My internship at MTV in Viacom’s NYC Headquarters was intense. It was quite the shock–going from being homecoming queen at my college in Ohio to living with hundreds of other Manhattan-based interns in communal housing on the Upper East Side.

There had to be a happy medium between small town USA and the Big Apple. I wanted a city that offered me the upbeat, city-never-sleeps feel that NYC gave me, but also a sense of community with a touch of Southern hospitality.

Then, like it was fate, I fell in love with Nashville.

In Nashville, I found home at design agency ST8MNT, a place with a tight-knit community that’s often overlooked or de-prioritized at larger corporations. ST8MNT is unlike any company I’ve ever worked for, for many reasons, but particularly because it is so family/employee-oriented.

As a broadcasting and communication studies major, I knew my career would allow me to show my creativity and imagination more than some careers. Originally, I thought I wanted to pursue a career in television, and achieve my dream of being an entertainment reporter. This road is faced with self doubt and a focus on external image. Even with knowing this, I was still incoherently drawn to the fast-paced, constantly evolving elements of the industry that I didn’t believe I could find elsewhere, or so I THOUGHT.

After a few months of being totally picked apart by news directors and losing passion for broadcasting, I found ST8MNT. A fresh, exciting, and totally original take on branding and giving inanimate objects and companies a voice and presence.

Upon my first ‘creeping’ of ST8MNT.com, I was smitten, I mean how could I not be? The home page header, among other less important words, said “yo”.

From that point on I delved myself into their work, which might I add, included projects for several well-known artists like T-Swift, Kenny Chesney, and Cassadee Pope. But let’s not forget the major corporations like CMT (a sister station to my beloved MTV), GAC, and VH1 just to name a few/name drop. After all my research, ehemm, creeping, I knew ST8MNT was the place for me.

Thankfully, ST8MNT owners Bethany and Josh agreed and were able to also see how my previous experiences throughout college and past internships had transferable and applicable skills that related back to ST8MNT.

Now, as the agency coordinator, I am able to enjoy, once again, the benefits of working in a creative environment, which was what drew me to broadcasting in the first place. As the agency coordinator, I am able to work with our designers on making sure our projects stay on time and under budget, making sure the creatives have a clear understanding of the client’s needs from the start; ultimately ensuring the client’s satisfaction after a project well done.

Here I am able to communicate and work directly with our vendors to determine the best options for our business and our client’s, almost like interviewing, if ya catch my drift. Finally, I am able to enjoy an atmosphere where creativity is encouraged and personal identity is found among in your attire, in the music choices, in communication with others, and ultimately in your work.

Nashville’s a long way from New York City, but I’m glad to have found home in a place that makes the world seem a little smaller, and my career potential all the bigger.