One Year Later | Part 2

Created to deliver immersive, hands-on, real-time professional development, GPJ’s Ignite program is all about investing in the future of experiential. To do this, we start by shaping the next generation of leaders. As we welcome our newest class of Igniters, we’d like to take a moment to celebrate those who came before them—Igniters who have since stepped into full-time roles at GPJ. Their stories showcase the power of the program and the impactful role Ignite plays in growing confident, capable talent across our organization!

I discovered the Ignite program during my senior year at Michigan State University. I loved the idea of the program’s six-month, train-to-hire structure, which offered the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the industry.

During the Ignite program, I supported the Production department. The highlight of the program for me was the opportunity to go onsite and travel multiple times! Supporting Dreamforce in San Francisco, TechXchange in Las Vegas, and Microsoft Ignite’s surround events in Chicago! I found myself quickly learning how to work with diverse teams, adapt in fast-paced environments, and how to contribute to the planning and execution of large-scale events.

It sounds like you had a fulfilling experience. Congratulations on securing a full-time position because of it! What was that transition like, from Ignite to full-time?

My transition into a full-time role at GPJ was very smooth. Everyone was incredibly welcoming, and I had the opportunity to work with and meet many GPJ team members during the program, which helped me feel well supported when coming on full-time. I remained within the Production department as I moved into my full-time role.

An exciting part of this transition was moving offices. I completed the program in the Detroit office and relocated to the Boston office in January of 2025, prior to starting full-time.

From Detroit to Boston and several cities onsite in between, what has the past year taught you? Was there anything you took away from your Ignite experience that has helped you in your role now?

I can’t believe it’s already been a year since I started full-time at GPJ! I’m so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had over the past year to work on a wide variety of projects, each offering their own challenges and learning experiences. This exposure has allowed me to broaden my skills in the industry and continue growing both personally and professionally within the Production department. The Ignite program gave me a sneak peek into working with clients, onsite etiquette, and the detail-oriented nature of live events. That early experience allowed me to hit the ground running and confidently take on new responsibilities when starting full time.

Thinking back on the last year and a half, is there any advice you would give to someone who’s considering the Ignite program?

I would highly recommend the Ignite program because of the positive and welcoming culture it showed me firsthand a workplace can have. Beyond the incredible opportunities it provided and all that I learned about experiential marketing, the program gave me the chance to work alongside colleagues who genuinely want to see you succeed. 

It was also the ideal transition after college, giving me the hands-on industry experience I mentioned earlier and helping me identify the areas of the industry I enjoy most.

Let’s end with a fun one: have any “only in experiential marketing” stories?

Back in November, while supporting Quantum Developer Conference that was held in Atlanta, I was responsible for selecting and ordering the table decor. Due to shipping logistics, I had to ship the boxes to my apartment before the show. When the shipment arrived, I quickly learned it would require some creativity — eleven massive boxes (five of them being five feet tall) were delivered to my apartment. Luckily, one of my roommates was out of town and let me store them in her room for the week. My other roommates thought the whole situation was hilarious and couldn’t believe the behind-the-scenes work that goes into making events happen.

Thank you for your time today, Grace. We’re lucky to have you on the team and look forward to seeing what’s in store for you and your career!

Fun Fact: I have too many hobbies—currently I’m crocheting, knitting, drawing, and playing Minecraft!

How did you find GPJ, and what was your experience with Ignite like?

I was approached on LinkedIn with the opportunity to join the Ignite Program. It was really a great experience, and I got to jump straight into work with excitement and curiosity. It was through the program that a lot of doors opened for me, and I was constantly being asked to push myself and try new things. For example, I was asked to visit the AWS Summit in Sydney to observe the experiences and activations. This really helped me understand what experience marketing is really about and how I could improve my own practice. Another example would be when I assisted the registration team at the Gartner IT Symposium in Queensland. This time, I was flown out to another state and learned the ins and outs of a whole other department! 

