The Beginning

Now that we got the previous post out of the way, we can start at the beginning.

For years and years I've had many close friends who have worked in the industry tell me that I would be perfect for #adlife. But I never did anything about it. I liked client side. It was comfy.

Anyways, that aside. I'd like to share my first day with you.

It was a sunny, fall day. I dressed up in the most Mad Men-esque outfit I could find, tying a classic Hermès scarf around my head to finish it all off. When I arrived, I realized I might have been slightly over-dressed. It seems people dress down in agencies? I felt fancy. I didn't fucking care.

I checked in at the front desk and took a seat where two other people were waiting. One older guy and one younger girl. The younger girl introduced herself to me. I believe one of the first responses to an answer to her question involved using the term "right on". Instantly, I knew we would be friends.

I couldn't put my finger on it, but she reminded me of someone. Well, as it turned out, she was also hired as an Account Executive on the same account. Cool! We'd be working together. Still though, who did she remind me of? Then it came to me: Dory. Nemo's best bud in the Disney classic. She was my Dory. I loved her.

I got taken to my desk, where I would be residing for the past, god knows how long? After my IT training, my director came along and told me which campaign I would be working on. I was given no background, no training, nothing. Sink or swim, little fishy. I could already feel myself starting to drown.

Around noon, my "team" proceeded to all go out for lunch together. The Mean Girls team, that is. These girls gave off icey cold vibes, looked away when they saw you and walked around like they just didn't give a fuck (when it's clear that this job is the only fuck they give a care about). Very quickly I realized what I was up against. Regardless of how it looked, it certainly wasn't pretty.

Right around that time I noticed a man come in. He wasn't dressed like the rest. He had thick black glasses, looked to be about in his fifties and wore skater shoes. He walked straight into the closed office in front of my desk. How do I get his schedule I thought? His office was dark. He had one small lamp lit on his desk. To me, he was the most fascinating person in the whole place. He must be a creative, I thought.

Well, as it turns out, he isn't. He's far from it.

And I soon found this out at our very first office party.

I should have done this a long time ago

I will never forget the day I got sent to planet advertising. It was about four months ago, but it feels like four years ago.

What I didn't realize when I signed my full-time permanent contract was that I was also signing away my heart, soul and entire being.

Part of me feels like I should start the story at this point and move forward. I mean, why talk about everything that's happened? Onward and upward. Fuck that. Where's the fun in that?

Plus, I think we need a bit of context. Background, if you will. Let's start with the basics. I'm a female. 33 years old. Single (does that really matter right now? No. Moving along).

I started my own company when I was 19. High Jinx Entertainment was an event production company that put on weekly club parties in downtown Toronto. I did this for a few years, my company growing and doing bigger events (think fashion shows and movie premieres).

After a solid six years of this I decided to move to beautiful Whistler, B.C. I (oddly enough) worked a regular gig in marketing and did even more fun events (ahem, first Canadian cheese rolling competition I'll have you note). At the time, it was my dream job.

Fast forward to my next career leap, Montreal. Wait, what? Yes, La Belle Province, as they call it. Threw everything to the wind and got a job working as a communications advisor in finance (I'll spare the details for another time). It actually turned out really well.

Four years later and a nasty break up that resulted in me fleeing back home, I decided to try and "settle". It's time to come home, my parents said. I saw Toronto with new appreciative eyes. Until I started looking for a job. Holy moses. I spent a year looking for work. Interview after interview. Let down after let down.

Then I finally got an offer. From an advertising agency.

Initially when I was interviewed they honed in on my event and social media skills. We think you'd be a great fit for sponsorship and event activations, they said. Cool, I thought. I want in here!

When I got the call I was shocked to hear them offering an Account Executive position. Huh? I was explicitly told I wouldn't like that exact job and it wasn't for me. I was overqualified and would get bored. And yet I still took it. Along with a $10,000 pay cut (stop judging, I was desperate, I told you there's more to the story).

Now we're in the present. Four months into the gig.

And this is where the story begins.