Gardian of the Month: Alina Cooper

Q & A with Alina Cooper, manager of client projects for Event Garde. Follow her on Twitter.

Learn: Q: How do you learn best?

A: I prefer a quiet space as I like to savor the information with total focus and no distractions. However, because I enjoy learning, I could be curled up on a couch surrounded by the sound of family or at a coffee shop.

Network: Q: What’s your No. 1 networking trick?

A: My No. 1 networking trick is “follow-up.” You can make a fabulous impression in person or while at an event, but it is the follow up that makes the shared engagement truly count. I’ve been known to create a personalized e-card and follow up with a phone call.

Transfer: Q: Tell us about an experience in which you learned something new and then applied it to your personal or professional life.  

A: I’ve recently had to learn a new platform for work. I initially sat through the introductory training but it wasn’t until I was able to get in there and try things for myself that it truly started to click. I appreciate the “trial and error” methodology with a little guidance to help avoid any frustration, especially with technology.

Q: Please share with us a resource you can’t live without.

A: I truly enjoy receiving master marketer Seth Godin’s daily blog. His insights are relevant to current events and he provides a different way of thinking about things. Also, Twitter is my go-to social media tool because of its ease and quick headlines.

Q: What’s your spirit animal, and why?

A: I guess my spirit animal would be a dolphin, as they are playful, great hunters, very intelligent, protective of their young, live in pods (family oriented) and they go with the flow.