Writing Samples

 Horse Engineer for Groupon

Twenty-five-year-old Jamie Stevenson has been working her entire life toward

making horses the focus of her career. When she was just knee-high to a pony’s

tail, Jamie started saving her pennies inside her "horse money box." Though this

fund never got big enough to help Jamie buy her own horse, she was eventually

able to achieve this goal and more thanks to the engineering degree she earned

at Purdue University. Jamie’s day job as an operations process engineer

bankrolls her equine interests and makes it possible for her to maintain the riding

facility where she first learned how to ride—and where she met the four-legged

love of her life. Today, Jamie and her trusty sidekick, Dart, help riders of all ages

and abilities overcome their fears, fine-tune their riding techniques, and succeed

in riding competitions.

The first people to successfully paint the town red spent more time haphazardly

assembling scaffolding and arguing over who got to be the "foreman" than

enjoying the results. Take the planning out of carousing with today's Groupon: for

$1,500, you get a two-hour private-party package at Gilt Bar, in River North (a

$3,000 value).

Gilt Bar for Groupon

Featured in the Huffington Post, Time Out, and the New York Times, Gilt Bar

slings a selection of farm-friendly plates, handcrafted cocktails, and an expansive

wine list in an eye-catching modern-yet-rustic atmosphere. Celebrate precious

leap-year birthdays in style with an intermediate-level drink package and

beginner-level food package that supplies up to 30 friends with enough drinks

and appetizers to last until next February 29. Start nights by sampling local sauce

with a Death's Door daisy, Wisconsin–distilled vodka infused with Aperol, St.

Germain, and lemon. Gilt's old fashioned also pleases palates with demerara

sugar, Angostura, and orange bitters, and the Paloma, Lunazul tequila with

grapefruit, lime, and soda tastes like summer in a glass. Sip wines from Italy and

Spain to enhance the flavors of tenderloin steak tartare or down glasses of pinot

grigio alongside bites of foie gras and pork-liver mousse. Dairy devotees can

enjoy triple creme délice de bourgogne cheese with fig jam and herb salad, while

aromatics aficionados munch on sweet balsamic roasted garlic with olive oil.

Gilt's old-timey speakeasy vibe is just as decadent as its edible offerings. Soft

leather couches, artisan light fixtures, and decorative mirrors make the space feel

simultaneously rustic and urban. Resident maestro and vinyl tamer Scottie

McNiece sets the mood with thoughtful tunes that span a variety of genres. Funk,

soul, and alternative rock B-sides bounce off bricks walls as the experienced

waitstaff flex tattooed serving muscles.

The Burlesque Experience for Groupon

While Lisa Carmen manages the day-to-day operations of The Burlesque

Experience, her alter ego, Carmen Diablo, teaches women of all abilities to

express themselves through movement during her esteem-boosting burlesque

classes. She grew up practicing more formal styles of dance, such as ballet, tap,

and jazz, which she now channels into her sultrier steps, demonstrating the

art of seduction through teasing technique and choreographed group numbers.

During her steamy workshops and parties, ladies learn to develop their own

stage personas and tempt onlookers with a bit of skin and tongue-in-cheek dance

steps that often elicit as many chuckles as they do blushes. The full courses

culminate in a performance—complete with stage lighting and props—for which

gals are encouraged to gather an audience of their friends and any jurors at their

upcoming small-claims court hearings.