Bailey Moses Barger has charm, creativity, and connections- and she used these tools to turn her passion into a promising career in entrepreneurship and social media marketing. A former successful contestant in the Miss America program, Barger used her talents and the business relationships she made to create a social media marketing company that allowed her to do what she loves on her own time. Life after college is an adjustment for everyone, and the job struggle has never been more real. Barger was kind enough to share some wisdom on what it’s like in the real world post-grad and helpful advice for young women who are looking to go into a similar field.
What was your first entry-level job and how did you get it?
Bailey got her start in her field as a front desk assistant with Constituent Services in the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office. While being in the realm of communications, she said that “sitting at a desk, [the] 9-5 is not for me,” as well as the political atmosphere surrounding the job. It was a valuable learning lesson though, as her first job taught her what she specifically did not want. With her newfound clarity, she started working for the company who would eventually become her first client, initially doing clerical work and teaching classes. In that process, she began to start working in social media and started getting phone calls from other surrounding businesses asking for help. The value of entering the job market right out of college was, in Barger’s case, the direction and drive the experience gave her and how that pivotal experience was ultimately the foundation of her company. Barger said, “You can’t pay me enough to not like my job.”
What is one mistake you made and how did you learn from it?
One of the things that I admire most about Barger is her honesty and vulnerability, which is what makes her such a good role model. When asked about her mistakes, Barger admitted she “makes mistakes every day,” in her struggle with self-doubt. A notable mistake she cited early in her career was not diving in enough into the description of her first job, mainly taking the work at face value. This misstep made her question if it was the right opportunity but in the end, taught her to “know what the other person is expecting of you.”
What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
Barger’s words reflect her journey to entrepreneurship and finding her footing in the corporate world. She stated she wished she would have taken advantage of internship opportunities so that when she graduated, she had a better idea of which business sector she wanted to work in instead of figuring it out on her first job. Barger assured me that it’s okay if your first, second or third job doesn’t work out, and stressed the importance of finding what you’re passionate about. Barger said, “when you graduate with a communications or business degree, there is no clear path, you’re kind of on your own.”
As young women about to enter the workforce, it’s important to not feel like you’re stuck on the path you’ve started. Bailey Moses Barger’s story exemplifies this, and she has remained a personal role model of mine because of her resilience and strength in pursuing something she is passionate about and creating a space for herself when she didn’t find what she wanted in the job market.