Nov, 7, 2023

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Renae Vinzant, account and media strategist at The Sampson House.

Name: Renae Vinzant

Age: 25

Hometown: Sioux Falls

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

I grew up in Sioux Falls, living near Hartford and attending West Central. I moved away to attend SDSU, graduated college in 2020 and decided to move back home to deal with the pandemic. I worked fully remotely for agencies based in Minneapolis for over two years. Once the world started opening back up, I wanted to start working in an office again and decided moving to Minneapolis wasn’t the right fit for me at the time. I started looking for roles in Sioux Falls, and I’m very happy to be still living here!

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

My family and friends are a key reason I love living in Sioux Falls. It’s been a wonderful city to grow connections in, thanks mostly to the great networking opportunities YPN has provided! I enjoy that Sioux Falls has so many amenities for food, shopping and entertainment. Plus, when I want to travel, it’s very easy to drive or fly to new locations!

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

I love the variety that comes from working at a marketing agency. Every day is truly different, and we are always working on a variety of projects. I love being a part of every aspect of our client work, even if it doesn’t directly fall into my job description.

I initially fell into the media department through a variety of internships, but it really is the perfect place for me. I love getting to be strategic and creative in my role to build the best marketing plans for our clients.

How did you get connected to your industry?

I studied advertising at SDSU, so I’ve always been very connected to the ad industry since I was a student. It’s been wonderful to have all the connections I’ve built, from being a student to now being a working professional.

Describe The Sampson House in three words.

Collaborative. Creative. Forward-thinking.

What is something someone might be surprised to learn about you?

I’ve done two solo trips to Europe in the past year and have seen seven countries so far! I did them through a group travel company, so I traveled with around 20 strangers each time. It is such a fun way to see new places and meet new people along the way!

What’s your favorite way to give back to your community?

I love supporting local businesses. Sioux Falls is lucky to have a great community of restaurants, coffee shops and boutiques that I love to support. I also enjoy volunteering and giving my time to causes I believe in.

What’s one business you’d like to see in Sioux Falls that isn’t here now?

Trader Joe’s. It’s somewhere that I always stop when I’m driving back from trips to Minneapolis or Omaha, so I’d love to see it come to Sioux Falls so I could shop there more regularly.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I see myself growing in the marketing industry and in my role at The Sampson House. This industry provides many growth opportunities, whether in leadership or by learning new skills. I also plan to continue traveling the world often and check more countries off my list!