My time at American General Media

Stepping into American General Media's Albuquerque office, I entered an unfamiliar landscape within my family's business, confronted by leadership gaps and a new industry: advertising sales. Without a formal mentor, I embraced this challenge as an immediate immersion into self-directed learning and rapid adaptation.

My initial sales presentations were formative, quickly teaching me the nuances of client engagement. My relentless work ethic, combined with a natural aptitude for compelling storytelling from my academic background, allowed me to forge early connections. Clients consistently recognized the significant effort I invested in crafting their campaigns, and these efforts translated into measurable success, earning trust and solidifying early partnerships. A particularly rewarding moment was guiding a local family-owned convenience store in introducing a highly successful "local products" section – an early demonstration of translating client needs into impactful advertising strategies.

As I deepened my understanding of the operation, I identified a critical systemic inefficiency: a pervasive lack of standardized pricing, leading to internal conflict and inconsistent revenue. Recognizing this not as a problem, but as an opportunity for strategic improvement, I took the initiative to unite the sales team. Through collaborative discussions, we analyzed diverse client needs, evaluated various discounting models, and balanced inventory levels against profitability targets. The outcome was the development and implementation of a comprehensive rate card – a solution that brought clarity, fostered team cohesion, and fundamentally transformed our sales process. This single initiative empowered our reps, including myself, to confidently price campaigns on the first visit, significantly streamlining operations and contributing directly to the company's financial health during my three years there. My time in Albuquerque was a practical masterclass in building a cohesive, profitable sales operation from the ground up, driven by analytical problem-solving and decisive leadership.

 My tenure in Durango, Colorado, marked a significant step into broader leadership, accepting the dual role of General Manager and Sales Manager for our company's market. Inheriting a troubled office, I was immediately tasked with a high-stakes mandate: launch a new FM radio station within an ambitious eight-month FCC deadline, simultaneously establishing two new community events and prioritizing online ad sales.

This challenge became a profound exercise in project management and strategic execution. For the new radio station, I meticulously mapped out the launch sequence, identifying and mitigating bottlenecks like snow-covered mountain access for critical equipment – even negotiating creative solutions, leveraging our ad inventory for specialized vehicle rentals. I led the build-out of a new studio and spearheaded the branding of "The Point," an 80s/90s music station, defining its unique hybrid format and integrated online presence to resonate with our target demographic.

Equally impactful was my work in community engagement and brand building through events. While one event, "The Mac n Cheese Festival," tested every facet of my crisis management skills—including relocating hundreds of attendees up a mountain road with less than 24 hours' notice due to a burst sprinkler—it showcased my ability to navigate unforeseen variables and deliver results under extreme pressure. In contrast, "Oktoberfest Durango" became a tremendous success, a testament to strategic partnership and community synergy. I acquired the event for $1, then shrewdly negotiated exclusive partnerships with five local breweries, ensuring their participation by aligning their interests with ours. This focus on local sourcing and community-driven promotion transformed it into a highly profitable event, profoundly re-establishing our company's standing and credibility within the community.

During my two years in Durango, I successfully launched the new station, overhauled and trained an entirely new sales team, and restored all existing stations to profitability. My leadership extended to redesigning all station websites and logos, and implementing a new social media strategy that significantly enhanced our digital footprint. This experience was a masterclass in comprehensive market leadership, combining aggressive growth initiatives with deep community integration and unwavering operational resilience.