Carl Prior

I have always been someone who learns best by getting involved, taking on responsibility, and figuring things out as I go. Over the last several years, that approach has taken me through college athletics, marketing, sales, consulting, entrepreneurship, website design, international business, education marketing, and community engagement.

A major part of my professional development came through Utah Valley University. While earning my undergraduate degree in Business Management, I spent several years working with UVU Athletics, where I became heavily involved in athletic marketing, partnerships, event operations, and the university’s mascot program.

What started as a volunteer opportunity eventually turned into a leadership role that allowed me to help coordinate hundreds of athletic and community events, work with sponsors and outside organizations, contribute to ticketing and attendance initiatives, and represent the university in a variety of capacities.

One of the most unique parts of that experience was serving as Willy the Wolverine. During my time at UVU, I became a five-time national champion mascot performer. That experience taught me far more than how to entertain a crowd. It taught me about branding, audience engagement, creativity, preparation, teamwork, and how memorable experiences can build stronger connections between an organization and the people it serves.

After completing my bachelor’s degree, I continued at Utah Valley University and earned my Master of Business Administration. My MBA gave me the opportunity to work on real consulting projects, study international business firsthand in Prague, and apply what I was learning to actual organizations. One of my favorite projects involved serving on an MBA strategy team consulting on the upcoming Fablehaven film, where we researched the market, developed strategic recommendations, and presented our work directly to representatives involved with the production.

Today, I work as a Sales and Marketing Consultant at Target River, where I have gained extensive experience working with schools, government organizations, nonprofits, and businesses.

A large part of my work has focused on public schools, charter schools, and education organizations. Through that experience, I have developed a strong understanding of challenges surrounding student enrollment, community engagement, staffing, communications, bonds and levies, and public perception.

I have represented Target River at conferences, chamber events, community outreach initiatives, and school leadership events throughout Utah and Idaho. I especially enjoy meeting administrators, business owners, and organizational leaders, learning what they are trying to accomplish, and finding ways marketing and communication can help them get there.

At the same time, I have continued building something of my own.

After years of experience in the mascot industry, I founded Get My Mascot, an online platform designed to make it easier for organizations and individuals to find and book mascots for events.

Building the platform has given me hands-on experience with entrepreneurship, website design, sales, marketing, partnerships, customer service, booking systems, pricing, payments, content creation, and business operations. It has also reinforced one of the things I enjoy most professionally: taking an idea and figuring out how to turn it into something real.

My career so far has given me the opportunity to work in a wide range of environments, but the common thread has always been the same. I enjoy building things, meeting people, learning new industries, and finding creative ways to solve problems.

Working in athletics taught me how to execute. Performing as a mascot taught me how to understand an audience. Graduate school taught me how to think strategically. Consulting taught me how to diagnose problems. Sales taught me how to communicate value. Entrepreneurship taught me how to build.

I am proud of what I have accomplished so far, but I am even more confident in my ability to keep learning, adapting, and taking on new challenges wherever my career leads next.

This version keeps the accomplishments that make you memorable without making someone feel like they’re reading your full résumé. It also gives Target River and Get My Mascot real weight, instead of making them feel like quick additions at the end.