Career Roadmap
Phil's work combines: Art, Business, and Communicating / Sharing Stories
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
University of California-Berkeley
Graduate Degree
Sociology, General
University of California-Berkeley
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Meeting, Convention, & Event Planners:
High School
Bachelor's Degree: Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management, General
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Got kicked out of high school for bad grades.
2.
Got my life back together and got into Berkeley.
3.
Waited tables until I decided to go back to school.
4.
Interned with the 49ers, and produced my first event in grad school.
5.
Met Olympic Ceremonies producer Ric Birch, who hired me but then closed the company after Sept 11.
6.
Sold my house, started my own company, and got engaged to a single parent - all in one year.
7.
Drove the business into the ground because we did not have a plan.
8.
Got the opportunity to produce Mexico's Bicentennial, right before we ran out of money!
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
You'll never live up to your parents' success in school.
How I responded:
My parents are academics through and through, and my sister was a nationally ranked debater. I was always the black sheep in the family, and I struggled in school under the weight of living up to what I thought was their expectations. It wasn't until I got kicked out of school (twice) for bad grades and wound up in community college that I decided to focus on school for my own reasons. Once I had ownership of it, everything changed. I got into Berkeley, and ultimately graduated with honors.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I don't think I had a very strong sense of self worth. I presented an image, but inside I was very insecure. It's been an ongoing search to find my voice, and to stand in front of people with confidence in who I am and what I stand for.