Some people can’t hide how much they love their job; Emilee Warner, the voice of Country Music Television’s radio network is one of those people.

At 21, Emilee has graduated college, bought a house and found her way deep into the Nashville music scene, all
because she is a charming extrovert and, more importantly, a diehard fan of bluegrass. At 21, Emilee has accomplished a great deal of things. Her freshman year in college, where she studied marketing, Emilee founded a bluegrass radio show. By the time she graduated three years later, Emilee had already had two internships and three
jobs in the music business. The youngest to audition for her current position, Emilee won the job through sheer confidence and will power.

“If I could hug and kiss Nashville,” Emilee says, “I would. I love this town.”

Emilee has placed herself in the epicenter of the bluegrass world, an obvious choice for a fan and banjo player
such as herself. The lesson that Emilee has to teach everyone, even those many years her senior, is that extroversion is an incredibly powerful tool. “If you love music and you’re outside,” says Emilee, “You’re going to meet a lot of people.” And a lot of people Emilee has met, taking the Pursue the Passion crew to numerous concerts, parties and events within the bluegrass community. Emilee’s passion is for music, and could see herself doing just about anything in the music world.

“I’d love plain old marketing,” she says, with a grin. “As long as I’d be marketing good music.”

Bob Nanna, director of promotions and public relations for the Threadless t-shirt company, in Chicago, graduated from the University of Illinois, and then he went on tour. As a touring musician for twelve years, Bob did some excellent networking. So excellent, in fact, that it allowed a seasonal packaging position to become what he is doing today. Bob’s degree in communications and advertising, in his opinion, was never meant to actually support a career; it was simply the quickest way to get out of school, and onto the road. Yet, as fate would have it, his degrees now allow him expertise in a field in which he never saw himself working.

Bob’s story is an important one, because often touring musicians are not seen as people who integrate well into society, after their touring dreams have expired. In Bob’s case, however, he never would have been able to get to the position he has, without having gone on tour. He is able to work with bands, for promotions and contests, because he knows the bands, and is able to communicate more efficiently with them. Although parents may not enjoy their children being told to go on tour as a way to better their careers, they will like Bob’s advice to his 23-year-old self. “I would beat myself up, take my credit cards, and slash them up.”

Threadless t-shirts are designed by a community of users, based on an award program. They can be found at Threadless.com.p>

Rick Welts, president of the Phoenix Suns basketball organization, can be credited as partially responsible for making the NBA what it is today. In 1982, Rick, inspired by a Cracker Jack old timers baseball game, began to seek corporations to sponsor the NBA, which at the time was not the product that it is today. This search resulted in what is now called All-Star Weekend, a corporately sponsored weekend celebrating the storied history of the NBA, and rejuvenating the ABA tradition of the Dunk Contest. The resulting works established Rick as one of the innovators of the new brand that would become today’s NBA.

When asked for sports marketing advice, Rick speaks poignantly enough to merit block quotes.
“All the marketing in the world can only do one thing, which is shine a brighter light on your product. Now if the product can’t hold up to the scrutiny, it’s not a good idea.” And that scrutiny, Rick says, takes place in nothing short of a “fishbowl,” observed by a media far-evolved from the generally supportive beat reporters of the past. Rick has succeeded at his post, supporting one of the finest and most exciting franchises in
the country.

“People forget what makes them happy,” says Rick. “If you’re happy going to work each day, it’s probably a good start.”

After college, California author Rick Barrera found himself out of a job. Although he helped establish a store, under the tutelage of a retail marketing guru and mentor, and was well on his way to buying it, the opportunity instead went to the family of the owner. The son of a restaurateur, Rick set out to find a way to
communicate all that he had learned in his life, to the world in need of inspiration, and coaching in the tumultuous world of sales.

What came of his attempt are numerous books about scrupulous marketing, something Rick sees as lacking in today’s society.

“Integrity,” says Rick, “Is key to everything. It’s clarity of values, doing what you say you’re going to do.” Rick’s books offer his method of selling without misleading, gimmicks, or dishonesty. Rick focuses on a customer oriented sense of business, where seeing from the customer’s point of view is vital. Everything from the connotation of words used, to the empathy required to understand the
fickle choices of customers. When asked for advice to those searching for their path, Rick offers this: “Even if you don’t have financial success for some reason, make sure to enjoy every day of what you’re doing.”

Mark Starr, owner of David’s Pizza in Spokane, Washington, goes to work everyday to make a difference; success has been a pleasant byproduct. David’s Pizza sits adjacent to the campus of Gonzaga University, on the outskirts of a neighborhood of 3rd and 4th generation Spokane residents. The placement is fitting; Mark spends nearly all of his free time giving back to the community that sustains him. With a thriving catering business, in addition to the actual pizza parlor, Mark has empowered his employees to love the restaurant, and feel committed to what they represent. As part of this empowerment, Mark rewards good grades by paying half of his staff’s tuition at the local community college.

As liberally as he donates his time and talents, Mark has built an incredibly successful operation. His pizza has been voted best in Spokane 11 years running, and an informal survey of a Spokane tavern places his status, in Spokane, at Unofficial Mayor. Mark is a humble man, saying the only way to succeed is through long hours, and a deep sense of compassion. David’s Pizza does not advertise, relying instead on its public works, and of course, its pizza. Mark says, “Our advertisement everyday is giving you good food.” For what it’s worth, the food is fantastic.

Laura Allen started out wanting to be a journalist. She went to Eugene Lang College in New York City, where she received a partial scholarship majoring in writing and literature. It was there that she fulfilled her parents’ dream for her of getting a college degree. She was raised in your typical working class household; her dad was a mechanic and her mom worked full-time in a factory. She excelled in English, did well in things she was interested in, but did not do well in math and science.

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On a rainy day in the middle of summer in New York City, huddled under the umbrellas that we bought on a street corner for $2.99 each, we made our way to the CBS building at 51 W. 52nd Street, the home of Cushman and Wakefield. Cushman and Wakefield was founded in 1917 in New York City, and is the world’s largest privately held real estate firm. Since its inception almost eighty years ago, it has now expanded to doing business in 192 cities in 58 countries, with over 11,000 employees. One of those employees that is about to take the world by storm is Andrew Ackerman.

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We met up with Lisa down on Fifth Avenue in New York City. We were running a little late after catching a bus. Unfortunately, once we got off the bus we had to walk three blocks in the pouring rain. And I mean it was pouring! Tamir and I tried to take cover as we made our way to her office on a Thursday evening and when we arrived we were sopping wet. After a futile attempt at drying off in the bathroom, and some odd looks from Lisa’s co-workers, we managed to start our interview with a sympathetic Lisa.

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Jason Mayden is a Designer for the Nike’s Jordan Brand, and got to where he is today through a combination of persistence and determination.

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Brandyn was our tour guide for a day which would prove to be the most eventful and memorable experience of our whole trip. Brandyn introduced us to a variety of people and took us to the Nike basketball gym, the Jordan building, and the infamous Nike Kitchen (not the place where you cook food, but the place where they make Nike shoes from scratch). We also saw Lebron James walking the Nike campus and even got to shop at the Nike employee store where everything was 50% with no sales tax, thanks to Oregon state tax law.

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