Before CityPickle…There Were First Gigs

We’re excited to share that our Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Mary Cannon, was featured in Where the Boss Got Started, the CEO Diet feature in Bloomberg Businessweek.

Before building CityPickle, Mary’s first role was as a packer for Bekins Moving Co. Long days on the job taught her that work isn’t finished until the team crosses the line together. Once she wrapped her own packing assignments, she jumped in to move boxes alongside everyone else. That early exposure to shared responsibility, attention to detail, and true teamwork has stayed with her and continues to shape how she leads today.

Now that we know where the boss got started, naturally, we had to ask… what were the rest of us doing before this?

 

Jeremy Cohen 

General Manager

In high school, my first job was a busser and food runner at my family's restaurant, where I mastered the art of balance (literally carrying full trays of food on my fingertips, and figuratively staying calm under pressure). It gave me a real appreciation for the hospitality industry and the people who make great experiences happen. Later, working at an advertising agency on Ford and Lincoln taught me how to blend business strategy with creativity - something I use every day at CityPickle.

 

Ali Tascione

Senior Sales Manager

My favorite summer job was bartending on Block Island right after college. It taught me how to stay calm under pressure, think dynamically, and communicate clearly- skills that have stayed with me ever since. As a bonus, I can still make a top-notch mudslide if the occasion calls for it!

 

Kim Russen

Chief Operating Officer 

My favorite summer and weekend job in high school was working as a cocktail server at a catering hall. I somehow became the most emotionally invested staff member, crying happy tears at nearly every wedding as if I were part of the family.  Looking back, it was probably less about the open bar and more foreshadowing a full-blown career in hospitality.

 

Alexis Karetzky

Director of Retail

I grew up playing tennis and discovered my competitive spirit around age seven. In high school and college, I spent my summers teaching tennis for my longtime coach and running programs across New Jersey. Those summers also doubled as a crash course in navigation, long before Google Maps, when finding the right court often meant getting lost first. I was responsible for showing up, delivering a good experience, and representing my coach’s program—similar to owning store performance and brand standards today.

 

Cassandra Davidson

Director of F&B Operations

My first job at 16 was at a store that sold floral tablecloths in 23 different sizes, each with its own very specific, non-negotiable folding method that I was expected to have memorized. I became a keyholder within six months, which I'm convinced was less about my leadership potential and more about the fact that I could fold a 60x120 without being asked twice. To this day my linen closet looks like a retail display, and I have Ava, my former boss, to thank, or blame, for that.

 

Geoff Kornberg

Head Chef

My favorite job during college breaks was working for a company that rented bounce houses and slides for kids’ events. Safe to say, I found a better fit, and bring the same pride, precision, and high standards to everything I create at CityPickle.