Before moving to Colorado and starting my company, PufCreativ, I was the Marketing and Operations Manager at Passion Nightclub in Hollywood, FL. It was during this time I discovered my love for creative marketing by implementing various engagement campaigns, as well as facilitating a strong alignment between the marketing and operational efforts.
When I first took over Passion Nightclub’s social media, I ran a campaign that incorporated the hashtag, “#WhatsYourPassion?” The concept encouraged people to utilize the hashtag in their social media photos doing the things they loved, which in turn entered them for a chance to be featured on the club’s social media pages and win a free VIP table for the winner and their friends.
This social media campaign sparked my own personal inquiry into my passions. After utilizing the hashtag multiple times myself, I realized that I have many passions in life. I realized the inspiration and motivation harnessed when I am engaged with different hobbies like making music, playing drums, surfing and skating as well as the times I felt like the work I was doing helped people in some way and made the world a better place. I wondered how I could formulate these everyday hobbies and overarching desires to make a difference in to something meaningful and real.
Opiates, Hobbies, Cannabis and PufCreativ
After losing an upsetting number of friends to the opiate epidemic, I started researching solutions. During my research, I came across a great deal of credible information pointing to cannabis as a possible solution for the epidemic. I had been fond of cannabis since my teenage years but started to realize the broad spectrum of possibilities and uses for marijuana from a more scientific approach. I realized the cannabis industry was an area with a great deal of promise and opportunity for me to get involved and make an impact. Cannabis had many uses, and perhaps to me, what resonated the most, was its ability and power to combat opiate addiction, because of the plant’s pain relieving and anti-inflammatory benefits. This same plant was also the driving force behind my creativity, helped me enjoy my hobbies, and also was a rapidly growing industry. I then realized that cannabis was the culmination of all my passions.
The only way I could incorporate my hobbies, creative thoughts, and extended network to educate the masses about cannabis was by starting my own marketing agency. I started PufCreativ about six months after I moved to Colorado with my partners Katie Burrell and Shamus Lahman. Although a majority of our clients are cannabis related, we don’t engage in the actual sale of cannabis products. Because of this, we are able to market for non-cannabis related companies as well. (Stay tuned – we will be launching a new non-cannabis marketing agency in 2019).
After doing on-going marketing services for several client accounts, you realize content is king. Sharing the same type of content each day will not help the analytics for your clients’ accounts. Finding a balance of engaging, quality content that captures your audience’s attention and grows your accounts’ analytics is essential to making a significant impact on social media. Being able to incorporate our hobbies, network, and passion for cannabis helps us grow our clients accounts and helps them develop a strong reputation in their markets.
Find Your Balance
It’s so hard to discover what you’re truly passionate about without some trial and error and soul searching. I feel lucky to have turned my business model into something that allows me to expand my passions and obtain long-term goals. I feel that everyday life can sometimes distract many from the bigger picture of what makes them happy. I suggest reflecting on your passions, purpose and responsibilities and coming up with a plan to find a harmonious balance between all of these things.
I sometimes catch myself falling out of balance when I let work get in the way of other aspects of my life such as being a good husband, son, uncle, and friend. Although I’m passionate about my work, I still need to take a step back to enjoy and contribute to other facets of my life outside of work. I would be nowhere today without help from my wife, family and friends. It’s important to show the people that support me the same love and appreciation in return.
My advice to you is to spend time discovering yourself and what you’re passionate about. Find a way to incorporate your passions into your everyday life so you can find balance. Without balance, it’s hard to move forward and grow both personally and professionally.
I would love to know, What’s Your Passion? Please comment below!
