. I really liked my time out west, but LA is big and hard to navigate without a car. All you need here is a monthly subway pass and you’re good to go. The city is crowded and fast-paced, just how I like it. With so many different cultures, New York truly is a melting pot. I love my $4 gyros from the vendor at 61st and broadway. I love the very talented musicians who perform day in and day out in the subways. I love people watching as I walk through the streets. And I love how most things are way overpriced (not really). I’ve got a whole ton more to explore here, and I look forward to it.
So that’s my one month update. Life is good. I really can’t complain, apart from missing the people I love. That’s definitely an issue.
If you’re reading this and we haven’t talked in a while, let me know how you’re doing. Find me on facebook or twitter. Email me (sam@samtaggart.com). Send me an IM. Anything… If I don’t know you, feel free to contact me in the same ways and let me know how you’re doing as well. Let me know what you thought of this post, what you think of samtaggart.com, or tell me a joke.
