Irvine, California is the city which I was born, but Fayetteville, North Carolina is the city that raised me. Around the age of 9, my father left his 9 to 5 to follow his dreams of owning a restaurant. As the product of what some would call, “The American Dream”, there is a sense of obligation to succeed. My family has done so much to reach this point, it makes success imperative, it is necessary that I go above and beyond the call of duty. Growing up in the restaurant industry taught me a number of things such as customer service, how to make a sale, how to brand yourself and how to brand your business. I was raised to not only dream, but dream big; there was and will never be a goal too large. Attending the nations largest HBCU, North Carolina A&T SU, I am a minority on a campus built for minorities. My college experience has molded me to take initiative, have passion, and work diligently within my career and community. The student body that surrounds me has broadened my views not only on societal issues but diversified my thought process when it comes to creating campaigns and selling products.
Customer service is second nature to me. As a young boy, when I would I would work for my father he would say to me, “Just make them happy, son.” So, my purpose was primarily customer satisfaction. As I grew up I worked for my family less and followed my dreams more. Three summers ago, I served as an account manager for the marketing and advertising group, “The 219 Group”. During this time I curated web content, blog posts, and advertising for a number of businesses in states ranging from VA to SC. Within the past two years, I have planned and coordinated multiple art gallery events for the photographer, Frank Jackson, and his creative brand, MERCY. My roles included but were not limited to, designing and distributing marketing materials for the event which resulted in $1,000+ profit in each of our 4 shows. While working for Mr. Jackson, I was charged with securing relationships within the community of our shows to gain access to resources. Recently, I was presented the opportunity to work with the “Marcus Graham Project”, in collaboration with the Cleveland Cavaliers. While working with those organizations, my team was charged with leveraging the relationship between the Cavalier organization and their newest partner, “Goodyear Tire Company”. I possess a creativity born from paying the drums as a child and a competitive nature instilled in me throughout my time as a student-athlete. I am an individual who possesses a different perspective, molded positively by the diverse experiences of my childhood; and most importantly, I am a dreamer.
Marc Somar 