Today we’d like to introduce you to Deandre Moore.
Deandre, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve always had a creative spirit since childhood. My love for transformation and storytelling guided me through my adolescence and continues to push me through my adult years. My first major step towards my career was when I learned how to sew at 16. Learning how to operate one simple machine opened my eyes to the possibilities of my future and motivated me to pursue a career as an artist. It inspired me to take a risk with my education and I ultimately attended the University of California Riverside for undergrad, where I majored in Theater & Film Making (with a focus in costume design). During my freshman year at UCR, I started working part-time in the school’s costume shop learning how to hone my craft. I was lucky enough that the residential costume designer allowed me to help them as an assistant stylist & designer for both school and local productions. This eventually developed into me doing more solo productions and by the end of my undergraduate stint, I had worked on over 40+ theater & film productions including Shrek The Musical, Pirates of Penzance, Rent, Blackballin’ and other exciting projects.
A pivotal career moment in my life was my junior year when I was hired as a summer intern for an image consulting agency in DC. Prior to this internship, I was strictly just creating & styling wardrobe for creative productions but this was my first opportunity working in a business environment targeted towards real people. I learned what entrepreneurship was, public relations hacks, how to effectively advertise and other skills college didn’t teach me. It helped me realize that I loved the nature of business and it was something I was good at. This epiphany ultimately preceded me into enrolling in graduate school at the Savannah College of Art & Design, where I sought my master’s degree in Luxury & Fashion Management.
I opted for the online option for grad school because I knew that I didn’t want to be restricted to a physical school campus. I wanted to be able to travel, progress professionally and not be restricted of opportunities due to my location. I spent a year in Cape Cod still doing freelance stylist work virtually and learning retail practices. I then spent a year in Las Vegas interning for Cirque Du Soleil’s residential branch working within the buying & merchandising team. Towards the tail end of graduate school, I received my first real 9 to 5 business opportunity as an Executive Assistant at rising beauty brand Beauty Bakerie. All of these roles were very different from anything that I ever experienced but each helped me discover a new layer of business practices. I learned how to appeal to various customers and experienced different business models.
After being laid off from Beauty Bakerie due to budget cuts, I found myself a little lost in terms of my career. I knew I craved adventure and wanted to break away from what I already knew but wasn’t too sure on what it was I actually wanted. That’s when my best friend since childhood had convinced me to give Houston a chance. I never saw myself living in the south at that point but saw how much she had grown as an individual since being there. I made a deal with myself that I would give Houston a 90 day commitment, and if I didn’t find a fulfilling role within those three months, I would go back home to San Diego.
The first few months were rough! The weather was different than anything I ever experienced, the city felt so stretched out and I couldn’t find a job that I enjoyed. I ended up working a boring receptionist role shortly after and I remember feeling very depressed like I had failed myself in some way. It wasn’t until about a week or two before I had convinced myself that I was moving back to San Diego, that I received the interview of a lifetime. I remember leaving my said interview feeling very excited and being hopeful that this would be the opportunity to take my career to the next level. Luckily, the stars aligned and I was offered a role at Thrasio — 3 days before I had planned to move back to California.
I’m so thankful to be able say that I enjoy what I do! I’ve been able to break away from internships & assistant roles and dive headfirst into a role that values my creativity and experiences. Being a part of a creative team for a company with so many brands in the e-commerce sphere allows for unlimited opportunities. As a content manager, I look forward to developing new brand content whether it’s in the form of photography, videography or another asset. Watching your creative vision being manifested and produced is something that most creatives could only hope for in a corporate role. It’s the best of both worlds and I’ve been able to develop into the young professional that I aspired to be.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My journey has been far from smooth. With every blessing in my life, there has always been a pushback that has grounded me.
At the end of my sophomore year, I received my first major life disturbance in the form of my mother’s passing. Being raised by a hardworking single mother was one of my biggest motivations in life. My mom sacrificed a lot for my brothers & I to have all the resources we needed to succeed in life and my primary goal in life was to showcase how grateful I was for all that she did. When that single source of motivation was removed, I didn’t know how to process it. I battled a silent depression that slowed me down personally and for a long time, I felt guilty for being away from my siblings due to and work. I’ve since forgiven myself for putting myself first and that sacrifice has helped me more than it has hurt me. It’s almost as though my mom’s passing marked a rebirth for me because my purpose for life had shifted. Losing my mom at 20, a crucial age in any young person’s life, increased the urgency that I had to figure things in my life out. There no longer was a support system or back up option for me (or so I thought). I’m grateful to have friends and family members who were able to step up and be there for me at the time. I’m in a great space because I know that I’m not alone.
From a professional perspective, being laid off after conquering such huge career milestones was also a tough experience. If nothing else, it was an ego blow. It was the first real life change since my mother’s passing that I felt I wasn’t in control of. For those who have experienced being laid off, I’m sure you can attest to the feeling of being undervalued and unappreciated regardless of the circumstance. I’m now able to see the beauty in it though. The truth is, I needed that change. I didn’t enjoy going into work every day, I hated my role, I didn’t feel a part of the team and there were moments where I didn’t feel respected. The lay off led me to the opportunity that I have now, which is the exact opposite of what I dealt with in that past role. I’m a stronger believer in fate and I feel as if fate had closed a door I was too afraid to close myself.
Please tell us about Thrasio.
The current business entity I work for is called Thrasio. In short, it’s an Amazon FBA acquirer that purchases amazon businesses and expands them. The company owns various products in kitchenware, fitness accessories, home products, outdoor essentials and more. I work for the creative team in a content management role. I work with the Creative Director and brand managers to strategize for the brand’s content. Once the need for new content is established, we collaborate on inspiration and work with a team of photographers & videographers to bring our vision to life. My primary focus is the pre-production elements like developing the script, scouting the shoot locations, booking the talent, sharing the inspiration and nurturing the overall content development process. What sets us apart as a company is our overall brand strategy and the experience of the members of our team. I work with some of the most seasoned and passionate people in the e-commerce space. Everyone I’m surrounded by seem to be very dedicated and skilled in what they do.
Outside of my corporate role. I’m looking more into growing as a content creator for the music, beauty and fashion realms. As our company doesn’t currently occupy these areas, I would like to do some freelance work for artists and creative brands in these focuses to expand my portfolio. Additionally, I’m in the early stages of creating a fashion brand of my own. It’s a passion project and something I’ve been taking my time to perfect and effectively execute. I aim to do a soft launch next year to get the ball rolling so when I’m not swimming in Thrasio creativity, my attention is focused on that. Entrepreneurship excites me and I look forward to using everything I’ve learned and applying it to my own brand baby. You’ll definitely have to stay tuned on how it all progresses!
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I’m not sure if I can narrow down my childhood to one single experience. My favorite childhood memories overall would have to be the vacations and weekend trips that my immediate family all took together. Day long road trips to Louisiana were fun to me because it was one of the few times where we could all spend quality time with each other. I think that’s why adventures and traveling excite me so much today. Quality time has always been one of my primary love languages.
Contact Info:
- Email: Iamdeandremoore@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamdeandremoore/
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamdeandremoore/
Image Credit:
Bennett Creative Photography (@bennettcreative)
Suggest a story: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
