This past week it was my pleasure to have the opportunity to interview Gina Nowicki, Director of Communications & Marketing at Crossroads Trading, one of the fastest evolving retail companies that strives to buy and sell clothing from consumer closets through stores at over 36 locations nationwide.
Having originally completed her Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications (recently renamed Media Studies) at UC Berkeley, followed by a Master’s in the same subject at San Jose State, as of this year Nowicki has worked with Crossroads Trading for almost twelve years. She describes her role as encompassing a new experience each day, as she and her team work together on various projects ranging from photo shoots and video production to corporate event planning.
As her key responsibilities also include developing and overseeing the company’s annual advertising plan, public relations outreach, and strategic brand partnerships, Norwicki describes the most challenging aspect of her position is ensuring that her team’s multiple projects stay on time. She explains, “I’d say almost a third of a my work time is spent on just planning: making action plans, checking with team members on progress, and taking calls with our partner agencies.”
This opportunity to work on such varying projects promises that Nowicki is always challenging herself to learn something new, which she describes as the best part of her position. When asked what surprised her most about her role as director, Nowicki explained that she was most surprised by learning how quickly the marketing landscape changes. “This industry always keeps me on my toes,” she says. “When I started at Crossroads, we had just decided to make the leap to social media via MySpace. Think how far we have come since then. Social media has evolved, bloggers became Instagram influencers, and everything moved online. It’s been a whirlwind.”
Her biggest piece of advice for both current and recently graduated students is to work in an industry you are passionate about. Speaking from her own experience, Nowicki explains, “I have always loved fashion and secondhand shopping, so working at Crossroads has made my work life a fun one. When you love the product you’re marketing, you’ll always feel inspired and dream up new ideas.”
Through creating a career that excites and challenges her each day, Gina Nowicki’s experience provides a goal for others to aspire to and proves that following one’s passions can lead to a fulfilling, successful, and joyful career.