I grew up in Greensboro, NC, and like most southern guys I'm pretty laid back - except when it comes to Sports. My father and grandfather both attended the University of Tennessee, so as a youth I was thoroughly brainwashed to be a Big Orange fan. I ended up going to school there myself, and was fortunate enough to witness a National Championship during my sophomore year. Well, my first sophomore year anyway. :-)
Apart from sports, my other interests include History, Politics, Astronomy, Video Games, and anything related to Technology. To be perfectly honest I'm a total nerd. I took apart my first computer when I was 9 years old (my uncle never really forgave me), and have been hooked ever since. This fascination with technology translated into a love of the sciences in college, but my inability to do Math beyond a 2nd grade level really put a damper on my career in Astrophysics.
Aside from that, I'm the proud owner of three of the world's dumbest dogs - a claim that has been proven time and again by their utterly absurd eating habits. Let's just say I've come home from work only to find they've eaten part of a metal chair. I suspect they are part Billy goat. Nevertheless, I love Emmy, Jack, and Reggie with all my heart.
Mariah Mays was born and raised in Greensboro, NC. After graduating from high school, she set off for the University of TN with a dream of being a country music singer and a goal of graduating college in three years. While the singing career didn’t quite pan out, she did graduate with honors in three years. After college, Mariah was hired into a prestigious Leadership Development Program for a Fortune 500 company. This position moved her from Tennessee to Chicago to Florida and back to Tennessee. At this point, Mariah evaluated her life and decided to embark on an adventure. Having always wanted to live in the Caribbean, she picked an island, packed a bag and moved to St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. With a goal of making a life in a remote location, Mariah got to work crewing on a sailboat and teaching tourists snorkeling. While working these fun beach jobs, she met the officers of a Mortgage Trading branch in St. Croix. She was hired as a Financial Analyst and over the next five years worked her way to Chief Trader for the operation, consistently selling billions weekly on the Bond market. Unfortunately, when the Subprime mortgage crisis hit in 2008, Emax closed its doors and Mariah decided it was time to move home to NC. Returning to Greensboro, Mariah obtained her private pilot license and worked in Real Estate until joining the social media team at Market America this past December. She is thankful to be a part of Market America and looks forward to providing you with quality content.
Whether she's searching for gems at a nearby Loehmann's or splurging on a fantastic piece at Polka Dots and Moonbeams, Los Angeles-based writer Simona knows how to find that "IT" piece for just about anyone. Simona's award-winning writing on trends within stock photography led her into a career of fashion and copy writing, including working as a writer for MAGIC - the largest apparel trade show in the world. Now at SHOP.COM and as the editor and writer for GlammeVine.com, Simona helps shoppers find the most fabulous deals and products online so that they too can learn the art of doing most things at home, in your pajamas.
As the company's resident style expert (aside from Loren, of course), Jaclyn makes sure to perfect her craft by shopping, and shopping often. It's no coincidence that she loves her career as a writer for Market America, where her hobby is more than encouraged! Half the fun is sharing the great deals and fashion advice she discovers with other like-minded shopaholics via social media, another obsession of hers. Her iPhone is never too far out of reach.
There's nothing Jaclyn doesn't enjoying shopping for, well, except for toilet paper because that's literally money down the toilet AKA less money to spend on a gorgeous new pair of wedge boots. When she's not shopping - or writing about shopping - Jaclyn likes to cook, take yoga classes and spend exorbitant amounts of time trying to train her stubborn little dog.
Catch up with Jaclyn on the maBlog, SHOP.COM's Facebook page or on Twitter @jaclynlet.
Using a very large paintbrush dripping with vibrant colors, I would begin to illustrate my outer self...all 6 feet, 9 inches of it. And I picked vibrant colors for the simple fact that I tend to stand out in a crowd. Always have.
When I started painting my insides, I would use more shadowing and gradients, since there's a lot of gray area down there. I am a complex creative type with big ideas.
Market America is the perfect fit for such a personality. As all of our entrepreneurs know by now, the "ma blue" sky truly is the limit.
Since I started in March 2007 as an editor and copywriter, I've been a part of some amazing projects and initiatives here, and I can't wait to see what's next!
Things I enjoy:
Sports (both watching and playing), writing, photography, hiking, camping, traveling, grilling, tailgating, rollercoasters, Halloween, skiing, riding motorcycles, my Jeep, time with friends and family, swimming, and trying new things in life.
Favorite sports teams:
Carolina Panthers, Duke basketball, Appalachian State football
High School:
Providence High School / Charlotte, NC
College:
Appalachian State University / Boone, NC
Favorite Travel Destinations:
Any beach in the southeast; the mountains of NC; Playa del Carmen and Cozumel, Mexico
Best Market America moment:
Our entrepreneurs are so passionate and so enthusiastic about this business - it only takes experiencing one Convention to realize this. Since our seating in the arenas is first-come, first-served, a mad dash ensues once the doors of the venue are opened. If you can imagine thousands of people all running for the best seats in the house, it can be quite a scene.
