Well folks, it’s time for another edition of “Grill the Arsonist”! Next up is Amanda Bertolozzi, a St. Ambrose University graduate with a degree in public relations and minors in marketing, journalism and organizational leadership. Amanda joined MindFire in 2018 as a Marketing Arsonist and has since graduated to become an Account Executive. Around the office she's affectionately known as "Alfredo." She's an invaluable asset to the MindFire team, and we're thrilled to welcome her to the hot seat today.
I knew agency life was fast-paced, but I had no idea just how fast. However, the thing that surprised me the most is the level of work our agency can produce. I have so many talented co-workers who are true experts in their fields. The level of creativity and resulting work that is being produced on a regular basis is truly amazing. A lot of that has to do with our approach of using insights to develop creative work that truly connects with our clients’ audiences.
The most rewarding part of being an account executive is definitely seeing a large project or campaign come to fruition. As an account executive, I spend a lot of time meeting with clients to discuss their marketing wants and needs, so it’s super exciting to work with the MindFire team to concept and execute tactics that our clients really love.
My first job after college was as a writer and editor at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. While there, I worked in their communications department, writing and editing press releases, feature stories and speeches to promote the university. Although I loved my job and the people I worked with, I really missed life back in the Quad Cities and always dreamed of working at an agency, which led me to MindFire!
It depends if we’re talking cable TV or streaming options. On cable, it’d have to be Wheel of Fortune. Everyone in the office makes fun of me for watching it, but it’s seriously one of my favorites. If I had to pick streaming favorites, it’d have to be Parks and Rec, The Office or The Good Place.
Well, for starters, my last name is Bertolozzi which is a very long, Italian name that can be difficult to pronounce (or remember). One day, a coworker randomly said, “Alfredo?” and I turned around and answered (because I’m used to people calling me weird Italian names and I had a few friends call me Alfredo in college). So, from that moment on, it just stuck.
But seriously though, I will answer to just about anything – Alfredo, Rigatoni, Tortellini, Mostaccioli, Fettuccine, you name it. Just don’t call me Bert.
Okay, so I never know how to answer this question, so I took a quiz online to check. Based on my answers, I’m supposedly a wolf. I “bring forth instinct, intelligence, appetite for freedom and an awareness of the importance of social connections” which sounds pretty accurate. On the other hand, I also like taking a lot of naps, so I might be a cat.
Funny story – I actually ended up singing karaoke at the inaugural Inspiration Expedition. (I guess you could say I was feeling extra inspired 😉) Despite only being at MindFire for a few months at the time, I picked one of my classic, karaoke go-to’s, “Aaron’s Party (Come & Get It)” by Aaron Carter. And let me tell you, it was a crowd pleaser.
I wish I would have known that everyone has their own timeline. It took me a few months to find my first post-graduation job and during that time, all I could do was compare myself to people who were already working full-time. Looking back, I should have used that time to do things that bettered myself (traveling, volunteering, working out, strengthening my professional skills, etc.) because never again will I have that time or freedom to do so (until I retire, but that’s a long way away).
