University of Denver graduate, Neil Shea, who graduated in 2000, is in charge of sales and marketing for Image Magazine, a new and innovative magazine in Denver.

Image is an aggressive, colorful, small, entertaining magazine linked with Roamteam Productions, a talent buyer and booking agency. It covers nightlife, music, food and art in the Denver metro area. Started three years ago in Vail by Greg Bloom, Image arrived in Denver last fall and the first Denver issue appeared in November.

“We distribute to a little over 200 outlets,” Shea said. “One of our goals is to get up to the distribution size like that of the Westword in the next five years.”

Shea described working at Image as “unconventional.”

For example, there is a music studio in the back of the offices where employees can jam if they get too stressed.

“It’s different from a traditional office. Most of us already knew each other and party together,” Shea said. As of now it is still a very small operation. There are only six full time employees.

“It is a collective effort. Each person has a title but everyone helps out wherever needed; we encourage involvement from interns looking for field experience,” Shea said.

It took a lot of hard work for Shea to get to where he is. His advice to students preparing to enter the business world is simple: work hard.

“It depends on what your aspirations are. You are either going to work for someone or go into business for yourself,” Shea said. “You can be successful in both situations, but motivation is the key factor.”

Shea was a marketing/finance major, a member of Lambda and played the bass in a band, which performed on campus and at various house parties. Shea also had some valuable work experience before he graduated.

He was an intern at Columbia Records in the promotions department in New York one summer and in their A&R department a second summer in Los Angeles.

He was also a college marketing representative for Warner Brothers for the Denver and Boulder markets.

The work consisted of setting up listing parties and CD signings for new bands.

Shea began working for Accenture financial company when he graduated. Then after nine months he came on staff at Image full time.