When you land your first job in marketing, the excitement is real—but so is the uncertainty. You’re learning new tools, meeting new people, and trying to figure out not just how to do the work, but how to do it well enough to earn trust, get noticed, and grow.
I’ve seen that excitement and uncertainty hundreds of times in my career. I’ve taught students in classrooms, hired interns, trained new hires, and led teams in fast-paced, digital-first agencies. And across all of those roles, one thing became clear: the first year is where habits, reputations, and careers are built.
The problem? Most new hires are figuring it out by trial and error. They’re learning the hard way what to say in a meeting, how to handle feedback, or why speed and responsiveness matter so much in our business. Some figure it out fast. Others stumble—sometimes for reasons that could have been avoided with a little guidance.
That’s why I wrote Level Up in Marketing: The First-Year Playbook. I wanted to take the lessons I’ve shared in one-on-one conversations, team meetings, and training sessions over the years, and put them all in one place. This book is a mentor in print—a guide you can pick up anytime you’re wondering how to handle a situation, adapt to change, or make a decision you can be proud of.
It’s written for a digital-first world where marketing moves fast and the tools keep changing, but where the timeless skills—building trust, staying ethical, being curious—still matter most. My hope is that it shortens the learning curve for anyone starting their marketing career and helps them build a strong foundation for the years ahead.
If you’re just starting out—or if you know someone who is—this book is for you. Because your first year in marketing should be more than survival. It should be the year you level up.