Today we’d like to introduce you to Arianna Hosinski.
Hi Arianna, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future; Proverbs 31:25
I know it is impeccably cheesy to start my story with a quote – a bible verse, nonetheless – but you will very soon understand. My story begins at a young age but has shaped me into who I am now in the most beautiful way. I won’t talk about being an entrepreneur at the age of 3, seeing as most of us solely remember our favorite teddy bear we couldn’t leave the house with, not the singing, dancing, modeling, and acting career we pursued. But in case you were wondering, I know my bear was named Beary super original. I have been in my beautiful, crazy industry for approximately 22 years. I’d love to say I found this work alone, but like any normal toddler, I had a wonderfully elaborate “momager” by my side. For as long as I can remember, my mom not only had me in dance, pageants, and acting classes but also found agencies for me to work through to start as young as possible. I mentioned the start of my career being a toddler because it truly was just that. By the age of 15, I was signed in cities such as Detroit, Santa Monica, and Chicago, to name a few – as well as recording in famous studios and training with highly recognized vocal coaches. I think there was even a music video in there somewhere. Not only did I get my looks, skills, sense of networking, work ethic, and motivation from my beautiful mother, but not her voice, but let’s not go there. I had my mother’s nearly undivided attention as she worked to instill a sense of independence, adaptability, and full capability to take on whatever I put my mind to, especially in an industry such as mine. I am grateful for all this and can guarantee I would not be who I am without her by my side. Mom, if you’re reading this, you’re welcome. I’m only kidding; thank you for being the first to believe in me the way you have and continue to stick by my side.
Now the reason I began with such a quote as the one above is simple. This was by far my biggest mindset and inspiration as I grew. I have built a backbone within this industry that you cannot succeed without, and my faith within myself and my journey have been clear, even when it wasn’t. At the age of 17, I moved from Detroit to Chicago. This was my first year finding and booking my work in a new city and attending Columbia College Chicago for Contemporary Music and Music Business. Luckily for me, I had my very first start in Detroit, switching from print modeling and singing to a little thing called Experiential Marketing. Little did I know how very far this would take me. It does stem from there. I never thought I’d thank Chevrolet for anything. This will be funny later on. From my first job as a Brand Ambassador, I began to learn about the world of Experiential Marketing. Seriously, this work is a fountain of youth. I always call it the industry no one knows how to get into, but once you’re in, you’ve entered a world of opportunity and beautiful people. The excitement of working freelance for well-known companies in large cities, making great money, meeting the most amazing people, and having fun kept me active. Once I reached the age of 21, the fun truly began. Aside from Chevy, I now have Corona to thank as well. Once again, follow me on this one. Enter stage right beverage/alcohol promotions. Now that we are of age, the name Brand Marketing Specialist starred on my resume. I have worked with my client Constellation Brands (Corona, Modelo, Pacifico, etc.) for nearly five years, managing promotions in bars and summer programs and working in agencies on the beer team. This is about the time I learned just how fun marketing could be, specifically on the Bev/alc side. There are so many opportunities in the world of Experiential Marketing anywhere from starting as a Brand Ambassador such, as I did, working your way into fancier titles such as Product Specialist, Brand Marketing Specialist, and Program Manager. And if you get tired of being in the field, or you love managing such as I do, eventually making your way back to an agency as an Account Manager, etc., and yes, being in an office on a beer team is as much fun as it sounds. No, that’s not sarcasm. Essentially, the drive behind my career has been and always will be to “work smarter, not harder.” There it is, another cheesy quote for you since we can’t get into this story without another one. Now I always call myself the American Dream – blonde, trucks, and beer. Feel free to laugh at this. It is a joke, although a seemingly true one. Let’s go back a bit and explain the other half of my career, the other half of this American dream. As I previously mentioned, I started this experiential career with Chevrolet back in Detroit at the youngest age possible. This is where I first learned of the product specialist role, which is only slightly different from the beer team – trade the beer for vehicles. I will never forget the absolute hottest day possible at the Royal Oak Dream Cruise – my fellow Detroiters will understand – where I had the realization of such an exciting career. The Product Specialists on the Chevy team taught me about their life of luxury on a team traveling with all their closest friends, making great paychecks, hotels, flights, and clothing provided. This job allows you to be on the microphone stage in front of entire Auto Shows all around the country. To some, this may be terrifying, but to me, I knew I just had to be on a team. Throughout college, I worked freelance working any experiential events possible for years of experience, networking, agencies, etc. This included my liquor promotions, agency experience, and any local Auto Shows I could get my hands on. Upon graduating college, I worked at the Chicago Auto Show and auditioned for a team with my manager soon after. A few weeks later, they sent me an offer letter. Now I did this the right way – yes, my mother approved.
