For the Recognition Program Guide for Young Professionals, TSE spoke with 2022 UFI Next Generation Leadership (NGL) Grant Recipient Joe Kowalsky, Event Director at CloserStill Media, and a 2024 TSE Trailblazer, about his experience.
What was the application process like, and was it difficult/easy to have your organization support you in applying for this given the nature of the project that selected winners must do?
Joe: The NGL application process is deceptively simple. You’re given a topic that our industry is searching for fresh perspective on and asked what you think. The whole process is you sharing your ideas on what you think a given topic can do for our industry. Seems simple enough: throw together a brief letter about your idea and submit a video of you going through your concept and understanding. However, the amount of times I rewrote that letter or had to stop my video and go from the top made this process challenging. There was always something I wanted to add or had to refine my point to make the timing work. So, it’s not difficult but it’s not simple.
The help and support I had from Johanna Morse, my VP at the time, was second to none. She pushed me to apply and share my solution and, when I was fortunate enough to win, she and my team made sure I was in a position to participate in the NGL program to its fullest. The people around me really helped me take full advantage of my opportunity.
What was the time commitment of that project? Was it manageable with your daily tasks of your day job?
Joe: This was more than manageable alongside my standard work duties. Since you’re working with people from around the globe, my work hours were not generally affected.
My NGL group was super close, we still are, so we found ourselves getting together more to just talk not only work on the project. For the project itself, you spend roughly two hours a month planning, then maybe another two hours putting pen to paper and getting research done. The last month before your presentation at the UFI Global Congress we did get together a bit more to finalize our flow and have some dry runs.
What was the most fulfilling part about winning this and the project that followed?
Joe: The most fulfilling part of this project was having our ideas heard by the top minds and leaders in our industry and having them embraced. After our presentation we were asked for further thoughts and next steps and saw our ideas resonate with our community. We very well could have gotten up on that stage, did our quick 45 and been done with it but, this presentation led to so much more for me. I was invited to host the UFI 2023 Asia Conference, I spoke alongside my fellow NGL Monika Baro at IFES 2023 in Singapore and have been given the opportunity to participate in more conversations about the future of our industry. The NGL program opened my eyes beyond the events I manage and gave me a deeper love for our industry and what we do.
If you had advice for a young professional applying, what would it be?
Joe: If you’re going to apply for the NGL program, don’t be afraid to realize and share your vision. You are being asked what you think so, do just that and share what you think. Your perspective is unique, driven by the experiences you have had, and this is your time to share your ideas unapologetically. Leave it all on the field and tell our community your idea.
