DUSHANE — It all started at Connecticut College. It’s a small school with about 2,300 students. While I was there I wanted to do events. I never thought it would be a career or anything. I didn’t even realize it was something people got paid for. So, I started producing variety shows, open-mics and jumped into anything that felt right.

Over the summer, my friend Molly who worked at MTV, helped me get an internship. At the time, I still didn‘t think the people behind the scenes - like at the Video Music Awards - were getting paid. I couldn’t see how it was a profession. It wasn‘t until I finished my internship that I realized I could pursue event production as a full-time gig and make real money.

Flash forward to graduation, when I got back to New York. I was applying for jobs and remember being so hungry to be in the communications and event space. I interviewed at a couple places and really put myself out there. Then a friend of mine I met while interning at MTV called me and said they were working at the Rachael Ray show now. They needed some help, and he wanted me to interview that day. I went, interviewed and started working on the spot.

From there, it was all about connections. While I enjoyed producing television, I really wanted to produce events. Another friend of mine knew Maneesh from MKG, who specialized in events. He helped me get an interview. And again, the first day I walked in, the director of production at the time said, “Oh good! You’re here.” She wrote down an address and sent me on my way. It was a load-in for Mariah Carey. Keep in mind, I don’t know who my coworkers are, and it’s a super busy scene. People are moving stuff in and preparing for the event later that evening. I’m asking everyone, “Are you from MKG?” No. “Are you from MKG?” No. Finally I found someone who handed me a staple gun and told me to climb up a ladder to start stapling a curtain to a set of columns. I thought, “Sure, Why not? I don’t know if this looks right, but I’m going to keep doing it.” At that point, no one still knows who I am. Ha! I’m just some guy stapling a curtain, but I got the job.

Thinking back, when I started at MKG I was Maneesh’s assistant. But, it was a foot in the door! I told Maneesh I wasn’t looking to be an assistant forever. I wanted to learn. I was really really aggressive about it and moved out of that position in about 7 months. The rest is history. Now I’m an account manager and do work for clients like Dockers, Heineken and more.