Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Young
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in the theatre, and after graduating with a degree in acting and doing some on camera work, I eventually started touring singing backup vocals in a band. This was all great, and as nearly cool as it sounds, except that it couldn’t reliably pay the bills. I needed flexible work, so that when I was touring I could do either complete my tasks in advance or do them from anywhere. This is how I found my way into marketing, which was a natural fit, since I had quite literally had a degree in storytelling.
At this point, we were all still in the early phases of social media. Most people were still relying on physical mailers and e-newsletters to communicate their offerings. I found work at a dance school, and later for a church, because they allowed me to enjoy a flexible schedule and encouraged creativity outside of the office.
Because I worked in environments with modest budgets (that I had to be ok with to keep the flexibility I required), I had to teach myself how to do every aspect of marketing by myself – from graphic design to A/B testing email subject lines to video editing to managing events, etc. Most of the work was also connected to fundraising, so I got comfortable finding ways of attracting money without asking for it outright – which is a skill that still helps me to this day.
Once Covid hit and the world tour I was set to go on as a backup singer was cancelled, I had accumulated a fair amount of experience and easily hopped into a Director of Communications role at a local nonprofit. At which point, I then learned I loved being in a leadership role, and that I wanted more control over my creative output – and so, The Trophy Club was born.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
A smooth road makes for a boring story. I also wouldn’t trust anyone in a leadership or entrepreneurial position who had not seen some significant challenges. Overcoming challenges is where you learn how to make the best stuff and inspire others to join you or to make cool stuff of their own.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a hybrid model creative. My days are filled with any number of creative projects as I crave variety.
I founded The Trophy Club, which provides content and digital strategy for clients who have an appreciation for both great aesthetics and bad jokes.
It’s not super hard to differentiate us from other agencies/content creators because of my background in theater/music. There are countless examples of how a childhood onstage plays into the work I do today, but just as an example, one thing I love to do in my work is to make things practically. I have no beef with using editing tools to the full extent of their capabilities, *and* I think that people love seeing magic when it’s achieved honestly. This way of thinking can make things slow, complicated, and potentially more expensive than the alternative. It also makes it different, and makes the end result that much more satisfying.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I think for creatives taking in art is far more valuable than consuming information on how someone else achieved success. However, when it comes to marketing, knowledge of one’s craft can be as important as how to keep it relevant in the current landscape it inhabits. Books are my favorite vehicle for inspiration. I am always reading one nonfiction and one fiction simultaneously. Currently, those titles include Stolen Focus by Johann Hari, and Wicked by Gregory Maguire.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.itsthetrophyclub.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsthetrophyclub/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsthetrophyclub
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-trophy-club/
