Christine Baker, CMP

I attribute my success to a combination of being raised with a strong work ethic and learning how to be resourceful, resilient, and persistent from a young age. Coming from a family where everything had to be earned, I developed a natural sense of grit and internal drive that has stayed with me throughout my career. At the same time, I’ve learned that adversity is often a catalyst for growth. Instead of resisting difficult moments, I try to use them as opportunities to reflect, adapt, and move forward with intention. Some of the most pivotal periods in my life have also been the most challenging, including a year where I experienced significant personal and professional upheaval, yet it ultimately became the strongest period of growth for my business. Overall, I credit my success to that combination of early conditioning, a growth-oriented mindset, and the ability to turn setbacks into momentum.

The best career advice I’ve ever received is that, at the end of the day, all business comes down to the relationships and the people you work with. If you don’t build a strong foundation there, you’re unlikely to succeed in any role or partnership. This applies across the board—whether it’s your team, vendors, clients, or partners. Success is rooted in your ability to build trust, communicate effectively, and maintain strong working relationships with the people around you.

I would be honest that entering this industry today can be challenging, especially in the current economic climate where marketing and events roles are often among the first impacted during corporate layoffs, particularly within large organizations in tech, AI, and fintech. While those spaces still offer strong opportunities, I would encourage young women to be intentional about evaluating the stability and long-term growth of any company they consider, rather than being solely drawn to big-name employers that may frequently undergo restructuring. At the same time, I would strongly recommend exploring contract, freelance, or fractional work, which has become increasingly viable and is the model I’ve built The Pop! Collective on. Working as a 1099 contractor or project-based professional can often provide greater flexibility, autonomy, and in many cases more consistent income, as it allows you to diversify your experience, stay agile in the market, and take ownership of building your own pipeline of opportunities.

I think the challenge itself creates the opportunity. Right now, companies are under pressure from every direction. It’s difficult for people to break into these organizations, and even harder to maintain stability once they’re inside. At the same time, companies are facing budget constraints, trying to reduce overhead, and still expected to meet aggressive goals and deliver on packed event calendars.

The question becomes: how do companies continue to execute effectively despite those constraints?

That’s where Pop! comes in.

For professionals struggling to find stable opportunities, the Pop! Collective provides a vetted network of contractors, freelancers, and select full-time talent who can work within the Pop! ecosystem and be placed on long-term, stable projects.

On the company side, Pop! offers flexible support for organizations that may have recently gone through layoffs or can’t justify additional full-time hires, but still need experienced talent to meet business demands. Instead of adding overhead, companies can work with Pop! through project-based or retainer-based engagements.

We’re operating in a unique sweet spot right now because we’re able to solve challenges on both sides: creating meaningful opportunities for talent while helping companies stay agile and execute efficiently.

In both my work and personal life, I value transparency and autonomy. I believe that being honest and open with your team and your clients is the foundation for strong relationships, and it sets everyone up for success from the very beginning. Clear communication creates trust, alignment, and accountability across the board.

I also value humility, adaptability, and strong teamwork. In our industry, there’s often a heavy focus on perfection and the idea of delivering a completely seamless event or execution. But the reality is that perfection doesn’t exist. There will always be unexpected challenges, pivots, and moments that require quick problem-solving.

What matters most to me is how a team responds in those moments. I value creating an environment where people can collaborate effectively, stay flexible, and approach challenges with a solutions-oriented mindset. Instead of seeing obstacles as setbacks, I believe they should be viewed as opportunities for growth, innovation, and stronger execution moving forward.