Today we’d like to introduce you to Elise Gibson
Hi Elise, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
From “show choir diva” to Bartender, to Radio Personality then to Marketing Manager and now Assistant Tour Manager, the journey is never linear.
Being from Richmond, Va – I was lucky to be raised in a charming little city with such diverse culture. Picture mural art on every building side, a festival for anything you can think of, and some of the best local owned restaurants all along the James River. It’s true that Virginia is for lovers, but RVA is where lovers of the arts thrive; with countless concerts, shows, and festivals, down to riding in the back seat listening to the radio, it’s was all around me. Music though, has always been engrained in my soul; my Grandpa was a true rock n’ roller himself along with other musically inclined relatives…so I was a singer.
All throughout my grade school years, I was avidly in chorus, dance, theatre, and show choir. To this day, I say those years were some of the best of my life because there was nothing like the stage, my second home. When high school was nearing its end, I thought I was going to be on Broadway…at least that’s what I envisioned. Here, is where life happens and those plans didn’t, but, I made sure to keep music somewhere in my life.
I graduated from VCU with a Bachelor of Science in 2017 with a focus in Public Relations and minor in Spanish. My first “dip” in the professional water was in radio as a promotions assistant for iHeart Media. From there, I steadily climbed into the morning show producer’s chair (getting up that early every morning is NOT for the weak), then into the real hot seat in 2018 – my own radio show hosting nights and weekends on the Pop and Alternative stations. I couldn’t believe I was on the same stations I grew up listening to and it was the most fun I had at work…until COVID hit in 2020, I was furloughed and let go. At the time, I was also the full time Marketing Manager for two historic theaters in Richmond (my day job), and the Commanders Training Center and had the same scenario there. It all happened so abruptly, along with the end of an extensive relationship SO what else do you do other than pack up your entire life and decide to move to Orlando, Fl?! Before I left Virginia, I worked in the service industry during COVID and got a gig co-hosting the first ever virtual RV show with Camping World which was honestly a fun stint.
I landed here in Orlando in June 2021, optimistic that I could get on with a radio station or even hosting NASA’s live launch feeds…one can dream, but instead, picked up a bartending gig for a Universal Resort hotel. Only six months into living here and thinking my radio days were over, I got a phone call from Raleigh, NC offering me the Midday Show Host and Music Director position on another Top 40 Pop station – so to start 2022, I packed up again.
Never in my life did I imagine living in Raleigh, NC as a radio host so always expect the unexpected, however, trust your gut when you know something or a place isn’t for you. Though I was hesitant, I didn’t want to wonder “what if?” down the road so I went and gave it a shot. My Raleigh chapter was definitely a learning experience as I feel I didn’t “blend in” with the pace of flow there, and that is okay. This was the first experience I had with a company where I was the “different” one and was asked to mold into their image to which I didn’t agree with, so it was only a matter of time before we parted ways. I made the best of my time there though, found great friends, had some fun and decided to come back to Orlando after a year and a half. As for my time in radio, I felt it was time to move on at that point. Radio gave me so much as a creative outlet and space to be myself with my love for music including the free concerts, meeting artists, traveling, giving back to communities, and building lifelong friendships. Definitely a chapter in my life I will always love and appreciate nonetheless.
I missed Orlando and planned to move back in June ’23 but not before being asked one of the coolest questions, “how would you like to go on tour with drag queens?”
I went on my first tour as the VIP Meet & Greet Manager with Adore Delano from “Ru Paul’s Drag Race” season 6 in February 2023; I finally felt like I was back in my element. Going on tour was one of the best life experiences I could’ve had and I feel very lucky that this opportunity fell into my lap. Since then, I have gone on six full U.S. tours including some Canada stops with artists such as, Juno Birch, the Boulet Brothers Dragula, Sapphira Cristal, and most recently Monet XChange as VIP Manager, Assistant Tour Manager and doing everything else in between needed to run a show. I would love an opportunity in other genres of touring acts like music artists and bands just to experience another side of the fun chaos but as far as a work environment goes, I’ve never felt safer, appreciated and taken care of more by the company I work for that is Five Senses Reeling aka Obsessed.