Of course, my main learnings came from being in the Creative team. In just one year, I became efficient in all of the Adobe Suite, and I was twice as fast at using Illustrator! My team showed me all of their techniques and tricks, which now makes the process so much easier. I have designed for all of our biggest clients (Toyota, ServiceNow, IBM), and I have assisted on countless projects throughout my time in the Ignite Program.

It sounds like you had exposure to many facets of our work and grew within your own department exponentially. Congratulations on your full-time position because of it! Speaking of which, what was the transition like from Ignite to FTE?

The transition from Ignite to full-time was seamless. My team showed me so much love and support while working with them, and they were so happy to have me come on full-time. I stayed in the creative department, and I have slowly taken on more challenges and responsibilities. Honestly, it felt like nothing had changed—I was grateful and happy to be at GPJ then and now. 

We’re grateful to have you! You’re now one year into being full-time—was there anything you took away from your Ignite experience that has helped you in your role now?

My first year taught me not to be scared of new experiences because they usually lead to great opportunities and the biggest growth. 

The Ignite Program really helped me build my courage and confidence because I knew I had a great team backing me while I learned how to do well in my role. It helped me develop my creativity and technical skills, so now I have a great foundation to work with in my role. 

Reflecting on that, what advice would you give to someone who’s considering the Ignite program?

Be a yes man. Be open to trying new things, new challenges, and new ways to do things. This is how you learn what you are passionate about, what you are good at, and how you become a creative problem solver. 

Let’s end with a fun one; describe agency life with one meme.

Thank you for your time today, Farah. We’re lucky to have you on the team and look forward to seeing what’s in store for you and your career!

And how did you come to find GPJ? What was your experience like with Ignite?

I came across GPJ by chance. I knew I wanted to work in the field of immersive experiences, but was unsure of where to start. Here I stumbled across the company and found they were hiring for an intern in the creative tech department.

Overall I had a great experience, though I was thrown into the deep end. My mentor at the time, Sam, taught me everything I needed to know about ideating and presenting projects, supporting me anytime I had questions or concerns, helping me to pursue my goals, and becoming more confident in my decisions.

Congratulations on your position with GPJ! Reflecting on your time with us, what was the transition like from Ignite to full-time?

My transition into a full-time position was extremely seamless because I was staying in the same department. It essentially felt like nothing changed. I was still working on the same projects, but this time I knew I was able to see them through to completion. I felt really proud knowing I now had a job straight out of university in the industry I wanted to work in, especially with the state of the creative job market for students; this felt like a huge achievement for me.

We’re cheering you on, Stanley! What was one thing you took away from your Ignite experience that has helped you in your role now?

The past year at GPJ definitely taught me to become more confident in what I have to say when presenting, and constantly pitching my ideas really helped improve upon this. Now as a full-time employee, I’m definitely trusted more to ideate, design, and pitch ideas myself, often with minimal supervision, and with this new confidence, I feel as though I can really articulate what I want to put across. 

It sounds like your time in Ignite taught you some great lessons! Speaking of lessons—if you could share any advice to those considering the Ignite program, what would you say?

Focus on the ‘why’ behind the ‘what.’ When you’re working on a project, try to understand the strategy driving the experience. Be curious and flexible, things can change fast, and being able to pivot and adapt to the situation is your greatest strength. 

Let’s end with a fun one; describe agency life with one meme.

Brilliant. Thank you for your time today, Stanley. We’re lucky to have you on the team and look forward to seeing what’s in store for you and your career!

So Matt, how did you find GPJ? What was your experience with Ignite?

I found Ignite through a serendipitous conversation with a mentor and close friend. At the time, I had been working in the entertainment and music industry but was looking for something different. I wanted a role that combined my interest in operations with my background in marketing.

During that conversation, he mentioned that his company, IBM, partners with an experiential agency that might align with my interests. After researching the experiential marketing space and learning more about GPJ, I realized it could be a strong opportunity to explore a new industry while continuing to build on my existing experience. It was one of those things that I never knew existed before, but I had been so close to it my whole life. 

