Creatively Corporate: Embodying Authenticity with Alyssa Ghilardi
Written by Vanessa Gabrielle
If you have ever planned an event—whether it was a get together with some friends or a professional conference—then you’re familiar with the organized chaos of the event day. For event planner Alyssa Ghilardi, she feels the most alive during these moments of carefully orchestrated commotion. As a corporate event planner, you’ll find her meticulously arranging hand-selected silverware and elegant drinking glasses. You'll also find her wrangling talent and assisting with vendors at a Thursday night VLLG Jam session as a creative event planner. This is the life of a creatively corporate individual.
“I want to provide myself with as many open doors and opportunities as possible.”
Alyssa’s passion for creating unique experiences manifested in 2017 when she began volunteering as an event coordinator for GLBL VLLG, an interactive entertainment, and wellness company based in Philadelphia that celebrates the creative spirit in all people. At GLBL VLLG, she works with a dynamic team of creatives to produce sensational—some have even said life-changing—jam sessions in warehouses, gardens, and around campfires. Later, in 2018, Alyssa applied her coordination talents in New York City at Production Glue, an award-winning live event, and experiential production company. As a contracted production coordinator, she learned the nitty-gritty details of bringing dynamic and innovative experiences to life for global brands such as Nike, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Blizzard Entertainment's Overwatch League.
“I want to provide myself with as many open doors and opportunities as possible,” was Alyssa’s perspective when she made the decision to begin applying for corporate positions. Like many go-getters, Alyssa seeks to enrich her career with access to professional development and learning experiences derived from working on various projects. She is a firm believer that career diversification will only enhance her opportunity for upward mobility on her journey to success.
After one month on the corporate job search, Alyssa found herself accepting a position as the Market Event Coordinator for Lord + Taylor, America’s first department store. To say life in the corporate world was a shocker for Alyssa is an understatement. While she still had the opportunity to exercise her creativity in her new position, rigid planning policies and company hierarchies proved to be a challenging adjustment for her free-spirited personality. While the basic functions of event planning—such as budgeting, organization and relationship building—were still present, Alyssa’s experience in the corporate world and the creative world posed an interesting juxtaposition.
“In everything I do, I make sure that I am living to be the Alyssa that I want to be.”
For Alyssa, her wardrobe is her form of artistic expression. Her most coveted finds? Sneakers. With her collection reaching the hundreds, sneakers are a closet staple for Alyssa. Upon arriving in her corporate position at Lord + Taylor, Alyssa was shocked to see “no sneakers” clearly printed in the employee dress code. This was her first indication that in order to conform to her new corporate identity, a compromise was on the horizon. While Alyssa was quick to adhere to the necessary guidelines for corporate employment, she found the silver lining by mixing her urban street style with the classic elegance that the Lord + Taylor brand adhered to.
Whether Alyssa is in a corporate or creative position, authenticity is the anchor in all of her work commitments. “In everything I do,” she states “I make sure that I am living to be the Alyssa that I want to be.” Alyssa ensures that she is aligned with the overarching mission of the organization, despite the glitz, glamour, or notoriety of having certain companies on her resume. For Alyssa, maintaining her sense of self in a position is what matters most.
“Whatever happens, I will always learn something. If I learn something, then I always gain something.”
For Alyssa, she views every position through a simplistic lens. Despite the company or the title, every position is an opportunity for growth and professional development. “Whatever happens I will always learn something. If I learn something, then I always gain something. As long as I gain something, then everything is okay.”
For creatives entering the corporate environment, Alyssa encourages:
Adaptability and the willingness to pivot if a position goes sour or no longer suits you.
Knowing the type of work and projects you don’t like as much as what you do like.
Checking in with your truest self and never losing the essence of who you are in a given position.
Giving every opportunity your best effort. Learn to get comfortable asking questions, show initiative, and constantly discover new ways to improve efficiency.
“Your best self,” Alyssa states “is a combination of all the different selves that you have in different worlds”
To learn more about Alyssa Ghilardi, visit her Instagram page.
About The Series:
The Creatively Corporate article series highlights the unique experiences of creatives working within Corporate America. This 3-part interview sequence sheds light on the multi-dimensional, ever-evolving dichotomy between the corporate and creative culture many artists find themselves in-between.
The first article in the Creatively Corporate series told the story of Taj HoChoy, a professional financial guru with a dual-passion for bending time and mixing culture through DJing. This article tells the captivating story of Alyssa Ghilardi, an event curator producing transcendent musical jam sessions and fiscal-friendly corporate engagements.
Next on Creatively Corporate:
Read the intriguing story of Joy Bernal, a photographer, and entrepreneur challenging the creative status quo while designing corporate content in the health industry.
Author Bio
Bio: Vanessa Gabrielle Chandler is a natural born creative specializing in event production and writing. Vanessa has a passion for telling the unique stories of entrepreneurs, self-starters and creative individuals. Her writing engages readers through relatable stories and realistic advice, always allowing the authentic voice of her subject to pervade through her sentences. When she's not planning art shows in support of local artists, you can find her spending time under the sun, catching up on the works of her favorite black female authors. A Norristown, Pennsylvania native, Vanessa is proud to call Philadelphia her current home.
Social Media (Instagram): @vanessagabrielle.co