Full Circle

After graduating from the University of Florida in December of 1994 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising I found myself back in Sarasota looking for my first “real” job. Since age 14 I had worked in several retail and restaurant jobs, but after college I was ready to begin my career.

I pounded the pavement for nine months. I mailed dozens of resumes to companies all over the country. I answered every sales, marketing and general employment ad in the local newspaper that had any kind of appeal. I went on numerous interviews – from positions in graphic design (which is what I wanted to do) to various administrative roles just hoping to get my foot in the door.

It wasn’t until I asked my father to help me write a cover letter when I finally landed a job in my field. The advertisement was for a marketing manager so he suggested my cover letter basically say, “Yes, I know I don’t have any experience so pay me less.”

That got their attention so they called me in for an interview. I cut my hair (it was still ponytail-long from my college days), put on a suit and tie, and pitched my book that was limited to samples of my work from college. Then in August of 1995 the Construction Estimating Institute of America hired me as a marketing manager in training.

What followed was a 15-year-career marketing estimating software to contractors. But the point of this brief trip down memory lance is we have come full circle. Since starting Milestone is 2009, we have done some off-and-on contract work for the Institute, but earlier this year they became one of our retainer accounts.

Now we’re updating their company logo, we’re going to redesign all of their collateral materials, and we’re about to begin a big consolidation project to update and organize their half-a-dozen websites. Isn’t it funny how some things change and others stay the same? 

Until next week,

Matthew Anderson, President
Milestone Marketing Associates, Inc.