Name: Lane Sutton
Year: Class of 2019
Major: Marketing
Hometown: Framingham, MA
Relationship status: Single
Involvement on campus: Honors Program, PMA
Astrology sign: Aquarius
Instagram: @lanesutton
Twitter: @lanesutton
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lanesutton
If you could live in one place right now, where would it be?
San Francisco for city life or in a tropical beach villa like Bali (I went there myself in May).
What are some of your hobbies/ interests outside of Suffolk?
Outside of business, photography, food, and travel!
What’s something people might not know about you?
I was in a few middle school plays. Random fun fact: I can put my feet behind my head.
At what age did you begin to become interested in business?
My first interest was when I was 7, but it became real at age 12 when I began a website, started to consult and speak on social media/marketing. I entered the corporate and tech world at age 16.
How did you get into TED talks? What was this experience like for you?
I spoke on a panel at a conference in Philly. One of the panelists happened to be a TEDxRedmond in Redmond, WA near Seattle. She asked me if I wanted to speak. It was at Microsoft’s world headquarters on the same stage Bill Gates has spoken on. It was a dream to give one. I was super nervous rehearsing my speech, memorizing most of it, and choosing a topic that would be worthy of a TEDx talk.
You have talked to a few groups/organizations. Which was your favorite and what did you talk about?
Hard to pick a favorite! I have to say Emerson College. I’ve guest lectured there five times in a social media class. It was my first speech and the students were so nice. Even my mom came! http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704476604576158643370380186
Do you find that Suffolk presents good networking opportunities?
Being in Boston, there are so many opportunities to network off campus. I attend conferences and events on a regular basis. For students, Suffolk offers a range of clubs with guest speakers from the area and networking opportunities.
Tell us about your job with Disney! Do you enjoy it?
I work on communications and social media for the global talent acquisition marketing team. It’s a great job to be able to balance being in school and working in corporate for a fun brand at the same time, a rare combination!
Tell us a typical day in the life of you.
I go to class, grab lunch at a food truck or Flour (my favorite bakery), have some conference calls throughout the week, do homework at night, and of course, socialize!
What has been your biggest / favorite accomplishment so far?
This is tough to answer… I’m going to go with my proudest moment: the TEDx talk was definitely up there. The Boston Globe did a front page story on me when I was 13 and that was basically to kick off to my career and getting some media attention.
What advice would you give to people who are interested in business?
Start early. Meet people. Network. Be involved. Brand yourself. Find your passion. Take classes beyond your major, something to open up your perspective. Write blog posts on your interests. Go to events. Do what you love. Find opportunities to make a difference and solve a problem. Pick a job for your boss. Surround yourself with people who can support and mentor you. Schedule coffee meetings and reach out to people in the industry or job you want.