I’ve got to admit I’ve had a pretty interesting life… it hasn’t been your typical graduate high school, go to college, get a 9-5 corporate job and live happily ever after.
Here’s the condensed version… while in high school I worked at Best Buy, worked at a computer consulting company and finally a mobile advertising company trying to secure VC funding. While attending college I was drawn to the music industry and started interning at Victory Records, one of the largest independent labels, doing marketing work. From there I started doing marketing for Roadrunner/Universal/Island Def Jam and even did some stuff for MTV. Through the 2004 presidential elections I was the Programming Director for MTV’s Rock The Vote in Chicago. I had some of my most memorable experiences while working in the music business. Nothing beats backstage passes, VIP parties, going on tour with a highly successful rock band and above all the memories.
What I quickly learned about the music industry is that it’s shady… filled with drama and liars. I now think of major labels as loan sharks. About two years into college I had the opportunity to open my own car dealership so I did and left college. So now I’m 20 years old and opening up my very own business in the heart of Chicago. The experience of hiring, firing, financing, dealing with people and on and on was one of the most educating and valuable lessons I’ve had in life. I also noticed at that time the economy was starting to slow down and that I needed to exit the traditional physical car dealership model and enter into the online world so I leased out the business and started dealing strictly online. That was also a very fun period… I’d buy Porsches, Mercedes, BMW’s, you name it and sell them around the world to buyers who would just see pictures online and wire transfer me thousands of dollars… I never understood how people were comfortable doing that, but hey I wasn’t gonna ask!
In 2007 I was presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity to join a new company where I could really take my business and marketing experience to the next level. That’s when I joined Train Signal, the company I’m currently with. I’m currently the Director of Sales & Marketing at Train Signal and love every minute of it. We’ve been named to the “Fastest Growing Companies In America” list two years in a row by Inc. Magazine.
Stuff I Rock At:
- Company Branding & Reputation Management
- Company Culture
- Customer Experience/Service
- Business Development/Sales
- E-Commerce
- Online Marketing
- Search Engine Optimization
- Affiliate Marketing
- Press/Media Campaigns
- Pay Per Click
- Guerrilla/Street Marketing
- And On & On!
I am available from time to time for some limited consulting so feel free to contact me at:
imanj23 [@] gmail.com
