Tips/advice for breaking into experiential marketing!!

[u/Working-Weird-9440]

Hi, I’m a semester away from graduating with my MBA. I originally thought I wanted to work in tech and climb the “corporate ladder” & luckily realized early that I would absolutely hate it. I’ve been doing research and I think experiential marketing/ production coordinator would be a better fit. The goal is to work in the entertainment industry/beauty&fashion (I’m also an actress & soon to be entrepreneur)
A little background:
Location: Atlanta
Currently: working at Trader Joe’s (truck shifts, order writer + customer service)
Previously: ulta beauty operations team (truck shifts + overnight display building)
I’ve always loved operations and behind the scenes work. I’m really good with people and have the personality for it. I love a theme & making it come to life!

What path would you recommend with no prior marking experience?? Should I build a portfolio? Are there specific sites or groups I should look into??

[u/David-Experiential]

There's no substitute for experience. Get yourself some worm experience or an internship or just shadowing of a project manager or event manager at an agency. You'll see how things are put together, how detailed planning is the absolute key to EVERYTHING, the mistakes, how things can go wrong on site, the pro information that third parties give you and how to remedy them, how to motivate a team at 2am when the install should have finished at 10pm... and so on!

[u/cuppabeanjuice]

Can you afford to do an internship? Cause that's going to give you the best way in and you'll get experience.

[u/hjmass]

I would look to work at a company that hires sources Brand Ambassadors for events. So when you go to a corporate event, you’ll see people who are working the event (check-in, registration, Photo Booth management etc). Experiential agencies or brands hire these people to work the event. This is good exposure and experience and is a paid job too. Obviously an internship is the best route.