Several years ago, as I watched the routine stampede from the floor of the arena, I saw one man hastily making his way down the long stairs into the coliseum. He was moving so fast, that he lost one of his shoes in the process. He froze for just an instant...looked back at his shoe, looked forward to the seat he wanted, and continued in stride leaving the shoe behind! It was such a funny sight, I still laugh about it to this day.
Let's just jump right in: I am an energetic lover of everything outdoors who is completely addicted to travel, interior design, chocolate labs and food. I can't
cook (at all), but I am a famously talented dish-doer and am happy to try anything my wonderful chef-husband will whip up. I can often be heard cracking up (totally loud laugher), talking about my ridiculous adventures with my terribly behaved puppy, looking at furniture catalogs (I know, really?) and sharing ridiculous tales of the trail (what I like to call my life pre-desk job).
I spent much of my career on the road, living out of the back of a truck, a tent, a backpack and a sleeping bag (not necessarily in that order) as an international adventure travel guide, before finally making the decision that I was actually meant to write about all these adventures. At work, I am a copywriter and editor and I love being part of the creative think-tank that drives our business. At home, I am the running partner of two hilarious chocolate labs and the wife of an incredible connoisseur of the food industry.
Tiffany is our Beauty and Personal Care Merchandiser and the voice behind the Facebook and Twitter accounts for Motives by Loren Ridinger. Tiffany is a graduate of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she majored in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.
Tiffany isn't the kind of girl you find walking hand in hand through the park or the kind you find sitting googly-eyed on a romantic picnic, unless of course, there's a big screen somewhere in sight showing the latest drama of Reality TV, which is her biggest guilty pleasure. When away from her desk, Tiffany's life is filled with sports, family and scraping up change to mark items off of her bucket list and venture off to o her next travel destination. When all else fails, Tiffany turns to retail for leisure and you can find her in outlet malls here and there, scavenging for the best deals she can get her hands on.
I currently work as the Fixx Product Specialist at Market America after spending several months serving as a Content Specialist for Product Management. I spend my days in the corporate office engaging with the Fixx social media fan base, in addition to assisting in the planning and preparations of the marketing and product development efforts for the Fixx product line. My professional interests include all things creative and communications-related, including Marketing, Advertising, Social Media and Content Development. I graduated from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Go Heels!).
Family, friends, good food and bleeding Carolina Blue pretty much dominate my life. If I'm not battling it out over a game of Scrabble or Phase 10 with the family, traveling from place to place with friends, trying out my latest experiment in the kitchen or shouting "Ra, Ra, Carolina-lina…," I am probably rereading or re-watching one of the books or movies from the Twilight Saga, one of my biggest closet obsessions. Oh yea, in case you were wondering, I'm #TeamEdward all the way!
I grew up on a tobacco farm in small southern town in North Carolina-and by small I mean we had one caution light, a mom-and-pop grill, countless dirt roads and more fields than people. I may live in the big city now, but I haven't forgotten my country girl roots; I say 'Mrs.' and 'yes mam' and sometimes (when I'm missing the country), I like to make comfort food-fried pork chops and a pot of my grandma's dry butter beans.
Currently, I am a copywriter and editor in Market America's Creative Services department. I love the department and all the creative energy that is always flowing. When I'm not at work, I can usually be found scrapbooking or reading, lots of reading. I guess that's what two English degrees will get you-certified nerd!
I also enjoy being on the water, cookouts with friends and family, any function involving food (nothing like a good ole' hostage lunch), and hanging out with my dog and hubby.
Jason joined the Market America team in 2011, coming from beautiful Southern California where he worked in the world of online media, Internet marketing, and social media for such well-known organizations as The Walt Disney Company, Trafalgar Tours, Inc. and Corinthian Colleges. Prior to this he was a television news producer for several network organizations including CBS Network News and Fox Sports News.
Jason is a self-described social media junkie, though he claims he doesn't spend as much time on Facebook and Twitter as his loving wife of 14 years. Away from the office he is a hockey fanatic, and can usually be found at an ice rink supporting his three sons, who all play hockey. He is an avid Anahiem Ducks fan, a love of most things sport, cooking, and racing.
Fun fact: Jason is a former NASCAR official and one of the first official starters (flagman) at Irwindale Speedway (now called Toyota Speedway) Irwindale California.
Tweeting about World Conference?! If you’re an avid Twitter user and can’t stop tweeting about the exciting things going on at the Market America World Conference, then make sure you’re a part of the conversation by using the official Twitter hashtag: #MAWC2012.
#mawc2012
