After graduating from Northeastern University in Boston in 2008 with a Music Industry degree, Donovan Malloy spent the next few years working with musicians on their marketing plans. Two years ago, he switched gears and joined transFORM, a custom storage and organization firm based in New Rochelle, to work on social media and events. Malloy’s experience in the music industry translated well to the interior-design and home-décor industry, notes his boss, transFORM’s co-founder Andreas Messis. “There is art in design, just like in music, and identifying that intangible x-factor, and bringing it to the forefront in an engaging and thought-provoking way creates appeal,” Messis says.
Indeed, Malloy’s own x-factor has helped him quickly rise from part-time social-media work to his current title of marketing director. During his tenure, he has promoted the openings of two new showrooms, one in Manhattan, the other in Brooklyn. He manages five to seven major events each year, including trade shows, conferences, and showroom tours pertaining to the company’s in-house art gallery. “I love the mad rush of a new marketing promotion,” Malloy says, “getting caught up in the enthusiasm and getting people engaged.”
Malloy has also worked to add a digital aspect to the company’s print-and-mail-focused advertising campaign. He wants to “gain a holistic understanding of advertising and marketing,” he says, and to learn “everything, from examining the target demographic and their lifestyle, to creating something that speaks to them, and reaching the desired audience with the ad or article or event.”
His future plans also include moving to Westchester to eliminate his four-hour commute to and from Poughkeepsie.
