We were lucky to catch up with Taylor Stucker recently and have shared our conversation below.

Taylor, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I’ve been fortunate enough in my career to work in marketing roles that exist outside of both the traditional textbook definitions and the marketing sales funnel. While I believe a traditional education is important for laying a foundation, doing the work and gaining real-world experience is even more beneficial. I learned the ins and outs of branding, creativity, events, and marketing by doing all the small little tasks. Over and over again.

I had the unique opportunity to be hands-on when I began my career as Marketing Coordinator at 900 Shops a decade ago. I put in countless hours sitting in rooms and attending meetings unavailable to most 22-year-olds. But the best way to speed up the learning process is by slowing down. When you miss the small stuff, higher-ups don’t want to let you try the big stuff. It’s like trying to open a door without finishing the chores in the room you are currently in. Patience and an eye for detail only opens the next door. I was always so quick to take on the next big challenge rather than staying grounded in the present. I actually created more mental barriers and hurdles to climb over because I forgot to appreciate the hard work right in front of me. With experience comes wisdom, and I feel that not only have I hit my stride, but that I’m running free and easy, enjoying all the sights and sounds along the way.

The best part of what I do in my weird world of marketing is that I am constantly learning. If I had to create a secret sauce recipe for success, the ingredients would come in the form of skills:
-2 rolled-up sleeves
-POUNDS of teamwork
-Pinch of striving for perfection
-Sometimes there is never enough butter – in this case, there is never enough good spirits.
-ZERO ego
-And the Secret ingredient: figuring out what makes you happiest in your job and making it your expertise.

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 love for marketing, events, creativity, and PR has been with me from the beginning. I quickly learned I wasn’t capable of promoting or telling stories about something I wouldn’t personally consume. Blurring the lines between personal and professional lifestyles has allowed me to immerse myself in each role I have had in my career.

Working for 900 North Michigan Shops provides an edge to retail marketing because the shopping center is privately owned. Working for the building’s owners allows me to see all facets of the business — from engineering, security, cleaning, asset management, and more. The 67-story mix-use building is quite the big ship to steer as it houses not only a coveted collection of luxe retailers but also: The Canopy digital art installation, Aster Hall Food Hall, Equinox, Four Seasons Hotel, Private Residences, Tower Offices, and a Surgical Center. The way teams collaborate cross-departmentally is a force of beauty and quite special to watch in action.

When working with our collection of retailers, our team works tirelessly across all departments, which is why leasing with 900 Shops is so special. The marketing team has the freedom and desire to address each store’s individual needs, and we treat small business owners with the same respect we treat corporate ones. Additionally, we put on signature events throughout the year such as Illuminate 900, our annual tree lighting ceremony. This brings out over 2,000 attendees where 100% of proceeds benefit Make-A-Wish Illinois. With minute-to-minute performances from arts centers across the city for the duration of the two-hour event, it is truly our holiday love letter to Chicago.

I am personally most proud of the team that makes up this building. We all work with ‘blinders off’ and an ‘own it’ attitude. It is certainly uncommon for people to walk into work every day and feel like they are at home. But we do, and that is what makes 900 Shops so unique and treasured. It is truly an urban oasis where community is built and creativity flourishes.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

900 Shops is special because our team possesses a “boots on the ground” mentality. Every day, we walk the halls and corridors, checking in with shops, talking with small business owners, listening to their success stories, and offering assistance when they need help problem-solving. All of us, myself included, are uncompromising in our efforts to create a seamless alignment between retail and hospitality. We work very hard with all business owners to create a luxurious guest experience while cultivating a sense of community. Simply calling us a mall would be short-sighted. We are a lifestyle center that serves as an urban oasis, an escape from the city where people can experience a carefully curated collection of tastemakers and trendsetters you’ll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.

I also believe the secret sauce that has brought us a loyal following is our commitment to building relationships. And not just with 900 Shops clients but with small businesses, artists, and entrepreneurs throughout the entire city. We pride ourselves in cultivating a local lifestyle, and a sense of community that makes 900 Shops a way of life for Chicagoland residents and tourists alike looking for an iconic experience in an elegant setting. We frequently host events meant to show our appreciation to both our clients and customers, such as our magical Santa giving out custom toys to children around the holidays. We provide five-star hotel level service, while making sure we speak to the varying ranges within our audience. In short, we strive to be welcoming and approachable to all while radiating an enticing energy that beckons people to enjoy life’s’ simple pleasures and experience some of the finer things in life.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I used to believe, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” However, anything you love requires hard work, attention to detail, and a desire to evolve.

I think many people in the early days of their careers can’t see the gray area in this saying. You can love what you do AND need to work hard to maintain it. Loving your job doesn’t mean that you are poolside half the time. Loving your job means lifting the boxes, putting in the hours, and doing the “chores” so you can appreciate the glamorous side of it all. You don’t get to the top of the mountain by calling it quits every day at 5pm or complaining on your way up while making sure you never break a nail. Like any healthy relationship, it requires lots of love and a willingness to put in the work.

None of us are entitled to love what we do, leaving many of us spending years thinking, “Why, oh, why am I not happier!?” During my first chapter at 900, I WORKED hard. Very hard. And my hard work over the years left me feeling restless and longing for more. So I achieved it. I left Chicago, moved to New York City, weathered the storm of losing my job to the pandemic, worked some other jobs I didn’t love but gained valuable insight from, felt uneasy about the journey at times, but maintained a “keep on keeping on” mentality until an opportunity arose for me to come home to 900 Shops. From this process, I realized that all that hard work years ago is what built my “home.” All my deep pride, appreciation, and “soul-set-on-fire” feelings came from work. I will always work hard so I can love what I do. Entering 900 Shops every day has become my favorite hobby.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shop900.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/900shops
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/900shops
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/900shops
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/900shops