The Under 30: Shannon Marsico
The Under 30 is a series that explores the lives of the young people around us. Learn more about why we’re doing it here.
Shannon Marsico // 27 // Irvine, California // Media Supervisor
The setting California sun shone brightly into my eyes, forcing me to squint as I checked the address and made sure I was in the right place. It didn’t look like much, and it almost certainly didn’t look like a place where MTV would be filming a live TV show. Still, I remembered that the venue was an old, rehabbed warehouse space, and that supplemented with the fact that there was a line wrapping around the old, brick building was enough to prove to me that this was in fact the correct location.
I was there to meet Shannon, who had graciously invited me to attend the event as her guest, but she was stuck in traffic and hadn’t arrived yet. As I waited, I stood and watched as the line grew and production staff, complete with the cliche black t-shirts and headsets, ran in and out of a curtained-off area.
She arrived shortly after, and after greeting each other we entered the venue and were met by some representatives from MTV. They were excited about the show, which represented a return of sorts to live music, and they wanted to promote it to potential advertisers. Shannon was there to represent Taco Bell, but I was there on vacation, a perk of visiting someone who had an interesting job.
It was a bit of a whirlwind; we were escorted from stage to stage, from one intimate live performance to another, chatting about how interesting this effort was and the great opportunities it represented. The event was impressive, but what left more of a mark on me was how respected Shannon was amongst her colleagues and partners. Being thrown into interesting, VIP experiences as a young professional is one thing. Being able to manage them and thrive in the environment is another.
Straight From the Source
What are your favorite hobbies?
I enjoy dancing around the house, blogging, and gaming in my free time. I am currently really into Skyrim — I’m a fuckin’ badass Wood Elf. I also spend a lot of time with my best friend/German Shepherd, Pacey. He’s my guy, ya know? I do everything with him.
What are you most proud of?
I don’t have a specific callout for this, but I would just say that overall I enjoy how impulsive I am. Most of my decisions are unplanned and have worked out for the best.
For example, my move to Philadelphia back in 2011 was made in a day and resulted in me jumpstarting my career and making some of my best friends. Regarding my job, I have made quick pitches to the President and VPs at both of my previous agencies. In hindsight, I don’t think I was nearly as prepared as I should have been, but it did get me some visibility with the executive teams. I also moved to California without really planning out the future or my move, but it has been a great overall experience. I am proud that I can take risks and roll with the punches.
Where do you hangout?
My favorite place to hangout is really at any Mexican restaurant with my friends. That’s where I love to be. I love tequila, tacos, chips & dip, and good company.
What would your ideal job/career be?
I currently work on all digital media executions for Taco Bell’s big product launches, tent poles, and sponsorships. Some of the bigger projects I worked on include the MLB World Series ‘Steal a Game Steal a Taco’ promotion, our partnership with Viacom on the MTV VMAs, and Taco Bell’s Sony VR $5 Box giveaway. I am super proud to be on a team that consistently raises the bar in our field — we always want to grow & beat our previous accomplishments.
If I am looking to the far future (I want to stay at Taco Bell for a while), I would love to potentially move to a smaller brand or a start-up. I think that building something from the ground up is so rewarding. Taco Bell is a well-oiled machine. We are doing great things and will continue to do so. I want to take what I learn from this company and apply those learnings to a developing brand.
What’s the best advice you could give?
“If you only do what you can do, you’ll never be better than what you are.” –Master Shifu (Kung Pu Panda 3)
What do you wish you did more of?
I want to get involved in an activist movement and/or cause this year. I am out of my early/mid 20s and am at the point where I should stop being selfish and solely focusing on myself. I most likely want to focus on sustainable agriculture since it has piqued my interest in the last year.
Why didn’t you make Forbes 30 under 30?
Because I am a piece of shit in the grand scheme of things.
You can keep up with Shannon here.
