This is part of an ongoing series titled How I Work, a look into how Charlotte gets things done at work. Brandon Carter is the Marketing & Publicity Specialist at Blumenthal Performing Arts.
Office location:
Spirit Square in Uptown – 345 N. College St. My office sits just above McGlohon Theater.
Job:
Marketing & Publicity Specialist at Blumenthal Performing Arts
Commute (how and how long?):
My 2015 Hyundai Elantra – It only takes me about 4 minutes to get to my parking lot, if Independence Blvd. isn’t standing still. Then another 5 minutes to walk to the office.
Phone Type:
iPhone 5
Phone home screen photo:
Desk photos:
Behind my chair are posters for Spring Awakening, my favorite musical to date, and a signed 9 to 5 poster, just because I’m a huge Dolly Parton fan and she singlehandedly wrote all of the music and lyrics for the musical.
Computer:
MacBook Pro and an HP desktop PC
Gadgets you can’t live without:
My phone… and DVR!
Do you listen to music while you work? Type/source:
I listen to Spotify on and off throughout the day. If everyone else in the office has left for the day, my manager and I play 90’s country music and belt. Think Reba, Trisha Yearwood, Tim McGraw, Deana Carter…
What software are you a power user of?
Microsoft Office and Adobe Premiere Pro are pretty crucial for my work. I also spend a lot of time tracking sales in AV, our ticket sales system. I can get obsessive over numbers if I let myself.
What’s your favorite spot for a business lunch? Your order?
Jason’s Deli for the salad bar and the free ice cream! I’m the pro ice cream cone maker in my office.
Social media habits:
I use Instagram and Facebook daily. I’m a huge fan of Instagram! I have Twitter but I don’t use it as often as I should. LinkedIn is a great way to stay connected to people you’ve worked with. I don’t know if you’ll consider this a “social” media habit, but I too often find myself up at 4 a.m. trapped in a downward spiral of YouTube videos.
To-do list manager:
A Sharpie pen, a college ruled legal pad and a highlighter. I love highlighting the tasks I’ve completed, though that may seem backwards to some people.
What everyday thing are you really good at?
My mama taught me how to find a good deal, which makes me a very thrifty shopper. I’m always looking for the best prices, so I’m good to have with you on a shopping trip. And talking… I just love to talk. I think being from a small town and knowing nearly everyone everywhere I went made me a great communicator.
Best time-saving shortcut or Charlotte life hack:
When I first moved to Charlotte I wanted to explore so I would just go out and drive down random roads to see where they went. Now I know my way around and can usually bypass traffic or take shortcuts to get around town.
Sleep routine:
I try to be in bed by midnight or 1 every night. It doesn’t always work out, but that’s the typical time. See note about the YouTube downward spiral above…
Where do you go around Charlotte to get away from the office?
I just bought my first house, so home is nice. I also love live music and going to concerts.
What did you eat for breakfast this morning?
A bottle of water and a coffee.
What’s the last book you read and why?
“Sharp Objects” by Gillian Flynn. Let’s just say that “Gone Girl” isn’t the most messed up story to come from her.
If you weren’t doing your current job, what would you be doing?
I’ve always been a singer/actor and I really miss performing, so that would be amazing! Karaoke will have to do for now… I’m just lucky to have a job in the performing arts industry and still be able to work that part of my brain on a daily basis. I have a behind-the-scenes job, but it’s still all about the show in the end.
Writer’s note: Brandon did provide explanations for some of these weirder photos and I deliberately left them out to lead you to believe he’s just running around the office all day every day in red thigh high boots. More fun that way.
