In July, I started a new full-time job as a Digital Project Manager. Sanctuary Marketing Group—the work is good and the people are rad—check it out! One of my co-workers was very involved in the Northeast Ohio chapter of AMA, The American Marketing Association. He knew that I had a small photography business and asked if I would be interested in volunteering once their current volunteer photographer was done. “Of course,” I said. I couldn’t think of a better way to hone my skills than just putting myself out there!

Here are some of the event’s I’ve shot since I began volunteering:

October – Murder Mystery

My first AMA event was a murder mystery at Clevelander Bar & Grill. The group was divided into teams, then was given clues and a half hour to solve the murder!

November – Lunch & Learn: Sean Flaherty, EVP Strategy at ITX Corporation

Press Wine Bar in Tremont hosted AMA over lunch. Sean Flaherty talked about creating brand advocates through technology. He gave insight into building inspired audiences, and even showed up the data to back it up! (And marketers LOVE data!)

December – Merry Mingle

The Merry Mingle was a charity networking event in collaboration with AAF-Akron, NSME, NEOCC, PRSA and ATHENA Akron. Advertisers, marketers and many vendors gave their time and talents to support Not Wasted, a job skills training program that seeks to give those who were previously incarcerated a fresh start. Not Wasted upcycles materials and creates hand-crafted products, available for purchase. Thanks to Musica for hosting us all!

January – Sales and Marketing: You Can Get Along

Matt West, Senior Vice President of Marketing at DOMO, spoke about the different goals of sales and marketing within an organization, and how to leverage each group to create a cohesive brand experience for your clients. This talk had a great Q&A session where marketers shared their personal experiences and other marketers offered advice or past successes.

February – Big Game Ad Review

Okay, so the Big Game Review is kind of legendary. When you ask a bunch of marketers to watch commercials and then react, big things happen! This seems to be everyone’s favorite event of the year – so there was a lot of hype going in. It definitely didn’t disappoint. A panel of marketing professionals rate and critique the highest-rated commercials from the Super Bowl, then the group votes and picks a winner. This year’s winner was Bai! Editor’s note: Justin Timberlake and Christopher Walken—obviously!

March – Lunch & Learn: Spencer Hansen, Creative Director at Spotify

This event was hosted at Tangier in Akron. Spencer Hansen captivated us with his journey from a freelance artist to being a Creative Director at Spotify. He shared his favorite commercials, his biggest bumps along the way and a whole lot of laughs!

March – Marketing Mingle

Back for its second year, the Marketing Mingle was a hit! Seven moderators hosted tables with specific marketing conversations. For each round, marketers had 20 minutes to discuss the topic and ask questions. The event ended with drinks, appetizers and networking!

I’ve learned so much already, and my journey is far from over. Part of the reason I joined AMA was to build a presence for my photography business. I know event photography isn’t the most glamorous angle for photographers but it gives me practice shooting in groups, editing and promoting myself as a small-business owner! My future goals with AMA are to:

• Fulfill my year of volunteerism on the Communications team

• Get the guts to promote my business through an elevator presentation at an upcoming event (tips, anyone?)

• Brainstorm with the awesome marketers within the organization to come up with creative ideas to push my brand

If you’re interested in marketing, check out AMA NEO and get involved!