Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Donnelley.
Hi Erin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My love for different countries and culture started in college when I studied abroad every summer. I had the fortunate opportunity to study in Paris, Oxford, Rome, and Bologna, Italy. My dad always encouraged me to explore the history of these countries on the weekends, places such as Normandy and the Bussaco Palace in Portugal. Once I moved to NYC, I wanted a way to remember all the different places I explored, therefore put my Advertising degree from SMU to work and created my page, TBDestination. It’s a play on my dad’s initials. My parents always reminded me I was never too old to try something new and take different career paths, thus TBD Consulting was born.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road to success is never smooth. Although cliche, I found the road less traveled was always the most adventurous and where I grew. When I was in college, I told myself I wanted to move to NYC and work for the biggest and best advertising agency. Low and behold I accomplished my goal and after 3 years, realized it wasn’t the glitz and glamour I had hoped for. Being 1 out of thousands of employees turned out to be the opposite of what I yearned for. I wanted to wake up with purpose and create an impact. It took ten years of struggling to find my passion, but the silver lining of COVID was I had more time to pursue my passion.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about TopCourt and Break the Love?
I decided to put my “corporate” life behind me after working for Unilever three years. I applied to be the Director of social media for TopCourt and landed the position. I had always wanted to jump ship and do something in the sports marketing world, however, had very little faith that I could make a career switch so late in life. Who in tennis was going to give me a chance with 10 years of experience in the Beauty industry and Consumer Packaged Goods? TopCourt has been the best new chapter of my career I could have hoped for! It’s a small but mighty team. It’s an online subscription-based platform where the professional tennis and pickleball players instruct and inspire you to hit the court. Big things are happening in 2023, and I can’t wait to share. I also in tandem consult for a female-founded company called Break the Love. It’s a tech company that drives access to on-demand tennis and pickleball programming and facilities. I assist with Supply for the company and have had an amazing run traveling the country to different tournaments and working with some of the best brands such as Wilson and American Express to name a few.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I love most about NYC is I am never bored; there is always something to explore. You can walk down the block and hear 7 different languages and have the option of trying 10 different cuisines. I do not like the cold, which is typically when I head down to my hometown in Florida. In the last few years, Palm Beach County has been growing rapidly. It’s been wonderful to see what was once a sleepy retirement community turn into a hotspot for young professionals. I love that there’s now a high-speed train to Miami, which offers Wi-Fi and spirits. The Long Island Railroad has a lot of stepping up to do. South Florida is thriving, and I don’t see an end in sight.
Pricing:
- $15 a month, billed annually for TopCourt.com
Contact Info:
- Instagram: TBDestination
