Hi there! 👋 I'm Amber Livingston, Marketing Manager at Smartcar. I wanted to share how I shaped my career in marketing by moving across the country after college. I hope this post is able to help anyone tinkering with the idea of doing something new or out of their comfort zone in order to go after their goals.
I started my marketing journey at Florida State University (FSU), studying media and communications — and like most college students, I had no idea what life was going to look like after those four years. But, I knew I loved social media and that I was interested in its influence over modern society’s decision-making and behavior.
I found myself growing more curious, thinking about questions like, "How will people feel when they see this image?” or “How will others react after reading this caption over another?"
One question led to another, and then another, and finally, it led me to an opportunity to pursue research at FSU's Cognition and Emotion Lab, studying the effects of media on the brain. By the time I joined the lab, I was certain about exploring a future in advertising, social media, or marketing, specifically in industries that had anything to do with health and wellness, fitness, cars, and technology.
These industries piqued my interest because I grew up observing and understanding how each shaped my personal experiences and the experiences of those around me.
Health and fitness is a passion of mine that I meticulously dedicate my time to — from looking up healthy recipes and experimenting with different workouts, you name it. As for cars, I grew up in a family that enjoyed the adrenaline of watching fast cars and being on a track. My dad introduced me to his passion for cars by taking me along with him — from go-karting to watching car races.
Fast forward years later and here I am writing this blog post — and as you can tell, I managed to pursue the career I envisioned.
Being a marketing manager at Smartcar, a tech startup in an exciting industry that I’ve grown to love is something my younger self would be proud to see.
My Smartcar journey
I first heard about Smartcar on LinkedIn when Mathilde, our Head of HR, invited me to grab coffee with Smartcar’s Chief Barketing Officer, Napa the Yorkie. I mean, it was hard to say no to that.
That one meeting evolved into what has been an exciting and motivating next two years of my career, in which I’ve had the opportunity to learn and execute ideas and strategies for growing Smartcar's brand, events, and communication channels. Whether it's implementing marketing automation tools to better our tech stack, working with innovative founders and product owners on joint events, or hosting webinars for hundreds of engaged attendees, I’m consistently growing as a marketer and team player by overcoming new challenges and achieving new successes.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been over two years already, but it has been incredible to see how much growth and success Smartcar has undergone since my first few days here. We’ve raised our Series B financing, moved to a remote-first culture, and welcomed many new faces to the team. I'm grateful to be a part of this journey.
Working at Smartcar is a unique opportunity because every day looks slightly different, and presents new opportunities and challenges. But through it all, the balanced work culture and genuine support from everyone on the team is something that makes showing up every day feel valuable and exciting.
We're growing
I'm excited to share that we're hiring across many different departments! Learn about our open positions, interview process, and company values by visiting our careers page 💼
If you're curious about working in marketing at Smartcar, I am always here to help, and I'd be happy to connect with you.
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