Hey, if I got named to a “40 under 40” list, could I ride in a private jet, too? Wait, I’m over forty…. Meet my former student Alex Farnsworth, who was happy to lose sight of the shore!
Alex Farnsworth
What do you do for work?
I am currently the Director of Marketing at a luxury boutique hotel, beach club and country club in Delray Beach, FL called The Seagate Hotel & Spa.
Staying hydrated!
One of my greatest accomplishments has been the completion of my MBA program from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in Rochester, NY. I had the pleasure of meeting students from all around the world, which added great value to my education. With this experience I gained tremendous confidence in my ability to communicate, influence and connect with individuals exhibiting different interests, beliefs and backgrounds.
My undergraduate degree (at State University of New York at Geneseo) and graduate education, coupled with my valuable, two-year internship at Constellation Brands, Inc., led to my current position as Director of Marketing at The Seagate Hotel & Spa. As Director of Marketing, I have learned how to manage people, processes and projects. My experience has taught me how to embrace and overcome obstacles and challenge old practices. I have learned how to marry enthusiasm with structured processes and traceable results. The autonomous management style at The Seagate has allowed me to thrive in a newly created position.
At The Seagate, I oversee and manage all of the marketing, advertising, public relations, promotions, sponsorships and brand management for The Seagate Hotel & Spa, The Seagate Beach Club, The Seagate County Club, the Seagate Spa, the Atlantic Grille and the two boutiques within the hotel (Aqua Resortwear and etc. café & gifts) and the soon to be Seagate Yacht Club.
Constellation’s private jet reenacting scene from The Bachelorette.
I was hired for the position in October of 2011 and I started work on December 5, 2011, after completing my MBA in November as well as my nearly two year digital marketing internship at Constellation Brands, Inc., the 2nd largest premium wine company in the world, headquartered in Victor, NY – just 5 minutes from where I grew up. I concentrated in Marketing and International Business and my undergraduate degree is in business and psychology. When I was offered this newly created position at The Seagate, I was on “cloud 9.” I had secured my “dream job” out of college. If I had defined what my dream job would be upon graduation, this position would have fit that description to a “T.” I am incredibly grateful for where I am. For the first time in my life, I feel like I’m making my own story and finding my independence/self …Although, I guess that happens when you move to a state that’s 1,369 miles from everything that you’ve ever known.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of my job is meeting world-renowned travel writers and photographers and treating them to dinner at one of our distinctive dining venues (preferably the upper-level dining room at The Seagate’s private beach club, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean – depicted here).
“I’ll have Le Big Mac & Royale with Cheese”
Other favorite parts: there are never two days that are the same – each day is a new adventure and my job is constantly changing, as marketing is continuously changing. I’ve had the opportunity to explore new digital marketing opportunities and prove how powerful and cost-effective social media, blogging and other inbound marketing techniques can be.
In 2012, Delray Beach was voted “the most fun small town in America” by USA Today and Rand McNally – so needless to say, another huge perk is working in “America’s most fun small town” on Delray Beach’s famed Atlantic Avenue!
What do you do for fun/enrichment?
In my spare (vacation) time, I love to go boating with family and friends in my hometown (Canandaigua NY). Every summer I go home to visit family 2-3 times, since June – September is considered our “off-season” at the hotel. We have huge family parties at our cottage on Canandaigua Lake. We cookout, go boating, and spend the majority of our time on the water. I also love to travel! Fortunately, one of my best friends lives in San Francisco and I was able to visit her this past fall to see the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Fisherman’s Wharf/Pier 39, etc. We also went to their favorite winery in Sonoma (Scribe Winery) and a few wineries in Napa Valley as well. The pictures below are from a trip that two of my best high school girlfriends took to New Hampshire. The lake was so calm and serene. I honestly felt like an Olympian (not really though) when we would waterski, kneeboard, wakeboard, etc.
How did you prepare for your life/career so far?
The most beneficial endeavor that I took part in to prepare me for the “real world/real work world”, was my 1 year, 8 month internship at Constellation Brands, which was not a requirement of my undergraduate or graduate degree. It was a complete exploratory/learning experience to help me figure out what I was interested in and what career path I wanted to pursue. I didn’t fully realize how beneficial it was until I obtained my first “real full-time job” at The Seagate. Looking back, I realize how much I learned from that experience and even though I was simultaneously working on my graduate degree, the strategies, communication skills and leadership characteristics that I developed during that time period were invaluable. The internship made my graduate degree that much more beneficial and rewarding. I learned the soft skills that complement the technical skills, verbiage, theories, etc. that you learn in school.
With Margrit Mondavi at Robert Mondavi Winery
When I flew down to Florida from New York for the weekend to interview for this position at The Seagate, I had three of my best Marketing reports bound with a laminated cover to present at the interview with the management team. I had multiple copies of my resume, which highlighted my major internship achievements (Tip: be specific! For example, I listed this: “By creating and managing the company’s social media channels, we were able to reduce our advertising & marketing budget by $25,000 in the first year.”
My mantra during this time in my life was: “You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” I always felt like my life was lacking spontaneity, excitement and adventures! When I decided to move to Delray Beach, FL for this job opportunity, I didn’t know anyone. I was a plane-ride away from home and all of my family (or a 24 hour car ride). This was definitely an adventurous move for me AND one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I truly believe that risk taking is key to a fulfilling life. Opening yourself up to adventure/vulnerability and getting outside of your comfort zone is such a powerful way for you to grow and “find yourself” (easier said than done, I know)! I think that you’ll be surprised at the happiness, satisfaction, confidence and feelings of self-worth that result from doing this.
What are you proud of?
I was hired to fulfill a newly created position at The Seagate. The management team knew they wanted to hire someone with a marketing/communications background to manage their public relations and advertising agencies. Since it was such a new position that wasn’t clearly defined, I decided to document all of my major achievements/completed projects throughout the year so that they 1) knew what I had done and 2) recognized the value that I (hopefully) added to the sales team. The document was only 24 short pages (laminated and bound at Office Depot). Ha!J My General Manager thought I was crazy AND I ended up getting promoted to Director of Marketing (my previous title was “Marketing Manager”), so it was all worth it in the end. Around my two-year anniversary at The Seagate, I was featured in a “40 under 40” article, which was kind of exciting because I was able to share our successes with in-bound marketing including blogging and social media and demonstrate how it’s a revenue-generating channel for us (and a pretty powerful branding tool).
What advice can you give younger people as they prepare for the adult world?
Definitely do an internship whether it’s paid or unpaid. It will help you prepare for the “real world” by allowing you to learn and practice the soft skills that you don’t always learn in college (negotiating, oral/written communication skills, presenting, goal setting, etc.) It will also make you a more attractive candidate during the interview process. You have an opportunity to prove yourself (to the organization that you’re interning with and to yourself). You also have the ability to practice everything that you learn in school and master it. Lastly, and probably the most important piece of it all, is that you discover what you’re passionate about and even more importantly, you discover what you’re not interested in. Patience is key. Don’t be part of the so-called, “Gen Y – Entitled Generation” – work hard, learn continuously and always find ways to better yourself. As my father has always said, “knowledge is power.” Your efforts will be recognized and if they’re not, it may be time to move on. J “Be content always and satisfied never” – said one of the wisest and most magnificent men that I’ve ever known, my Grandfather.