Our Director of Marketing, Adam Acosta, sat down with Christa Whitaker to learn more about her interests and discuss her career and success at Boston Retail Solutions.
How long have you been with BRS and how would you describe your role?
I started in July of 2017, so it’s been six years. My current role is the account manager for FedEx for the commercial side. I started off with my first big job at Steinmart and then I was moved to the mall revamp project for Westfield UTC, where you helped coach me through the AppRight system. I met a lot of really cool installers who still work here. It’s amazing how long people stay with the company.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
A typical day right now consists of many conference calls. I start off with a morning meeting with the FedEx reps to address any needs at a higher level or if there’s anything they need us to work on. Then I go into the office and facilitate team reviews to make sure our workload is spread out evenly amongst the five of us.
The team I work with now is excellent and it’s been great since we’ve been able to increase our workflow and be more confident as a team. My biggest focus right now is solving issues or providing estimates. We rely a lot on team collaboration to help our customers through issues. Each member of the team brings their own expertise, which makes us thrive.
Do you feel like you’ve grown over the years with BRS?
Absolutely. I’ve worked on my emotional skills, and I am less attached to the ups and downs of the jobs. Working here has allowed me to achieve a lot in my personal life because of the stability of it. We’ve been able to make huge improvements in our personal life that allows me to accelerate here. My professional development while here is through good mentorship, being given a chance to be a leader and take risks, having my own failures, and being supported through those failures.
Do you have any favorite projects?
My favorite was Westfield Valley Fair because it allowed us to do many new things and custom designs, like building photo booths and the glitz wall. I love how shiny and beautiful the glitz walls look when they’re finished.
How would you describe the team culture at BRS?
The team culture is supportive, especially on the back end since we have a good team behind us. If you feel stressed or overwhelmed or lacking guidance, there’s always someone who can help you.I contribute to the culture by keeping it lighthearted and reminding people that our job is not a matter of life or death. We try to keep the work environment fun, but professional and help each other destress.
What advice would you give to a new team member?
Always ask questions. There’s no such thing as a dumb question. Even if it feels repetitive, if you need it answered don’t be afraid to ask it and ask multiple people. It’s always helpful to have that second opinion when finding the best solution.
What was your first job? Did you enjoy it or not?
My first job was at Target in the electronics section when I was 16, and I absolutely loved it. You got to deal with the latest technology and video games. It was exciting to have first access to all of the first PlayStation games and new digital cameras that were coming out at the time. I took the job so that I could earn gas money, but it ended up being really fantastic.
You mentioned video games and electronics, are you interested in that as a hobby?
Oh yeah. I enjoy Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption, and RPG-related games. I just played the new Harry Potter game and was a little disappointed with the shortness of the storyline, although I thought the graphics were very beautiful.
What are your hidden talents?
I am pretty decent at skateboarding and longboarding. I used to surf back in the day, I played clarinet, and I excelled at basketball. I really liked the team aspect of basketball and that it is a very high energy game. I was never really a long-distance runner, so soccer was out of the question. I was on a travel basketball team and got to go to really cool events as a part of it. I was a point guard since 5’2” is where that lands you.
Is there a skill outside of the office that you want to work on?
I create graphic designs that I sell on Etsy to generate revenue for our local historical house. I am donating funds towards the restoration of the 1800s home, which is underfunded. It has an amazing history. https://www.etsy.com/shop/ModjeskaMerch
Are there any shows you’re currently binge-watching?
I just finished watching Black Mirror, which had some good and some not-so-good episodes. Overall it was a little weird. My go-to show to watch is South Park, which recently funded a restoration of an iconic restaurant Casa Bonita, which has cliff divers, a treasure cave, and themed dining areas.