The Wonderfulness of Being a Voice

Being an NMGZ community member has provided me with endless opportunities to grow and be a voice in the world of advertising, marketing, and more. Attending the Los Angeles field trip last year was the most rewarding and eye-opening experience. Being able to connect with people from all over the world and collaborate with ambitious individuals has taught me so much about myself and what I want to be in the world. All the companies we visited were amazing in sharing insight, background, and knowledge that will forever stick with me; however, one company, in particular, made me want to embrace my opinions and feel like I have a voice in this world--The Wonderful Company.

The POM team had come together to discuss something that is part of our everyday lives: health, wellness, and food. We explored how we shop, what we look for in foods, how it's portrayed on social media, and tons of other topics. This reminded me of a strategic focus group. The idea of being someone executives were eager to learn from was meaningful and fulfilling. Being a young person with only a college education, it can be difficult to navigate, and we can, at times, feel like our opinions are not being taken seriously because we do not have that “real-world experience” in a sense. However, being able to sit down with these executives made me feel like I was a part of this creative process and that my opinions and experiences were being implemented in new strategies for the company.

To be heard is empowering and an ultimate realization of “ I can do this”! This specific experience that only lasted around an hour ultimately inspired me not to be afraid to share input, and what I have to say is valuable to those who are curious to learn more from a different perspective. An encounter like this was precisely what an NMGZ member's purpose is, and it was a WONDERFUL journey overall.

There was so much passion, drive, and ambition cultivated through this trip that will go beyond just a few days in Los Angeles. Overall, This trip shaped my perspective and taught me how important my voice is in a marketing setting and the world.