I joined the Ignite program in June 2024, shortly after graduating, and was excited to support the Integrated Production (IP) department. I was initially placed on “various accounts,” which allowed me to gain broad exposure across the agency. My primary accounts became Honda and Acura and Pokémon, and I also supported Cisco GSX, Cisco Partner Summit, Workday Rising, and Adobe MAX.

I really enjoyed my time in the Ignite program. It allowed me to work across multiple accounts, learn from experienced professionals, and grow within a supportive cohort. As someone new to the industry, it was initially intimidating to be trusted with responsibilities that felt critical to such large scale events. That trust ultimately built my confidence and helped me develop the skills I rely on today as I continue to grow at GPJ. I was also able to try out Live Production at Partner Summit as I thought it would be good to try at least one other department so I could know what options were available. The Ignite program gives you the freedom to explore and find opportunities outside of your original assignment.

It sounds like you had a very fruitful Ignite experience! Congratulations on securing a full-time position with GPJ. What was that transition like? How did coming back to the office as an FTE feel?

I stayed within the Integrated Production department. I really enjoyed my time in IP as an Igniter and was able to build a strong foundation with the teams I worked with, so the transition felt less like a shift and more like a continuation. I remained on many of the same projects, and as new ones came in, my roles and responsibilities expanded gradually. Returning as a full-time employee was especially rewarding. I had the opportunity to reconnect with coworkers and friends, and it felt good to be back.

Reflecting on your time in Ignite, was there anything you took away from your Ignite experience that has helped you in your role now? 

Through Ignite, I developed and strengthened a wide range of skills. Managing multiple projects across various accounts required strong prioritization and time-management abilities, as well as the confidence to ask questions and seek clarification when needed. Given the fast-paced nature of the work, it was critical to ensure full alignment on tasks before execution, which reinforced the importance of proactive communication and attention to detail.

I also gained significant experience collaborating with clients, vendors, and internal teams. Many projects involved multiple stakeholders with differing perspectives, and Ignite provided valuable exposure to navigating those dynamics effectively. Understanding each stakeholder’s role and workstream enabled me to identify the appropriate points of contact for specific information, which continues to be beneficial in my current role.

Additionally, I learned how to evaluate and prioritize input from various stakeholders to ensure decisions aligned with project goals and client expectations. This skill has been essential in contributing to successful project outcomes and delivering work that meets both operational and client standards.

All of that firsthand experience has really paid off and given you a great foundation and a smooth transition into the next phase of your career. As a former igniter yourself, is there any advice you would give to someone who’s considering the Ignite program?

I would absolutely say go for it. Ignite gives you the freedom to learn and explore while still having a safety net, which makes it a great environment to take risks, ask questions, and learn from mistakes. You’re exposed to real projects and real responsibilities, but with the support and guidance needed to grow confidently.

What really sets Ignite apart is that it offers a unique alternative to the traditional entry point into a company or industry. Instead of being boxed into one role right away, you get the chance to experience different workflows, teams, and ways of working. The managers I worked with, Marcelle and Brenda, genuinely advocate for the program and work hard to create meaningful opportunities, while also encouraging you to self-advocate and reflect on how you work, learn, and collaborate with others.

Ignite is also a great way to gain perspective. You get to see new places, try new things, and understand how large-scale projects actually come together behind the scenes. It helped me build confidence, develop a strong foundation, and better understand where I wanted to grow next.

So if you’re considering Ignite, I’d definitely recommend going for it. It’s a supportive, challenging, and genuinely exciting way to start your career… even if I am a little biased.

Let’s end on a fun one—what’s your go-to song or playlist when you need to focus?

My go-to is a playlist called “Drivez.” I originally made it for driving, but I’ve found it’s just as effective when I need to lock in and stay focused while working.

Thank you for your time today, Matthew. We’re lucky to have you on the team and look forward to what’s in store for your career! Want to read more experiences like these? Read Part One here, and be sure to look out for our next One Year Later post here.