The month of August came in like a freight train and left like a fluttering piece of hair on the perfect beach day. Now, let me explain...

August was BUSY. Closing on our house, heading to MN to pack up the rest of our stuff, U-Hauling back to KC, moving out of our apartment, getting our first major projects underway at the new place all the while applying to jobs on the daily. I've heard it said a thousand times before, but it's true what people say, "applying for jobs is [no joke] a full-time job" and thank the Lord I was in a position to put the focus into it that it required to find exactly what I was looking for.

I felt strongly that I wanted to pursue the client side of the marketing world this time. After spending 8 years on the agency side, I knew I needed a different experience. I am under the notion that to be truly dangerous as a marketer, I need to learn from both sides of the table to truly see the big picture. I sought to find just that from the moment I came to Kansas City. There are a heap of incredible organizations here in the metro area and I've been honored to be considered for positions at companies I only dreamed of working at these past few months.  

The journey has been an interesting one to say the least - although I didn't think the agency world was what I wanted initially, I found a thoroughly interesting opportunity to be an Account Director at an agency that I know I would have flourished at. I was offered the position and it wasn't until this happened that I truly realized - this was my one chance in life to be choosy, to step outside my comfort zone, to reinvent myself. Although the position offered was a great next step for me, I knew in my heart I had to turn it down. After turning it down, that's when I truly gained the clarity I needed. I had my heart set elsewhere and because that other thing began to look like more of a reality, I knew I could not let the chance go by to see if it could become my reality. 

And. To my shock and awe. It did. 

From the moment I knew we were moving to Kansas City, I had one company on my mind: Hallmark. I knew it was a dream (and a reach) but God has been so good to me in planting the seeds for my life and orchestrating situations just the way they are supposed to be. 

I am proud and excited to share that I have accepted an Associate Marketing Manager position at Hallmark supporting their retail division! Today is my very first day at not only exactly the job I was looking for but my dream company and I am so grateful for where this entire journey has taken me. I learned so much about myself along the way and am looking forward to not only learning and growing in this new role, but being at an organization that I've had respect and love for, for as long as I can remember. 

Here's to my next adventure: May it be even greater than the last.

XOXO, Sarah Riley Rose 

www.Hallmark.com