A Leap of Faith and a Pivot to Sponsorship
- Oct 8, 2025
- 3 min read
By Alex Durant
For six years, my career was a well-rehearsed dance. As the director of fundraising for a sports marketing company in NYC, I booked consignment auctions for charity galas and golf tournaments. We brought in signed memorabilia, set up silent auctions, and managed the checkout. A question I heard repeatedly—"Could you produce our auction without bringing your own memorabilia?”—was always met with a “no.” That wasn’t our business model, and it didn’t make us money.
When my husband’s job transferred us to Miami in 2005, my career came to an abrupt halt. A chance encounter at his hotel, however, changed everything. I spotted an open ballroom door and stacks of auction items for a No Kid Hungry event. I introduced myself, touted my experience, and was put to work on the spot.
This experience, combined with the frustration of a new, low-paying nonprofit job, made me reconsider that recurring question. I realized there was a gap in the market. Charities needed help producing their auctions with their own donated items, and I had the expertise to do it. So, in September 2005, I took a leap of faith, started my own auction production company, Durant Consulting, Inc., and gave my notice at the nonprofit.
I hit the ground running. My first two clients—the Eden Roc Miami Beach 50th Anniversary gala and the South Beach Wine & Food Festival—were huge wins. I not only produced the auction for the South Beach festival but also solicited all the items, helping them raise an astounding $365,000 against a goal of $250,000. These marquee clients gave me the credibility I needed to build a roster of well-known charity groups in Miami.
In 2007, my husband and I moved back to NYC, and a pivotal moment arrived. The founder of the South Beach festival launched a sister event, the New York City Wine & Food Festival, and asked me to manage the auction. This was a great opportunity, but I was eager for a new challenge. I asked about other roles and was offered sponsor management—a role I initially hadn't considered. I was in charge of the relationship after the sponsorships were sold, making sure the sponsors were happy and also seeing the potential for auction donations. I loved it.
After the NYC festival, I requested a meeting with the director of the South Beach festival and asked if I could switch to sponsorship management there, too. I even proposed that I no longer manage the auction. The director agreed, on the condition that I train my replacement. This was the single biggest strategic move that transformed my business.
This pivot to sponsor management became my company’s primary focus. Back then, I managed 8–10 sponsors per festival; now I take on 25 or more per event. Word-of-mouth recommendations became my most valuable asset. One festival director would move to a new event and say, “I won’t do this another year without you on the sponsorship team.”That’s how I added the Life is Beautiful Music & Arts Festival to my roster for nine years.
This year, I’m celebrating 20 years of Durant Consulting. I still work on the South Beach and New York City Wine & Food Festivals, and I’ve woven in new festivals, golf tournaments, and one-on-one consulting to share my expertise. The leap of faith I took in 2005 led me to a fulfilling career that continues to grow. It’s a journey that started with a simple question and led to an entirely new business.
Connect With Alex
Instagram: @alexbashdurant
Facebook: @alexandria.durant.5
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