written by annette furio & tara zinser
photo (l) by Lauren Pennington
This week, we’re chatting with Tara Zinser, Season’s Brand Partnership Coordinator, as we send her off into her next season of life! Tara recently celebrated her graduation from Capital University and she’ll be starting her career later this summer. We wanted to reflect on her experience as an integral part of our team, our growth, and our culture. If you’ve worked with Season in some capacity this year, you’ve likely been on the receiving end of Tara’s spirit and authenticity. Join us in wishing her well!
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Two years ago I sent a message to a local stationery design studio inquiring about an internship. I was obsessed with all things weddings, and graphic design seemed to be the path that college was taking me at the time (and although it’s not where I ended up, I am so glad for that little detour). Looking back, I am so thankful Annette answered that message and took a chance on hiring a stranger like me.
Flash forward to today: after two years of mentorship and friendship with Annette, I have learned so much about who I am, what I can do, and where I hope to end up. Soon after my time with the design studio came to an end, Annette knew I was interested in influencer marketing. She hired me on at Season as the Brand Partnership Coordinator to focus on that, but the partnerships we’ve accomplished have gone far beyond that niche.
I’m so excited to reflect on a year spent with Season, and to look ahead for all that’s yet to come.
My greatest success…
There are two things that come to mind when I think about what I’ve done with Season: building relationships and building systems. I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many different types of wedding professionals: planners, photographers, mobile bar owners, dress shops, venue owners, health coaches, and many more. I’ve worked with influencers, wholesale customers, and other amazing small business brands. I have friends across the country from Virginia to California now!
Being part of a team of three people means I had the chance to pretty much build my role from the ground up. I designed systems for reaching out to new contacts, for the process behind the partnerships, for staying organized internally—you name it. I tend to do this naturally in many different areas of my life, and it’s a skill I’ll probably use forever! I work much better when I can see the path ahead, preparing for challenges well in advance, and these “systems” are just one way I went about that.
Speaking of challenges…
I like to think they were few and far between, because working for Season really felt like a dream job most days. When you work for a brand you truly believe in, it can be hard to understand why it’s not just immediately taking off. It’s still so early for Season, with lots of trustworthiness and brand loyalty yet to build. Being rejected for a partnership or sales opportunity can be hard, but I’m grateful for the folks who have given us a chance.
What I love most about the industry…
I just love working adjacent to the wedding industry. I love that there’s room for everyone here. Each planner has a different approach, every photographer has a different style, you know? I love that everyone in this field is so creative and they’re always willing to try new things. When we started to get a bit overloaded on giveaways and guest blog posts, we began dreaming up other collaboration ideas. The vendors we worked with were always quick to jump on board and be excited about something new!
My most memorable moments…
I loved our summer meet up at Seventh Son a few weeks ago! We finally had the chance to connect with friends we’ve had in the Season community for months and it was so great to be together.
I also really enjoyed creating our holiday campaign, curating our holiday gift boxes, booking influencer partnerships, and scheduling holiday themed content for the blog. I loved putting together our holiday small business giveaway box, too!
A season of life I’ve most enjoyed, and one I’m most looking forward to…
College was definitely a very sweet season spent discovering myself and my passions, and making some lifelong friends along the way; but I think this new post-grad life will definitely treat me well. I’m looking forward to exploring my career path, exploring new hobbies, and exploring a new neighborhood!
In my next season...
I will begin my first full-time job in July with RevLocal in Granville, Ohio as a Digital Search Strategist. I’m eager to begin working and continue finding my place in the world of digital marketing. I’m staying local to Columbus, moving into an apartment with one of my best friends, and getting a puppy! She’s a 12 week old chocolate lab and I’m pretty much obsessed with her.
Lately my creative work has looked like…
Designing custom invitations for family and friends! Everything from save the dates to wedding invitations, showers, bachelorette parties, and more! I hope to start updating my Etsy and my Instagram page more frequently, but you can catch more of my work and reach out via my website.
I want to say a huge thank you to Annette and Lauren for being the greatest team, to the vendors & influencers I’ve worked with for creating so much incredible content with me, and to the entire Season community for being along for the ride. I love this brand and I am so excited to see it continue to grow!
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