Andy MilliganJun 16, 2026

Columbus Marketing Organization / What We Are

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Columbus Marketing Organization / What We Are

Andy Milligan

After losing his first job, the speaker discovered that community was the key to his success as an independent marketer. Learn how connecting with others can help you navigate your career and find the right opportunities.

Columbus Marketing Organization / What We Are

Andy Milligan

After losing his first job, the speaker discovered that community was the key to his success as an independent marketer. Learn how connecting with others can help you navigate your career and find the right opportunities.

Chapters

00:00

Introduction to Community

The importance of community in professional marketing.

00:13

Personal Career Struggles

01:20

Finding Professional Success

01:41

Power of Networking

02:58

The CMO Community

03:30

Join the Community

Transcript

00:01

I believe community is the future.

00:04

February 1st of 2024, I lost my first job in marketing.

00:07

I was an entry level graphic designer.

00:09

I was super stoked to be there.

00:11

And to be honest with you, losing my first role hit me like a ton of bricks.

00:15

The first year on my own as an independent marketer was lonely, to say the least.

00:19

I had no sense of direction.

00:21

I was saying yes to way too many things, all in hopes of trying to make a better outcome, make a better life for myself.

00:27

And I didn't know so many of the tactical things that I should have before going out on my own, like pricing, niching down, taxes, hiring, all these things that I just was not equipped for.

00:36

When I was laid off, I had my first full time client at 1200 bucks a month.

00:40

That was all I had.

00:41

Could barely afford rent.

00:42

In my first full year, the next year I, made a little over $200,000 as an independent marketer.

00:48

For me, what changed everything and really set me on the right path wasn't grinding harder.

00:53

It wasn't outworking everybody.

00:55

Yes, if you're a high performer, you're already working hard.

00:57

That's just a prerequisite.

00:58

What made the difference for me was community.

01:00

It was podcasting and it was meeting and learning from people who were, one to two steps ahead of me, who and who knew people that I was trying to get in touch with.

01:08

I know exactly how isolating marketing can be.

01:11

Whether you are solo or whether you're in house or whether you're between roles and looking for the next one.

01:16

But if I've learned anything, the next opportunity always comes from a, who.

01:21

Whether you are that in house marketer or you're going out on your own, the CMO is the place for you.

01:26

And I'm betting my house, community and the value of it in the future.

01:31

The Columbus marketing organization is full of people at your level or one to two steps ahead who have been through what you are going through.

01:39

I know it seems like you're alone, but you're not.

01:41

No matter where you are in your marketing journey.

01:44

If you just graduated and you're looking for an in house role, subscribe in that newsletter.

01:48

It will send you curated job postings based here in Columbus every single week.

01:53

And if you're just trying to grow, meet people one to two steps ahead of you.

01:57

I would love to have you inside our community of established marketers and agency owners based in Columbus.

02:03

These are people who can build you up, be a source of connections for you, and find the who's that can help you reach the next step of your journey.

02:09

Either way, people are the future and and I want you to be in touch with the people who can help you the most.

02:14

That is the value of community.

02:16

That is the cmo.

02:17

Hope to see you guys inside.

Columbus Marketing Organization / What We Are — Tella