Kyle Anderson came to Richmond Hill as an intern this summer to gain business experience at Georgia Game Changers Running Company. He did not expect to lose more than 30 pounds in the process or to get addicted to running.
Anderson, a rising senior at Michigan State University, is a marketing major and specifically wants to work in sports marketing after he graduates next May. He is the nephew of Ron and Sandra Elliott, owners of Georgia Game Changers Running Company. He already has a host of sports marketing experience, due to his experience as marketing director at the Breslin Student Events Center, Michigan State’s basketball arena.
According to Sandra Elliott, since arriving in early May, Kyle has helped Game Changers with its social media presence, and has a list of other business accomplishments to add to his resume
“We expected Kyle to use his sports marketing experience to help our company grow our online presence,” she said. “He did just that and more. What Kyle didn’t know is that he would gain a whole new respect for running as a sport.”
Anderson — who stands 6’5” — is a sports fanatic, and since a very early age has participated in baseball, football and basketball. While he has had to run as a part of his sports experience, he never ran long distances.
That, however, changed this summer.
Anderson has participated in multiple races and store events, beginning the day after his long drive from Michigan. These experiences have opened his eyes to the camaraderie of the local running community, as well as helped him make valuable business connections.
“Having the good fortune to work for a company like Georgia Game Changers that has many roots in the local community was a great way for me to hit the ground 'running' as far as professional networking,” said Anderson. “Shannon GaNun, the director of communications at the Ford Plantation, was another key contact I made in Richmond Hill. She took me to networking events, discussed interview tactic and career strategies with me, and even let me sit with her family at a Savannah Bananas game this summer.”
Anderson leaves Richmond Hill with some new goals this summer as well.
He hopes to not only maintain but increase his weight loss, and he has already signed up to run Detroit’s Annual Turkey Trot 10k.
“Coming in as a marketing intern to a company that is relatively new to the digital media world certainly presented its challenges,” he said. “But the beauty of challenges is that we are ultimately better people after conquering them.”
Anderson added that he will always remember the “game changing” and “life changing” time he spent in Richmond Hill.
Elliott said Georgia Game Changers Running Company will continue to use the valuable online connections that Kyle made.
“We are grateful that his parents allowed us to have him for the summer and we cannot wait to see where his goals take him in 2016 and beyond,” she said. “He has definitely been a game changer for us!”