Member Spotlight | Drew Edelstein
Posted by [email protected] on Nov. 11, 2024 / Subscribe 0
As a marketing assistant for Lawrence Group, Drew is a jack-of-all-trades. In addition to leading the firm's photography process and playing a heavy hand in proposal responses/business development, they are the go-to copywriter for our marketing team and our internal Engagement and Inclusion committees. Drew loves wearing so many hats and working with diverse people within their firm and beyond while constantly pushing myself to try new things that expand my professional experience.
What led you to join the SMPS St. Louis Chapter? What do you think about the chapter? What has you been the most memorable?
I joined the SMPS St. Louis Chapter under the guidance of my supervisor, seeking to learn more about the AEC industry while developing my professional network. I've been fortunate to quickly meet many great peers and be involved in engaging, informative events such as Coffee Connections, the Coordinator's Club series, and chapter happy hours (among many others). As a member of the current Programs Committee, I'm especially excited to support future events for the chapter!
Would you recommend joining the chapter to other marketers in the AEC industry? Have you found it beneficial?
I would easily recommend that anyone interested should join SMPS! Connecting with peers has helped me develop new ideas and skills, strengthened my industry knowledge, and even led to new business development opportunities. Having the chance to get a free coffee with awesome SMPS peers every month doesn't hurt either :)
How did you get your start in the AEC industry and what led you to this industry?
I started in the AEC industry when I was hired by Lawrence Group in 2023. At the time, I truthfully knew little about the industry besides the fact that buildings were sometimes involved. I've had the good fortune to develop my knowledge since then, constantly discovering new aspects of the field in my daily work that further enrich my understanding of the world at large!
What do you find most rewarding about your job? What do you find the most challenging?
For better or worse, AEC marketers are often asked to make diamonds in high-pressure situations. Short deadlines for major deliverables is inherent to the field. There's nothing more gratifying than locking in a final proposal as all the necessary info clicks into place, and nothing more euphoric than when your hard work is rewarded with a new job for the firm. Similarly, the stress of executing a critical photoshoot dissipates whenever the finished pictures come in. This is all to say that managing time and stress is a constant challenge no matter what the specific project may be, but by the same token, being met with a quality final deliverable at the end of a long day is always a genuine reward.
What would it be if you had all the time in the world and could learn to do anything?
If given unlimited time and resources, I would love to study etymology! I find the structure/evolution of languages fascinating, and have found that understanding the full context behind a word allows me to more effectively use it in my own writing. Being able to fully indulge myself by going down this rabbit hole would be a dream come true :)
What are your top three favorite things to do when not working?
I'm super into cocktails - I often develop original recipes in my free time before glamming them up for Instagram. This allows me to dive deep into doing product photography at home, a fun outlet for taking pictures that don't feature buildings (they're hard to avoid in the wild!). I also love movies with a burning passion; I try my darndest to keep up with screenings at local venues like the Hi-Pointe or Arkadin in addition to watching countless oldies and newer releases at home.
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