We recently connected with Jacqueline Alston and have shared our conversation below.

Jacqueline, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

Knowing what I know now, I definitely wish I went after more internships/fellowships in my college days and early career that were centered on learning the marketing, branding and advertising world through the lens of talent agencies, experiential production companies or record labels. My lack of confidence and addiction to perfectionism stood in my way; because of that, I was not a natural risk taker. Strategy and planning are my go-to tactics. Gratefully, I am in positions and projects that have allowed me to learn as I go and open an unbelievable amount of doors. Now, I’m more equipped with how to pivot, grow and scale my career — and more confident than I have ever been.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My former title is Chief of Staff at Broccoli City, but on a grand scale I manage a variety of projects, executives, brands, and people across the entertainment industry. I learned the basics of event planning from freelance opportunities as a teenager and college student. Early on, I knew that I did not like being the major “face” of anything; it’s just not my innate personality, and I can now see that as a good thing. I am fierce and fun on the outside – but naturally I love my solitude so I can focus on the details and resolve knowledge gaps.

I learned how to work with high stake clients, lead a team and curate a project through my first corporate job in tech consulting for almost 6 years. Coming from a non-traditional background, my secret weapons were my passion for thorough communications and commitment to learning the art of a team and the true vision of a client. I honestly thought I would have a long-term career there — salary was high, I loved my colleagues and I was on my way up the corporate ladder. Personally, that job enabled me to buy a car, purchase my dream home, and work on side projects and jobs in film, live music and creative events that aligned with my master’s degree. I worked with entities such as Disney, Meta, and HOORAE and found mentors that took chances on me, including one that pitched my name to Broccoli City. I was preparing to be bi-coastal in Los Angeles so that I could follow my “big Hollywood dream” while working in tech, and then I experienced a layoff that interrupted my entire plan (and honestly, for the better).

I truly found my calling in being behind the scenes regardless of the title – Chief of Staff, brand partnerships manager, artist liaison, assistant, mentor, etc. I am usually the glue, the problem solver and the “get things done” person across a variety of teams, and I am now embracing that this is who I was always created to be and what sets me apart. As I get older, I am seeking to make my rest match my resiliency.

I am proud of my village – my family, friends and teams who are on this journey with me. Life is truly a marathon and not a sprint, and I want us to all to win, learn, evolve and thrive – not just survive.

Any advice for managing a team?

It’s highly important establish a work culture and creed. Set a certain tone and ethos from the beginning so that you can level set expectations.

You have to truly care about people — not just the role they play in your company and in your life but who they are as a person. When is their birthday? How do they prefer to be communicated to — text, phone or email? Are they social or more quiet? Do they have young children? Are they a caregiver? What’s their work style? The list can go on. A lot of people think those things don’t matter in the beginning, but it truly does when you are depending on a variety of people to execute their roles efficiently and effectively. You don’t have to go overboard in people’s personal business, but knowing just enough to be able to connect with people interpersonally is actually how the big business gets done. Lastly, be open to hard conversations and waves of change. Find a good balance of being both firm and fluid.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The memories are top notch. When the show or event is over, it’s rewarding to see the constructive feedback from a fan, brand partner, family, or friend. To add, all the planning meetings and random link ups with teams feel crazy in the thick of it but you know it will be worth it eventually. Equal to that are the mistakes and hard lessons – live production is harder than it looks, and you won’t always get things right. But you have to keep moving, growing and becoming the best version of yourself.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missjackiea/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-l-alston-ma-3248a1126/

Image Credits

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