My FUTURE NOW Journey - Yasmine Smith

My journey into the media and entertainment industry took a turning point in 2023, when I discovered FUTURE NOW through a LinkedIn post. As a college student uncertain about life after graduation—and how to break into such a competitive industry—the FUTURE NOW Media & Entertainment Conference felt like a lifeline. It offered students and recent graduates the opportunity to participate in a three-day experience filled with meaningful networking, practical insights, and access to mentors who make the path forward feel more achievable.

I did a deep dive into their website and found that they even had opportunities for volunteers, which offered a chance to hone one's skills and receive guidance and mentorship from wonderful people in the industry.

I filled out the volunteer form and met with FUTURE NOW Founder and CEO, Peggy Kim, who carries herself with so much grace and confidence, embodying powerful and meaningful leadership and what hard work, resilience, and truly believing in yourself look like. 

Soon, I was showing up every week to The NOW newsletter and marketing team meetings, where I could practice my creative skills and meet peers and mentors. I became a sponge, starting by taking notes, then graduating to running the content calendar and socials alongside the marketing team and writing pieces for the newsletter team.

I attended my first FUTURE NOW Media and Entertainment Conference in 2024, where I was able to network with inspiring professionals, meet other incredible attendees, and also contribute as a volunteer. As I continued to volunteer, my knowledge and confidence grew.

For the 2025 conference, I was offered the incredible opportunity to moderate the “How to Get A Job” panel. Though I was nervous, I used my training as a volunteer to prepare and practice public speaking, and came away from it with a new sense of confidence. FUTURE NOW changed my life.  

After the panel, I spoke with one of my panelists, Patricia Benevent, a talent acquisition director at Crossmedia, who encouraged me to apply for a job opening there.

I went to her office, had three interviews in one day, and got a job offer the very next morning as an Assistant Media Planner!

I never would have been able to build a relationship with Patricia without attending and volunteering with FUTURE NOW. I am extremely grateful to Peggy and mentors like Craig Tello and Anjelica Rosa at FUTURE NOW for believing in me wholeheartedly and supporting me through this process! It is an honor to be a part of an organization that stands strongly for integrity and excellence, and mentorship. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for changing my life!

Applications for our 2026 FUTURE NOW Media & Entertainment Conference are now open! I promise you won’t want to miss out.