Ali Starnes

📍Charlotte, NC | Event Marketing and Fabrication

📝 Editor’s Note | Rob Belk

When I worked for Call of Duty I lived on X (or Twitter as we called it back in the day). Twitter was the platform of choice for a majority of our players and our biggest influencers. I could quickly get a pulse for how they felt about new features or competition formats; a wild experience to instantly have hundreds of ‘customers’ giving you raw, unfiltered feedback on your job. Spoiler alert, most feedback was harsh. Gamers are not an easy group to please.

Needless to say, I’ve taken a pause from the platform since I left Call of Duty. Like most things that you give up, you quickly find a replacement. For me that has been Reddit. Reddit is not without its own unique challenges, but it has some gold mine communities (and posts) that I wanted to highlight:

• r/dataisbeautiful | Move Over Karen

• r/OddlySatisfying | Rainbow Shots

• r/AMA “Ask Me Anything” | Diverse Family Perspective

• r/BuyItForLife | Stanley Before It Was A Thing (s/o Bo Rhyne for introducing me to this subreddit)

• r/GuysBeingDudes | Pranking Mom

• r/PhotoshopBattles | Obama and Steph (s/o Will Stewart)

On Reddit, there is seemingly a subreddit niche for everyone. Reddit lurkers, send me your favorites.

Without further ado, this week’s profile…

Why Ali?

Ali came highly recommended by Heather Lawson. Heather shared that her friend Ali, “is doing tons of cool things with marketing, sporting hospitality, truck design (recently with Napa auto parts) to mobile care clinics…and is a rock star business Woman.”

Follow Ali on Instagram @alistarnes

Self-Description

Lover of event and experiential marketing, always brainstorming new ways to elevate epic experiences!

Ali’s 6 Recommendations

Written in her own words…

1. Ominlux LED Face Mask

Skincare is one of my obsessions, and this provides so many amazing skin care benefits from anti-aging to acne. LED light therapy has so many benefits. This works as a dual purpose for me, using it for only 10 minutes a day, it's part of my night time routine. I use this after the shower for 10 minutes, and to also meditate and bring stillness to my mind before bed. Bonus - I also believe it has improved my sleep!

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2. Shark Tank

Shark Tank is a great mix of entertainment and business insights! It’s always fun to see innovative ideas, negotiation tactics, and how the Sharks break down a business in real-time.

My favorite episode was Little Elf. I think the founder’s story was very touching and compelling.

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3. Rufus Du Sol

Rufus Du Sol is an all-time favorite because it is so versatile yet uplifting. It's house music genre that can be played at a party, during dinner, a Peloton ride or beachside. My favorite song from them is Treat You Better and also I love Levitating from the new album.

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4. Palm Beach & The Breakers & HFM Cocktail Bar

Traveling is one of my hobbies and passions. I love diving into the culture of new places and always find inspiration and creativity in every trip. My husband and I love traveling in Europe but also new places inside the United States. A favorite long weekend trip of ours that we frequent is Palm Beach. There is a direct flight from Charlotte, and after landing at PBI, a quick Uber over to Palm Beach is a delightful and easy getaway. It offers a mix of relaxation and sophistication. The town is very walkable and one of the safest towns we have visited, with amazing restaurants, hotels, shopping, and beaches.

The Breakers is one of our favorite hotels and the HFM cocktail bar inside is a must visit. They not only have great cocktails but the food, and peopole watching are entertainment in itself!

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5. Daily Devotional | Jesus Calling

I like to start my day with a devotional and workout to set my mind in a productive yet peaceful mindset for the day seven days a week. I find this is the only time of day I can control and these two things feel like a bit of self care before going into the day.

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6. The Skinny Confidential

The Skinny Confidential is a fun and inspirational podcast with a husband and wife co-hosts that interview the most interesting celebrities and people across all industries. I always learn the latest trends in the health/wellness space to more educational content in business and political insights. The show will keep you on your toes and always make you laugh! They are a well connected duo who always always keep my attention while tuning in!

Favorite episode: Ivanka Trump

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Plug | Muddy Creek Experiential

If readers have any needs for an elevated corporate hospitality experience or an experiential brand display, we would love to help! Our two-story hospitality units provide the perfect blend of comfort, visibility, and brand presence, making them ideal for sporting events, festivals, and corporate activations. Whether you’re hosting VIPs, entertaining clients, or creating an immersive brand experience, we have a solution to meet your needs. Let us know how we can help elevate your next event!

Want to get in touch with Ali? Feel free to email me anytime! ali@muddycreekms.com

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I need your help. What is the best tagline to promote Rambull?

A — Needles in the Internet’s Haystack.

B — Find What You Didn’t Know You Were Looking For.

C — Inbox Desert. Save Room.

D — Staying ‘In the Know’ Every Wednesday.

E — Curated Recommendations from Interesting People.

Email me if you have a better one!

P.S. from Rambull — In June, the New York Times created “The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century”. The authors polled over 500 directors, actors, and others around the world. Note check out Letterboxed for the full list and click into each movie to find where to stream.

Top Ten:

1. Parasite

2. Mulholland Drive

3. There Will Be Blood

4. In the Mood for Love

5. Moonlight

6. No Country for Old Men

7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

8. Get Out

9. Spirited Away

10. The Social Network

My personal favorite, not in the Top 10 but within the top 100, is Best in Show…“Peanut. Hazelnut. Cashew nut. Macadamia nut.”…“Cookie? Cookie Guggleman?”