Happy Friday! Let’s celebrate the Halloween weekend early with a treat from SpendMend… an Employee Spotlight! For this edition, we are featuring Aiden Reagan. Aiden is the Marketing Event Coordinator and joined the SpendMend team this past June! When asked what her proudest accomplishment at SpendMend has been so far, she said, “Anytime we have a successful trade show. There is a ton of planning and preparation that goes into each show and seeing it come together successfully, is always a great feeling.” It was fun learning more about Aiden, and hearing about her hobbies and life outside of work! A fun fact about Aiden is that she has two cats, Marvin and Aaron! Marvin is a five-month-old Tabby, and Aaron is a two-year-old black cat. Aiden loves having her cats around the house, especially since she works remotely – They are the perfect co-workers! Marvin and Aaron love spending time together and eating lots of food. If you are a cat lover, reach out to Aiden! She loves talking about her cats! A hobby that Aiden enjoys in her free time is trying new restaurants! Her favorite cuisine is Asian and Mediterranean food! Aiden loves showing her friends and family her favorite places to eat since a majority of them don’t live in the Grand Rapids area. When asked what her favorite spots in Grand Rapids are, she stated, “Some of my favorites are SanChez for brunch, Terra for dinner, Broadleaf Brewery for good appetizers and drinks, and Nonla Burger in Kalamazoo.” Aiden sounds like she knows her stuff when it comes to eateries! I know we trust her recommendations! Another hobby Aiden enjoys is going to sporting events. Aiden is a fan of all Detroit sports and the Michigan Wolverines! Her favorite team is the Detroit Tigers. Since being in Grand Rapids, Aiden has attended many White Caps and Griffins games too! Make sure to read the full interview below to learn more about what she loves the most about attending sporting events!
Aiden is a dedicated and enthusiastic member of the SpendMend team. Kylee Savage, Marketing Manager, said “I am so grateful to have Aiden on the Marketing team! She is always eager to help out on projects and gives 100% to every task. Aiden has a fantastic work ethic, and approaches every project with positivity! I appreciate Aiden, and love working with her every day!” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! People like Aiden is what makes SpendMend special. Thank you, Aiden!
Interview with Aiden:
What is your role at SpendMend?
Marketing Event Coordinator
How long have you been with SpendMend?
Since June 2022
How did you first learn about SpendMend?
I saw a job posting on LinkedIn
What 3 words would you use to describe SpendMend?
Welcoming, collaborative, and driven
Why do you look forward to coming to work?
I look forward to working with the marketing team every day. They have all been so amazing, work is much more enjoyable when you love all the people you work with.
Where are you located/from?
I am from southeast Michigan. I grew up about 20 minutes south of Detroit.
Where did you go for higher education?
I made the decision to move away for college. I went to Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI, which is about 2 hours away from where I grew up.
What did you study and why?
It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do, but I graduated with a BA in Media Communications and Event Management. I had an amazing professor who made me interested in working on events. She gave us a semester-long assignment that allowed us to plan our own event from scratch. It was awesome to learn everything that goes into running a successful event, she was the best!
Before working at SpendMend, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
I was a preschool teacher for almost 2 years!
What piqued your interest to become a preschool teacher?
I have always loved babysitting and being around kids, so I knew it would be a great job for me.
What were your favorite parts about teaching?
My favorite part of teaching was all the kids I got to teach. I loved interacting with them, learning from them, and watching them hit milestones!
The most challenging?
The most challenging part of the job was not having things go the way you planned. When you have 24 kids in a classroom, things aren’t always going to go smooth! If this job taught me anything, it’s how to be patient.
Any fun or interesting stories you can share about the experience?
I have so many stories I could talk about for hours! My favorite days were always when we’d celebrate holidays in the classroom. Halloween was always fun seeing everyone dressed up in their costumes. My coworker and I did a fun matching costume last year as Pete the Cat!
What is one fun fact about you?
I have two cats
When did you get them and why? Their names and ages?
I love any excuse to talk about my cats! Marvin is five months, and he is a tabby. My boyfriend and I took him in when his aunt found him wondering around her property. Aaron is two years old and is a black cat. He originally lived at my boyfriend’s mom’s house, but once Aaron and Marvin met, they were instantly best friends, so we couldn’t separate them! Aaron and Marvin now enjoy spending every second together, eating lots of food, and baking biscuits all around the house.
What type of music or podcasts do you listen to during the workday?
I listen to so many podcasts, but some of my favorites are The Morning Toast, Violating Community Guidelines, and of course – 340B Unscripted.
Do you have any hobbies or participate in any activities outside of work?
I enjoy being with family and friends, trying new restaurants, and going to all types of sporting events.
What types of restaurants do you like going to?
I think my favorite kind of restaurant to go to is a new brewery.
What type of cuisine or atmosphere?
My favorite cuisine is Asian and Mediterranean food.
Who do you like to go with?
I love showing friends and family my favorite restaurants here since a lot of them don’t live in Grand Rapids.
Any favorite restaurants in GR you would recommend to people?
Some of my favorites are SanChez for brunch, Terra for dinner, Broadleaf Brewery for good appetizers and drinks, and Nonla Burger in Kalamazoo (they’re opening their Grand Rapids location in November!)
What sporting events are your favorite to attend?
I am a fan of all Detroit sports and the Michigan Wolverines! Since being in Grand Rapids, I’ve gone to many White Caps and Griffins games as well!
Favorite team?
The Tigers are my favorite team (even if they aren’t doing so hot).
What do you look forward to most when you attend a sporting event?
I used to look forward to seeing my favorite player Alex Avila play, but now that he isn’t playing anymore, I love the food, the crowd, and being in the city of Detroit!
What is your favorite Recovery Room Activity?
I haven’t been able to show my skills yet, but I know Hannah is very passionate about winning ping pong. I’ll start training and I’ll take her down someday.
What is your favorite in-house event? (specific potluck, chili cook-off, bring your kid to work day, etc.)
I haven’t been a part of any just yet, but I know growing up I always loved going to work with my dad. It will be fun to be on the other side of bring your child to work day and showing all the kids a great time at SpendMend!
Do you want to shout out a co-worker who has helped or inspired you at SpendMend?
Amanda Geelhoed-Papach has done so much for me since day one. She’s taken so much time out of her day to answer any questions I may have and has given me confidence when it comes to all things events and marketing.
What advice do you have for prospective candidates who want to join the SpendMend team?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help, we are all on the same team and want everyone to succeed!
What has been your proudest accomplishment at SpendMend?
Anytime we have a successful trade show. There is a ton of planning and preparation that goes into each show and seeing it come together successfully, is always a great feeling.
What is something you’re looking forward to for your future at SpendMend?
I’m looking forward to all the growth I’ll have personally along with the growth of this company.