Every milestone has a backroad story, and mine just happens to run through Tractor Supply aisles, Arby’s drive-thru, and even a bull-rigging crew. I’m forever a small-town girl. I’ve hustled through high school, college, and post-graduation jobs that didn’t always make sense at the time, but they all taught me something that stuck and applied to my marketing, communications, and branding background. Looking back now, every single one of those “odd jobs” gave me lessons and skills that assembled the foundation for the agriculture and outdoor adventure agritourism career I live today. Here are the nine jobs that traveled with me. From my teenage years in Milledgeville to college days in Atlanta, how each shaped the Cowgirl Candace you know now:

1. Drive-Thru Ambassador at Arby’s (Milledgeville, Georgia): At 16, I mastered multitasking at this fast-food joint. I wore the headset, bagged orders, counted change, and kept customers happy with my microphone sing-alongs and punchlines — all at record speed. Winning “Best Drive-Thru” two years running was about more than handing out those delish curly fries. It taught me how to balance efficiency with service, accuracy with charm. Those skills carried over into my professional life, where juggling deadlines, producing live events, and managing client expectations all depend on the same quick thinking and ability to deliver quality (and fun) under pressure.

2. Gymnastics Coach at Elite Gym USA (Milledgeville, Georgia): I betcha didn’t know Cowgirl Candace was a decorated gymnast in elementary and middle school. Oh, yes! Ya girl racked up on first-place medals and constant mentions in our local legal organ. A sport I adore, I transitioned into a coaching position after multiple injuries, starting my coaching journey in high school and into my late 30s. Just as competition did, coaching taught me discipline, patience, and the art of breaking down big moves into small, teachable steps. Whether spotting a first-attempt back handspring or encouraging a shy gymnast to stick their landing with a smile (and subtle wink at the judges), I learned how to guide others toward their goals with playfulness, clarity, and care. That ability to teach and motivate is something I carry into my career now by mentoring young creatives, coaching outdoor storytellers, or working with clients who need their own brand “routines” refined and ready for those big stage moments.

3. Bull Rigger & Chainsaw Operator at M&K Tree Service (Central and South Georgia): Working alongside my Daddy, Cowboy Steve Boy McCoy, at his forestry business isn’t glamorous work. By. Far. Since high school, I’ve contributed to our family arboriculture business. I still haul logs, rig bull ropes, and operate chainsaws (fave being my STIHL 170). The work is hard, physical, and dangerous, but it gives me an appreciation for endurance, precision, and safety. Respecting heavy machinery and knowing the risks of each cut sharpened my awareness in high-pressure situations. Today, when I step onto a production set, direct a rodeo shoot, or navigate deadlines, I bring that same level of focus, responsibility, and toughness I learned in the woods with Daddy.

4. Prop Stylist & Sales Rep at Prestige Portraits (Fayetteville, Georgia): While earning a journalism degree at Georgia State University in Atlanta, I styled high school seniors for their prom and graduation photos at Prestige Portraits. Picking props, adjusting poses, and curating backdrops taught me that every object and angle helps tell a story. I didn’t know it then, but I was laying the groundwork for my visual storytelling career. Now when I’m producing shoots for brands, directing photography, or shaping the aesthetics of an outdoor lifestyle campaign with celebs, I pull directly from those lessons about how to frame a story visually. Making every vogue moment memorable.

5. Sales Rep at Banana Republic (Atlanta, Georgia): During my early post-college years, I balanced shifts at Banana Republic with my first editorial job as assistant editor at Boating Magazine. Selling looks while editing magazine spreads taught me one of my greatest lessons: presentation counts. How you package something — an outfit, a brand, or a story — makes all the difference. That early training in visual polish and customer experience made me a sharper editor and now fuels my work as a creative director crafting global campaigns that are as stylish as they are substantive.

6. Beauty Rep at Mary Kay (Post-College) After graduation, I sold Mary Kay cosmetics. That sunset lipstick poppin’ as soon as I stepped out of my 2004 black 40th Anniversary Edition Mustang. I knocked on doors (primarily my aunties and cousins hehe), hosted beauty parties, and hustled to make commission. It wasn’t easy, but it taught me how to sell myself authentically, articulate products with confidence, and build relationships while learning about the beauty industry. Those entrepreneurial muscles are the same ones I use to negotiate brand partnerships, pitch editorial stories, and land collaborations with international companies. The confidence I gained as a Mary Kay rep is the same poise I carry into every boardroom and rodeo arena in the here and now.

7. Afterschool Journalism Educator (Milledgeville and Atlanta, Georgia): Teaching journalism to K12 students in partnership with the YES Program & Andrew P. Stewart Center gave me early tastes of mentorship. I introduced kids to the basics of reporting and writing, and showed them that their voices and stories mattered. Watching students light up when they saw their words in print reminded me that storytelling is about empowerment. Today, that same commitment drives my nonprofit work, which is where I continue to pass the mic, build pipelines for overlooked storytellers, and ensure that new generations know their stories are worthy.

8. Sales Rep at Tractor Supply (Milledgeville, Georgia): One random paycheck came from Tractor Supply in my hometown. Stocking shelves, ringing up customers, and helping farmers find the right feed or fencing materials gave me more retail experience and fluency in rural culture. I learned how to talk shop with landowners, ranchers, and everyday homesteaders, which later helped me translate agriculture and outdoor living stories into language that resonates across audiences. Today, that same skill is what makes my storytelling about farming and land stewardship accessible to both industry insiders and mainstream readers.

9. Mountain Bike Coach with the Bartram Blazers (Milledgeville, Georgia): Coaching mountain biking was a milestone because my daughter and I were the only female members of the Bartram Blazers. Navigating rough terrain alongside boys and men taught me resilience and the importance of representation in male-dominated spaces. Being visible on that team meant showing my daughter — and the community — that women belong everywhere, even on rural cycling trails. That lesson follows me into the outdoor adventure industry today, where I work to carve space for Women of Color and amplify their presence and narratives in spaces they’ve historically been left out of through storytelling.

So, no. I didn’t just sashay into this award-winning storytelling life by chance. I earned it the way country folks in the Deep South do: one odd job, instruction, and long shift at a time. From ringing up feed at Tractor Supply to herding livestock with my Daddy, every hustle gave me the grit and gumption I lean on every day as a creative director and outdoor adventure journalist. These nine gigs may have looked random back then, but together they stitched the quilt of my colorful editorial career. And that quilt? Darling: It’s warm with hard work. Shines so bright with storytelling (shades recommended). Doggone tough enough to cover me wherever dirt roads lead next.