Mason Gepp is a studio assistant at Turner Sports and just finished up an internship with Ryan Seacrest Studios at Children's Healthcare in Atlanta. Our #MCM is brilliantly utilizing the power of marketing and technology to spread important ideas.
1. What's your story? What makes you unique?
My story is one that can be traced back to growing up playing competitive group sports. It was through sports that I learned in order to be successful you have to work well with others while performing well individually. For years I learned how to read people and to adjust so I could help execute a particular play. That paid dividends and guided me throughout school and ultimately led me to take on leadership roles in college where I was on two executive boards and played college baseball. While playing sports does not make me particularly unique, I believe my uniqueness comes in the form of the self-aware personality I developed playing group sports for many years. My teachers always described me as a quiet observer yet an active participant, which seems a bit contradictory. But I came to realize that they saw that I have a unique ability to patiently read people and understand what makes them tick; what drives them to work their best and then take an active role to work together to do something successfully.
2. What motivates you?
I never took the time to REALLY think about what motivates me until after I graduated college. I think what truly motivates me is fulfillment and making a name for myself. At the end of the day I want to be able to go to sleep knowing that I spent my time in a purposeful and fulfilling manner. The question “if you had to spend 10 hours a day doing something, what would it be?” can truly open your eyes to new fields and careers you did not originally consider. I am motivated each day to find that field or passion that will lead me to a fulfilling life so that when I am 80 years old I can look back and say “Yes, I am proud of the way I spent this short amount of time on Earth.” However, I also want to be proud of my accomplishment looking back when I’m 80. I think the ultimate award is recognition for striving to make a difference. You only have only attempt at living the life you want so do something important. Materials will come and go but your story will remain forever.
3. Who is a hero of yours?
My hero is my father, without a doubt. I know that is a cliché answer but my dad has been active in my life from the start. He only missed two sporting events of mine growing up, attended all my graduations and redirected me if I ever started going off my path. I truly feel that people need a mentor to help make decisions and this mentor was is father. One of the reasons I am motivated by fulfillment is because I grew up witnessing my dad be a successful attorney, golfer, tennis player and father. He always seems happy with what he is doing and is able to provide my brothers and I with family trips, four years in college and much more. I strive to be successful enough so I can provide my children with the time, opportunity, and love that my dad showed me.
4. What's your future plan? Your goals?
I have long believed that everything, be that a person or a company, has a story that is interesting and needs to be told. I also think that there is a disconnect between these stories and the rest of the world. That being said, I want to help bridge that gap and bring new ideas, technology, entertainment, etc to people in a way that makes a difference in their day. Unfortunately I do not know my end position. I have pursued acting because it allows me to work with a creative group to tell a story; radio and television journalism because I tell important stories, and have considered going back to school so I can learn new tech and business skills to better mold myself to work for globally important companies. Professionally, my goal is to work in a company that works globally to improve the lives of others.
5. If you could give one piece of advice, what would it be?
Accept that life is not always in your control. This is a trait I did not value until recently. I do not mean be passive but once an action is out of your hands you have to wait to see the results before going back to try again. A large part of life is rejection, unfortunately, but knowing how to handle rejection with a dose of hope and perseverance can change your life. Once you leave it out on the field there is not room for regret. From there life is out of control and you must accept what comes. Learn when to be an astute observer and when to be an active participant.
6. What is something you feel strongly about (a cause, belief, etc.)?
I am a big believer in philanthropy, especially for causes like cancer research and improvement of the lives of those affect by HIV. I was an executive member for UGA HEROs which helps children in Georgia affected by HIV/AIDS. I am also a big advocate for cancer research because it has affected my family. Life may seem complicated and stressful at times but few things compare to the pain that those diseases cause, so helping philanthropies like these helps keep your life in perspective.
7. What's one of the coolest things you've ever done?
Oh boy, coolest thing I ever did was scuba diving off the coast of Bonaire, an island just off of Venezuela. I went night diving with barracudas, saw some old ship wrecks, but the coolest things was diving down to the ocean floor down 110 feet. I remember lying on my back next to this large sunken ship just looking up. When you’re down that far the surface looks like how the sky does during the day—like a blanket covering your outer most perspective. When you’re that deep you’re in a whole new world. It was a surreal few moments for me because there were no sounds, not many people near by and I just felt an unusual freedom from everything while just looking up at my new “sky”. Definitely an unforgettable experience.
If you'd like to reach out to Mason, you can contact him HERE!