We had the good fortune of connecting with Mariana Hernández and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mariana, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?

Hi, absolutely, entertainment is a career that often looks very glamorous and that reflects perfection as if everything were very easy, sometimes people think that you can only do your job because you had luck and contacts to be successful.

When in reality, it is about starting from scratch, fighting against the current, believing in yourself, believing in your dream.

Most of the time working up to 3 times more than a normal person, sometimes having more than 1 job at the same time to be able to get closer to what you want.

Making sacrifices that not everyone would make, such as sleeping less, working while others rest, doing things for free or not so well paid at the beginning, among many other things.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

Sure, I think something that helped me a lot was being aware enough of what I wanted to do from a very young age, holding on to what I want and love (which is entertainment) and that I haven’t given up on is something that I’m very proud about.

I am known for being very detailed, professional, serious, honest when working, very direct and aware of the pros and cons before making a decision. Tenacity, being the person who says: why not? Let ‘s try!

* How did you get to where you are today professionally? Was it easy?

When I started to study Music business the idea of starting offering my own musical and audiovisual services creating my own opportunities came and not waiting until I got a job offer, was one of the best decisions I could´ve made.

Networking with people from the industry led me to get involved in different areas, different projects at different levels, both independent and major.

It was not easy because you graduate from the University thinking that everything will happen quickly or smoothly, then learning that this does not necessarily happen many times, you just realize that you have 2 options: resign and have a job that only helps you pay bills or hold on to what you want and create your own path, make a business out of it.

*How did you overcome the challenges?

After being clear about my objectives, believing in what I wanted, I started preparing myself every day by learning new things, updating myself with courses, never stopping learning, networking and looking for new alliances.

Silencing the outside voices that said “it’s too hard”or that I should quit

*What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way?

-That many times the opportunities are not going to come to you, you have to look for them, everything you want to happen for you is achieved by being constant and working hard.

-There will be many times where you are going to want to give up or you’ll have moments where you´re going to feel very tired and that’s fine, the important thing is to get back to your objectives and always come back stronger.

-Don’t close your horizons to other opportunities, even if that involves getting immersed in another culture, in another field where your area or your objectives can work.

Sometimes these opportunities make you have more experience and get closer to what you really want or the goal you want to reach in the long future, it’s part of a process.

*What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

I am my own brand if we can describe it that way. I always worry about knowing the dreams and goals of my clients, companies, artists or projects. For me it is very important that we achieve what they have in mind, always considering the available resources and those that we can realistically reach and get prepared as much as possible, always working as a team. If you grow up, so do I.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, as a foreigner, when I have the chance to visit the city to take a few days off, I normally go to a concert or festival if an artist that I love is performing. I can also recommend visiting Universal, Warner bro studios or Grammy Museum if you love entertainment or movies like I do.
Spending a few days at the beach, probably in Long beach or Malibu area can make you feel the summer fully, having a picnic with your friends and playing some sports.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

I believe that I owe myself to many people both in my family and social circle, as well as to the artists that I have admired throughout my life.

There are few people who initially believed and have believed in me, people who gave me my first opportunities
like my lifelong friends, my mentors from SAE Institute, specially to Raulio Ruiz, also the first band that I managed (Sebastián, Uriel and Carlos) just to mention a few.

Music also sustained me in many ways, my favorite band (30 Seconds to Mars) influenced me in such a way that seeing them grow and showing their fans that believing in what you love is crucial plus hard work.

 

Website: t.co/nBNW2GnY0A

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marianna.hdz/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQGURs8n_iU

Image Credits
Heat Dance photos by Lydia Ho, Ally Jacobs, J. Bustamante. Other photos by Mariana Hernández & Zindylay

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.