Since moving back here to Orlando (I call it my “swamp”) in June 2023, you may have spotted me behind a bar somewhere in between tours or at my happy place that is Universal Studios. I live for the beautiful and unpredictable Florida weather, kayaking at the springs, the rocket launches, HHN season and the ability to always find something fun to do. I absolutely love coming back here after month long tours as it feels like I’m going on vacation but instead, I luckily get to live here. My other hobbies include bicycling around Lake Baldwin, building Legos, going downtown to hang with friends or laying by any pool on a day off.
As I said in the intro, the journey is never linear. Every experience has a learning or growing take away whether it be for you or not but I always try to appreciate every new experience I have. My true “life goal” is to say I lived a life more than I worked one meaning: in this one short time span, I’d rather be rich in experiences than in dollars. I can thankfully say I have had many life experience in my 30 something years and have traveled and seen more than most in their life and I don’t take that for granted. Even though I had other sights set for me when I was younger, it’s turned out better than I ever imagined. My last piece of advice is, say yes to as many opportunities as you can, go through that open door and experience as many new possibilites that allow.
Thank you, Orlando Voyager for this new opportunity!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As you may have sensed through my story, it has been quite a bumpy and winding road to get where I am today. I left out parts of my personal upbringing but I am a child of a broken and drug inhabited childhood. My parents loved me but addiction is a sickness that is hard to defeat. But I wouldn’t be as determined, strong and independent as I am had I been given a “normal’ upbringing and I feel I could survive the toughest of battles from it. Throughout my childhood, I lived with a close friend and her family, other family members would step in to help along with other friend’s amazing parents so I was always loved regardless and forever indebted to those wonderful souls. It wasn’t the norm, but it was normal to me.
With little to no support financially, I did start working in the service industry as soon as I could to make money. Getting through college was extremely tough to do and it took me seven years because I would go part time some semesters, then take a semester off to work more, then go back full time etc…but I got it done! When it came time to try and find a “real job” I worked in several different fields to get by such as recruiting, sales, brand ambassador gigs, catering events…I’ve done a lot. From that though, I learned what I did NOT want to do for a living.
The other set back as mentioned before was being completely furloughed in 2020 from my two main jobs and that felt like a moment of “well what now?” and it was a chance to start completely over! Life will have many struggles along the way, it’s all in how you choose to handle them.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As previously mentioned, I love going on tour with drag artists all over the country. I work for a company called Five Senses Reeling. I have gotten to wear many hats and learn new skills that go into putting on a live stage production which is never a dull moment but I’d say I specialize in interacting with people most. Being the VIP Manager and Assistant Tour Manager, I enjoy meeting all the fans who are excited to be meeting their favorite artists but also getting to work with the artists themselves as creatives. My bonus title on tour is “Vibe Curator” given to me from my best friend and Tour Manager, Audrey Finney, because I try to bring fun and positive energy to the function. I also pride myself on my social media abilities and creative ways to promote and market any idea thrown at me – I’d like to do more of that.
I am most proud of how far I’ve come despite all odds. For my close friends and colleagues who know my back story, they constantly remind me on my “off days” to give myself more credit than I do; I feel lucky to have that support as reinforcement.
I set myself apart because I have never met a stranger. With each new person, it feels as if I’ve known them my whole life and I take pride in giving an energy that’s comfortable for people to connect with…it’s my own little super power. I like to be the comic relief in my friend group, the fun and spontaneous one, the outspoken and sometimes brutally honest one (I’m a virgo sorry), but always the reliable one. I’m loyal to those who have shown me genuine compassion and care. In the working world, I am very detail oriented, a non-stop force of energy and always putting professionalism first and fun after.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
As if I haven’t over shared already but, if Broadway or NASA ever came knocking…I’d still drop everything and go.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @earth2elise_
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elise-gibson-173682b3
Image Credits
First three photos credit: Gabriel Gastelum.
