Every Job I’ve Ever Had (Or At Least the Ones That Paid Me)

Looking back at the jobs I’ve held, it’s less like a career path and more like a very weird, slightly embarrassing scavenger hunt. I’ve mowed lawns, stacked hay, flipped burgers, wrestled decks into submission, and even played an extra on a Greek island. Somewhere in there, I got a finance degree, which mostly came in handy for calculating how much I could spend on coffee between gigs.

So, without further ado, here’s a chronological tour of my “professional” life.

The Early Hustle

• Mowing lawns and yard work – Because apparently neighbors trust a twelve-year-old with a lawnmower but not their Wi-Fi password.
• Stacking hay bales – Basically CrossFit before CrossFit existed. And yes, I’m still sore thinking about it.
• McDonald’s kitchen (cook?) – Learned two important truths: the fry timer never lies, and the word “kitchen” is generously applied.

Hammer Time

• Home renovation laborer
• Roofing
• Building decks
• Handyman

Translation: I got very familiar with splinters, sunburn, and the delicate art of not dropping a power tool on myself.

Factory Life

• Summer union worker at Reynolds Aluminum can plant – Fun fact: cans don’t magically assemble themselves. Who knew?

NYC Service Adventures

• Host at Stardust Diner – Yes, the one where Broadway singers belt show tunes at you while you try not to spill coffee on yourself.
• Cutlery counter at Hoffritz for Cutlery – There’s nothing like trying to convince someone that a $200 knife is worth it while silently questioning your life choices.

College Jobs & Finance

While working campus gigs, I was also pretending to understand finance in school. Eventually, that degree would help me read spreadsheets for a living, but first:

• Intramural athletics employee
• Intramural athletics director – Fancy title, same sweaty gyms.
• Safety escort for campus police – Essentially “drive strangers to their dorms at midnight as a free uber.”

The Numbers Game

• Financial analyst
• Senior financial analyst

Ah yes, spreadsheets. Budgets. PowerPoints. All the glamour of finance, none of the Hollywood. Though technically, this is where my career “looked normal” on paper.

Random Adventures

• Commercial extra on Santorini – Blink and you’ll miss me. Free sun, though.
• Office temp (Excel, NYC) – Because apparently my destiny is always near a pivot table.

Fitness Era

• Gym floor staff
• Personal trainer
• Fitness class instructor

Lesson: abs are mostly diet, and yelling motivational phrases at people doesn’t make them run faster… who knew?

Film & Production Bootcamp

• Production assistant (PA)
• Key PA
• Art PA
• Set dresser
• Grip, electric

In other words, I carried heavy things, taped things, and caffeinated everything in sight.

Moving Up the Call Sheet

• Studio manager (sound stage)
• Production coordinator
• Production manager
• Producer (film, video, photo, graphics, post, VFX, CGI—you name it)
• Project manager
• Executive producer
• Head of production
• Director of production

Eventually, people stopped asking me to carry sandbags and started asking me to carry the budget. Big upgrade, really.

Branding & Consulting World

• Brand manager
• Director of design
• Branding consultant
• Production consultant

Because after decades of chaotic gigs, I somehow ended up being the person other people call when chaos needs managing. Who saw that coming?

Takeaways (If You Can Call Them That)

No job is wasted. Every gig—whether stacking hay, flipping burgers, balancing spreadsheets, or wrangling VFX bids—added a tool to the toolbox. Sometimes the tools were actual hammers. Sometimes the tools were just patience, caffeine, and the ability to nod thoughtfully while secretly panicking.

At this point, I can confidently say: I’ve done it all (or at least enough to write a mildly entertaining blog post about it). And honestly? I wouldn’t trade a single, ridiculous minute of it.