Written by Maddy Mangiafico | FPM Team Member
Naiveness as a Catalyst
Naiveness— a lack of experience, sophistication, or worldly wisdom, often showing innocent simplicity, credulity, or an overly trusting nature — is the very concept I wrote my college application essay about. Was that naive in itself? Probably. But it turns out, naiveness has been the most consistent thread in my life, and not in a negative way.
For me, naiveness has always been an entry point. It placed me in situations where I had no choice but to learn, adapt, and grow, whether that was professionally, creatively, and personally. Sometimes that growth came from new perspectives; other times, it came through mistakes. I was put into uncomfortable situations where I had no choice but to own up to naive decisions. But I worked through it, and life went on, teaching me that failure doesn’t define a person unless they let it.
Throughout my adolescence, I naturally gravitated towards creating, whether that was writing poems, short stories, persuasive pieces, and songs, recording and editing music videos with cousins, choreographing dances with friends, drawing, photography, the list goes on. However, my creative side only showed itself when it was needed, mostly for school projects or when I had free time outside of sports.
Still, creativity never felt like something I could build a future on—at least not then. So, when it came time to continue my education, I followed what felt safe and familiar. I enrolled in the University of Rhode Island (URI) as a psychology major, a decision stemming from my positive experience in an AP Psychology high school course. I thought it was the right path for me, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. How does one know their path at 17 years old? I know now, they don’t.
It’s September 2018 and I start my freshman year of college. Fortunately, I had received my AP Psychology credit from high school, so I was able to advance ahead of my classmates and enroll in higher-level psychology courses. I mastered these courses with ease—A+ on this essay, A+ on that exam. The academic validation felt great, but by the middle of my sophomore year, I was starting to lose connection with the path.
I was almost halfway through college at this point and naively thought I was running out of time to decide what to do; switch majors, stick with psychology and potentially be unhappy with my life, or take a gap year and figure it out. I did what naiveness often forces you to do: reflect. I knew writing and creating had always been my strength, so I explored majors that aligned with it. That’s when I discovered public relations. After some research and a candid conversation with my cousin who worked in PR, it clicked. The next day, I set up a meeting with URI’s Public Relations advisor and just like that, I became a double-major in psychology and public relations.
Fast forward to March 2019 and my classes were in full swing, which included Intro to PR, Foundations of Social Media, and Public Relations Writing. Fun fact: my PRS100 professor kept the first press release I ever wrote so she can share it with future students. That’s how impressive it was.
I was so happy with my decision to work towards becoming a PR professional. It was like the moon and stars were finally aligning. Psychology was kind of just there in the background, a crutch if ever needed.
Then, boom—COVID-19 hit and the globe shut down. URI sent all students home for the balance of the semester. Webex and Zoom lobbies became my new lecture halls. I wrapped the semester remotely and was excited for summer to start.
“Social distancing” was the thing back in those days. Doesn’t it feel like it was forever ago? Anyway, a few families in my neighborhood including mine had a “social distancing” gathering, where I unexpectedly landed my first real marketing gig at my neighbor’s business – Logo Thread. Although I had absolutely no experience running social media accounts, I figured, why not? This little gig introduced me to social media content creation, email marketing, and using WordPress. Little did I know this foot-in-the-door job would be critical for my future career.
Summer came to a close and it was time to go back to URI for the fall semester. I was continuing my work for Logo Thread and got an additional internship for a company called Unleash the Knowledge, where I was responsible for social media content creation and graphic design. I was gaining more experience bit by bit.
Before I knew it, I was an alumna. Time for the real world to start. Positions I interviewed for ahead of graduation weren’t working in my favor, so I moved home to Connecticut in May 2022 jobless, defeated, but was trusting the process. I would check ZipRecruiter every day hoping to see an ad that I was qualified for. I came across an advertisement for a Part-Time Marketing Assistant at Reno Properties Group, conveniently located around the corner from where I lived at the time. I hit apply, and almost immediately got a response from Sarah Wadle, who is Reno’s Public Relations, Marketing and Business Development consultant and owner of First Position Media. We clicked instantly. I followed up with an interview with Reno’s owner and started the job four days later.
Through Reno, I began working closely with Sarah, where her mentorship has been pivotal. Within weeks, I transitioned to full-time at Reno and took on side projects for First Position Media because why not? The more experience I gained, the better. Through First Position Media, I’ve worked with clients including The Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, Connecticut Sun, Hollister House Garden, and JUVEA in addition to my role at the Reno Machine, Design Company and TM Industries. My skill set now spans beyond public relations, including social media strategy, copywriting, SEO, press releases, graphic design, marketing strategy, event promotion, talent recruitment and acquisition, advertisement management, and communications.
Looking back, the confidence I have today was built entirely through discomfort. The naive decisions I made in high school, college, and early in my career didn’t derail me; they redirected me. And the version of myself who said yes probably before she was ready? She’d be proud.
If there’s one takeaway from my journey, it’s this: embrace your naiveness. You’ll make mistakes. You’ll feel unsure. But those moments might just lead you to exactly where you’re meant to be. I’m usually the youngest, most naive person in the room, and I’ve realized that being in that position builds perspective, curiosity, and unlimited opportunity to grow.
