Daily Inspiration: Meet Bridget Whitfield

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bridget Whitfield.

Hi Bridget, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey started in San Diego, where I grew up. I wasn’t always sure what I wanted to do with my career, but I knew that I loved basketball. I worked really hard to get a chance to play Division I basketball and after that long and difficult road, I decided to close the book on that chapter and begin a new one while in school. I always loved to write and knew that I was a creative at heart, so I took a chance at exploring journalism, marketing, and creative storytelling.

After spending many years dedicated to the game of basketball, it was really hard for me to change directions. I had never loved anything as much as that sport and didn’t think that I would do anything else. Sometimes life turns you in different directions than you would have expected, and I definitely did not expect to go back to school again after college.

But, I embraced a new plan and was honored to be accepted into the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University to receive my Master of Arts in Magazine, Newspaper, & Online Journalism. This gave me a chance to be the best I could be in a new craft and industry, and I’ll always be grateful for everything I learned to get to where I am today in my career.

I entered the workforce expecting to have to find a new passion, but life did not keep me away from basketball for long. A little over a year after graduation I landed a role at the National Basketball Association as a Production Assistant & Video Editor. I was excited to cut & edit videos across all NBA socials and deliver longer form highlights to our broadcast partners, both domestic and international. From there, I moved on to Rogers & Cowan PMK, a talent & marketing agency that gave me an opportunity to work on the legendary Kobe Bryant’s marketing team with a focus on his production company, Granity Studios. This was an opportunity that I will always be so thankful for, both for my internal team and the incredible & creative work we were able to execute during my time there.

It feels very full circle to have found a lane where I’m able to merge both my new and old loves while also expanding into new verticals within the marketing industry!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Throughout my career, I have had to go outside of my comfort zone and take on responsibilities that were outside of my job description, that required me to pick up my things and move across the country, and to navigate through some difficult work environments. I worked graveyard shifts and made sacrifices that made life really hard at times, but I wouldn’t change any of it. I learned so much from all of these experiences, and I wouldn’t be able to handle the opportunities given to me in the future if it weren’t for those times.

I’m also very lucky to have such a supportive family that always believed in me and my dreams. Many of the opportunities that helped me elevate in my career & life took me away from home for many years, which wasn’t exactly what they wanted. But, even if they didn’t fully agree with some of my decisions, they supported me fully and completely no matter what. They listened to me when I cried to them about how hard it was and even resisted the urge to say I told you so. I’ll never be able to repay them for that and they’re the reason why I’ve been able to find any success in my life.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a marketer with a focus in social media & creative strategy. I currently work as an Account Manager and Senior Social Media Expert at an advertising and marketing agency in Los Angeles and manage marketing profiles while developing social media content & strategy for various brands. Additionally, I work alongside my colleague & absolute rockstar in this industry, Jadé Ajose, as a Creative Marketing Executive for her company, JahDay, Inc.

The work I’m most proud of in my career is the social media & marketing campaigns I worked on for Kobe Bryant and his production company, Granity Studios. From developing customized and individualized influencer gifting programs to strategizing on social media content campaigns for specific book releases created from the mind of the late Kobe Bryant, it was such an honor to be a part of a team that inspired me to deliver at the highest level. My younger self would never believe I got that chance and I was thrilled to work on anything adjacent to Bryant’s greatness.

Today, I hope to continue to learn & grow in this profession and expand my horizons into new industries. I’m inspired by clothing and fashion and hope to launch my own concept of a clothing brand called Burgundy Road!

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
You can find me on LinkedIn!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitfield-bridget

Contact Info:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitfield-bridget