Meet Gisela Prunés Garcia | Strategic People and Business Partner & Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gisela Prunés Garcia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gisela, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Taking risks has given me access to career milestones I never thought possible and that went way far beyond my dreams. Looking back I can also view risk taking as the best Master Class I ever had, which served as an accelerator educational program for my own development. My career was already going well in Barcelona, my hometown but when I decided to move to the US with no expectations I entered an unknown dimension that forced me to create a new identity for myself and once I did it, I could never return to the way things were once before I became an immigrant.

Having strong awareness of your core values, being grounded and strategic has been a key component for me to navigate risk taking. Risk can also be measured, often times we think of risk as if we were to jump on an empty pool, and that is scary for all of us, but it does not have to be like that. Building a strategy according to your own circumstances will help, sometimes it all starts with sitting in front of a paper, grabbing a pen and post-its and start mapping out your story, your possible paths and options.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a Spaniard who moved to California in 2012 to restart my career in a new language but never thought my career would bring me experiences that I never even considered they were accessible to me and that I only saw through film and TV but eventually, I became part of them.

I am currently working at Getty Images, which also includes iStock and Unsplash, as Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) managing the amazing Creative and Editorial teams in US and LATAM. Recently, I had the opportunity to help the Editorial team onsite while covering Entertainment events such the Grammys and Oscars 2023 and it was such a great learning experience. It is key for an HRBP to understand the business and immerse ourselves in it, to truly understand people’s experiences in their roles, and if we can do so while becoming an asset for the team I always find it a win-win.

My previous work experience was with The Walt Disney Company, where I worked for +7 years in both HR and Recruiting across Walt Disney Imagineering, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Marvel Studios.

In parallel, I created a brand called Creative Career Thinking to help others lead their careers so at the end of the day we can all be better prepared to lead others. This brand is also a window to my own development as a professional in the Industry that allows me to be engaged in creative endeavours and learn from others while building community.

Starting in a new country wasn’t easy and my beginnings were far from great. It took me a lot of stress and tears to position myself to a place that at least was similar to where I was in Spain. However, steps back were necessary while learning the language and studying the new rules and laws in the new country as well as learning a new culture. I struggled finding work at first since I was told by recruiters my experience was good for Europe but not here and my communication skills did not help at all.

When I finally found my first full time job, I ended up with an employer who had an HR Head that would forbid me and other latino employees from speaking Spanish, our own language, amongst us. Today, still hurts to think that back then I thought this was normal. A long list of stories that I occasionally share in my newly podcast Creative Career Thinking in hopes they help other expats or anyone really navigating the complexities of our careers.

I am not a person with a lot of patience, patience does not come naturally to me, I have to work hard to pull it out, so I am not exactly sure how I stayed persistent in moments where I was laying really low and sitting with my feelings in the bottom but I think that the drive and ‘whys’ balances it all out.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love the experiences outdoors, like many others in LA. An outdoor film screening, a walk at the beach or riding a Carver skateboard during sunset are some of my favorites.

There is so much variety of things to do in LA that I would pick different options and events based on the season and the interests of the person who is visiting. Part of my circle is always interested in experiencing different realms of the Entertainment Industry and participating in related events and/or joining communities.

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?
My family’s encouragement has been crucial within my journey because I have done a lot of things that parents would consider to be absolutely bonkers. They had to endure a lot of uncertainty watching their daughter 10,000 km away from home experiencing all sorts of challenges and some good and not-so-good decisions. I don’t call the not-so-good decisions bad because they also have been essential to my journey.

Early in my career when I was still in Spain, I was lucky to work with inspiring professionals that were all very curious about their craft. I also met the best life coach I have ever encountered to this day, Patricia Carbonell, and she became a true catalyst for me. Being surrounded by a community of driven and dedicated professionals and with similar professional interests in my early 20’s I think opened up curiosities I wanted to explore further professionally. The talent you are surrounded by will make a difference in your development (or not).

I hardly ever enjoyed traditional education and when I graduated I did not even attend my own graduation, I just wanted to fully jump into real life experiences even though I was already working two jobs, while simultaneously finishing my studies in College.

Website: www.creativecareerthinking.com

Instagram: @creativecareerthinking

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giselaprunes/

Image Credits
Mike Coppola (only for the feature image at the Oscars)