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“…marketing is the jack of all trades, master of none.”

Monday after work, a group of us went to a nearby restaurant to catch the United States vs. Ghana World Cup game before our speaker series commenced. Alongside MSBA co-founder Ben Sturner, we were crammed around a table at a nearby restaurant watching the game. The score was 1 to 1 and the time clock was slowly increasing, leaving a small window of time for the United States to pull through. As we all held our breaths and sat on the edge of our seats, US defender John Brooks suddenly scored with a header at the 86th minute. Everyone in the restaurant immediately stood up and cheered, high fived, and hugged. I screamed so loud that I got light headed! It was incredible, unbelievable, a dream come true! Our table started the “U-S-A!” chant and everyone quickly followed suit. U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A! The chant echoed as we celebrated the impeccable feat we had just witnessed.

The game ended with a US victory and with our adrenaline still pumping, we sprinted down the block to make it in time for the night’s speaker.

David Giglio, Associate Director of Marketing Activation for the United States Olympic Committee was the perfect speaker for what was already an incredibly patriotic night.

David began by asking us which nation had the only non-profit Olympic organization, or rather, which nation’s Olympians were not funded by its federal government? The answer: The United States of America. The United States Olympic Committee provides the country’s athletes with the support that they require to reach their fullest potential, without support from the federal government.

David’s duty for the United States Olympic Committee is to plan, market, and maximize the USOC brand and awareness. His main responsibility, developing the “Road to” program, begins years before the Olympic games. David researches, creates, and initiates the program to promote the USOC, the athletes, and the games – an extremely important aspect for the country’s committee. David also had a wealth of knowledge and insight for young professionals looking to get ahead in the business. His advice included the ability to stand out, ask questions, market yourself, and research. With a heavy emphasis on research, David ended with the quote, “marketing is the jack of all trades, master of none.”

Preceding the presentation, I had the chance to talk to David with a smaller group. He landed his job with the United States Olympic Committee through connections, hard work, impeccable timing, and a little bit of luck. It dawned on me that anyone can achieve his or her dream job if we work our way up, use the people who surround us, and believe that we can.

David made us realize that he and the rest of the United States Olympic Committee puts in hard work and passion to support our nation’s top athletes so that they can exemplify our country to the highest regard, year after year, decade after decade. During the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, the famous “U-S-A!” chant began and it is still used to celebrate our country’s accomplishments to this day.

Whether it be a World Cup game win or an Olympic Gold Medal, we bleed our country’s colors and we are proud to support our nation’s athletes.