Any guesses? That’s right; I’m a Ford girl. (See, now this is funny). Regardless of the friendly feud between brands, I am beyond grateful for the Product Specialists that were kind enough to introduce me to my career without knowing. Being a part of my Ford team has changed my life in ways I never imagined. I have made the closest friends I have ever had, experienced new cities weekly, and become the Narrator and Emcee. I could only dream of, and yes, I learned more about vehicles than the average man. That part’s a bonus, a hilarious one at that. So now we’re finally at the most recent stage of this story; remember my mentioning of Corona? It’s not only because I can thoroughly enjoy a cold beer on a warm day at the Dream Cruise where it all started. I am now Account Manager for Upshot in the city I love the most, working fully remote with a dream client – Constellation Brands. My work has come full circle, and I could not be happier. By age 25, I have accomplished more than I thought possible, and somehow my resume still fits on one page. It’s tough, but I did it. I officially have both jobs I have ever dreamt of, and I live with my beautiful Miniature Australian Shepherd. I rescued them from an awful situation to give her the life she deserves, but she saved me. Here we are with another cheesy line, but this is the last, I promise. Even with the current situation I have ultimately been so blessed with, I look to the future to expand and grow as much as remotely possible. I plan on continuing my travels, making new memories, meeting everyone on my path, and enjoying the beautiful life I have been given. No career is easy, regardless of how exciting it may be. I have learned to be reliable and trustworthy, stand up when no one else will, and be willing to learn and open to constructive criticism, no matter how difficult it is to hear. More importantly, be grateful, be kind, and none other than your true, authentic self. Find your strength, laugh without fear, and enjoy the ride. Life is all too beautiful to settle.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Aside from my efforts from a young age, there is a surprising fact that many may not be aware of. I previously mentioned my experience dancing, singing, acting, modeling, and yadda. I left out the crucial years where all of that stopped in between. At 13, I was diagnosed with something called Hip Dysplasia. You may recognize this term if you’re lucky enough to have a Shepherd of any sort. It’s completely okay; I’m not offended by being compared to a dog. I was diagnosed with severe dysplasia in both hips that immediately required emergency surgery. At that age, this was terrifying. I since then have had 8 hip surgeries over a few years. That consisted of years of endless hospital visits, on and off crutches, relearning how to walk, not being able to work out, go out with friends, and pain anywhere from a five to ten, out of ten, at all times. This was by far the most challenging thing I have ever experienced, and it has taken me until now to be at my healthiest as far as my weight, physical strength, and pain are finally below a five out of ten. When I mentioned being grateful, I was not kidding. Grateful is by far an understatement.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Well, the “long story short” answer to this question – Experiential Marketing. I am currently working as an Account Manager for Upshot in the beautiful city of Chicago and travel for Ford to Auto Shows across the nation as a Narrator and Product Specialist.
In case you’re wondering, Experiential Marketing is exactly as it sounds – utilizing marketing to create an experience for the consumer. This starts with a simple thought and takes a village to execute something truly wonderful. Think of Lollapalooza, International Auto Shows, or even when you were at a bar and saw someone passing out samples of a new beverage and informing you all about it – regardless of if you know the name Corona or not.
I am beyond proud of my endeavors. The amount of experience I have on my resume for my age is impressive, even to myself. Simply a “Jack of all trades, master of none” situation. Now I’m not typically the one to brag, but if you’re not boasting about yourself, who will?
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I’d say I am proud of my ability from a young age to take on so much more than my job title and always do it with a smile. That is the most important part – people may remember your efforts, ideas, and work ethic, but your attitude is what they will remember most. Leaving a lasting impression is more crucial than many understand. That has boosted my career so fast – being unafraid to get my hands dirty, stepping out of my comfort zone, and making endless friendships and contacts. I’ve truly thought about what my colleagues would say to explain to me in a given situation, and I have confirmed that it is something along the lines of the short blonde with a loud voice constantly smiling and laughing. I will take it. No, I am not laughing to myself in a corner; that would be creepy. But I take pride in being the person to bring life into my job, a smile to everyone’s face, and making work feel like less of a chore. Even in this industry, especially working with the public, sometimes you have to laugh.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arianna.alyse/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arianna.hosinski/
