1 00:00:00,130 --> 00:00:02,500 - I'm Kristyn Clark, Director of Brand Communications 2 00:00:02,500 --> 00:00:05,227 at Shake Shack and this is how I got here. 3 00:00:05,227 --> 00:00:08,340 (upbeat dance music) 4 00:00:08,340 --> 00:00:10,530 Growing up I would describe myself as 5 00:00:10,530 --> 00:00:14,390 a mix between overachiever and class clown. 6 00:00:14,390 --> 00:00:17,300 My older sister was actually the one that shaped 7 00:00:17,300 --> 00:00:19,020 my career path early on. 8 00:00:19,020 --> 00:00:21,260 And she had an internship at Gucci 9 00:00:21,260 --> 00:00:22,960 and I remember her telling me and my mom 10 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:25,210 about this pair of shoes that she had sent to 11 00:00:25,210 --> 00:00:27,240 Jennifer Lopez for a shoot and I just thought 12 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:28,700 that was the coolest thing ever. 13 00:00:28,700 --> 00:00:31,930 And I got it in my head that I wanted to do fashion PR. 14 00:00:31,930 --> 00:00:34,080 So that was kind of the start of it for me. 15 00:00:35,410 --> 00:00:37,240 I went to Villanova University. 16 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:38,073 I studied communications in college. 17 00:00:38,073 --> 00:00:38,960 I specialized in public relations. 18 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:44,580 And then I was the freelance PR assistant 19 00:00:44,580 --> 00:00:46,960 at Gucci for a few months until I found 20 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:48,510 a full-time gig at a small 21 00:00:48,510 --> 00:00:50,050 designer based in the West Village. 22 00:00:50,050 --> 00:00:52,540 I worked under a really amazing boss who taught me 23 00:00:52,540 --> 00:00:54,480 a lot of the technical skills of the job. 24 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,330 I was 22 years old, had just graduated 25 00:00:57,330 --> 00:01:00,350 and I was orchestrating entire runway shows 26 00:01:00,350 --> 00:01:03,180 from sourcing the venue, booking the models, 27 00:01:03,180 --> 00:01:06,410 hair and make up, doing creative or ad campaigns, 28 00:01:06,410 --> 00:01:08,440 so it was pretty insane. 29 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:10,420 But it was a really invaluable experience 30 00:01:10,420 --> 00:01:12,240 and I think the skills that I learned 31 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,440 on that job really helped shaped my career. 32 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:17,910 So after about a year of doing that 33 00:01:17,910 --> 00:01:19,980 I realized that fashion PR wasn't 34 00:01:19,980 --> 00:01:21,530 where I wanted to be. 35 00:01:21,530 --> 00:01:22,820 I think you have to look at 36 00:01:22,820 --> 00:01:25,610 your boss's job and your boss's boss's job 37 00:01:25,610 --> 00:01:26,950 and if you don't wanna do that 38 00:01:26,950 --> 00:01:29,960 it's probably not the right place for you. 39 00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:31,540 I really wanted to be in an industry 40 00:01:31,540 --> 00:01:33,410 that I was passionate about. 41 00:01:33,410 --> 00:01:35,720 And at the time I was really into 42 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:37,340 the health and wellness space so. 43 00:01:37,340 --> 00:01:40,290 I was looking at jobs with Nike, Adidas 44 00:01:40,290 --> 00:01:42,360 Under Armour and I was actually 45 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:44,300 a big SoulCycle rider at the time. 46 00:01:44,300 --> 00:01:48,720 So, I basically scoured their website every single day 47 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,880 looking for a job posting that fit my background. 48 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:54,760 And I came upon a PR assistant role. 49 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:58,060 So that was actually a step down for me, 50 00:01:58,060 --> 00:01:59,220 but I thought to myself, 51 00:01:59,220 --> 00:02:01,270 I really want to get into this industry. 52 00:02:01,270 --> 00:02:02,360 It's a good foot in the door. 53 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:03,500 It's a company that I love. 54 00:02:03,500 --> 00:02:05,920 It's a product that I actually use. 55 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:10,420 So I applied and about a week later after applying 56 00:02:10,420 --> 00:02:13,053 I had the interview and got the job. 57 00:02:15,090 --> 00:02:17,070 So after about three and a half years of 58 00:02:17,070 --> 00:02:19,250 working at SoulCycle I started to get the itch 59 00:02:19,250 --> 00:02:20,440 for something new. 60 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:24,290 And I found the role of Senior PR Manager at Shake Shack. 61 00:02:24,290 --> 00:02:26,700 And I've been here for two and a half years. 62 00:02:26,700 --> 00:02:28,920 I was promoted at the end of last year 63 00:02:28,920 --> 00:02:31,800 to the director of brand communications. 64 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:33,400 As the director of brand communications, 65 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:35,910 at Shake Shack I really lead the strategic 66 00:02:35,910 --> 00:02:38,040 and creative storytelling that drives 67 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:40,010 the global positioning of our brand. 68 00:02:40,010 --> 00:02:43,150 So my day to day is really different every time 69 00:02:43,150 --> 00:02:43,990 I walk through the door. 70 00:02:43,990 --> 00:02:46,280 And I never really know what I'm walking into. 71 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,270 I could be on the festival grounds at Coachella 72 00:02:49,270 --> 00:02:51,210 doing influencer meet ups and getting the food 73 00:02:51,210 --> 00:02:52,860 for them to take their photos. 74 00:02:52,860 --> 00:02:56,080 Or I could be doing a media day with our CEO 75 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:57,740 on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. 76 00:02:57,740 --> 00:02:59,960 Because I touch so many pieces of the business 77 00:02:59,960 --> 00:03:02,510 you really have to be sort of a chameleon and know 78 00:03:02,510 --> 00:03:04,000 the financial background to be able 79 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:05,910 to go to the stock exchange and do an interview 80 00:03:05,910 --> 00:03:06,990 with your CEO. 81 00:03:06,990 --> 00:03:09,320 You also have to know who the really cool influencers are 82 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:11,070 that you want to work with at Coachella. 83 00:03:11,070 --> 00:03:12,770 So it takes a lot of knowledge 84 00:03:12,770 --> 00:03:14,130 in a bunch of different areas 85 00:03:14,130 --> 00:03:15,643 to really be good at the job. 86 00:03:17,190 --> 00:03:19,530 My advice for someone going into PR would be 87 00:03:19,530 --> 00:03:22,460 focus less on the industry and more on the brand 88 00:03:22,460 --> 00:03:23,300 that you really like. 89 00:03:23,300 --> 00:03:25,670 So, make sure that it's a product that you use 90 00:03:25,670 --> 00:03:26,980 that you're passionate about. 91 00:03:26,980 --> 00:03:28,660 Make sure that you're working for leaders 92 00:03:28,660 --> 00:03:30,520 who you admire and respect. 93 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:31,975 And I think if you find yourself in that kind 94 00:03:31,975 --> 00:03:34,953 of environment you'll be able to do your job a lot better.