We had the good fortune of connecting with Gary Diekow, owner of My Real Media and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gary, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
So they key word here is “Balance.” – And trying to find that has definitely been one of my biggest challenges. There’s a voice in your head that keeps you going, saying “The time is now” and “It’s all or nothing.” I need that voice in my life but I’m learning to not be controlled by it. I’ve definitely lost people I care about, but such is life. I would say though that, regardless of where you are in your career, don’t worry so much about trying to “make it.” Just enjoy and appreciate where you are now, it’ goes by so fast.

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.
It’s interesting we were just having this conversation the other day, My background is in music. All of my colleagues that own and run creative business today all came from that background. On the other hand a lot of my colleagues that are in debt or have a job they dont wan’t all sort of went the academic route. So, I’m not sure what that means but I do know that keeping the same 4 guys in a band for 20 years teaches you something. It taught us how to strive at being creative in a world that is not. Growing up in a band you learn marketing at a young age.  You’re basically learning how to run a small business. You learn that your music is product, you have to constantly cultivate and produce that product and keep it current. Then you have to market that product which means, making videos, taking pictures , making t-shirts and stickers, playing shows, passing out flyers and engaging with your fanbase. We’ve been able to transfer the skills we learned along the way into successful careers. So, I would say that we all do this for a living because that’s all we have ever done.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, just (1) day wouldn’t be enough. As a photographer I definitely have some secret spots in LA I love to shoot at. While I must keep those a secret, I will say that best spots are the ones you were never looking for. If you’re a photographer, a seemingly normal intersection transforms during golden hour. You will want to make sure and visit the Griffith Park Observatory at Sunset, Take advantage of the surrounding trails that can offer breathtaking views of the city.

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?
In 2000 I started creating content for The California Ranch Company in Temecula CA, The owner Bob Brown had taken over a run down 50 acre working horse and cattle ranch. Over the past 3 years we have transformed that facility to be a prominent pillar of the community consistently raising the bar with our quality of content and production value. The CRC Ranch has also started a viable wedding business with Nancy Easton of Easton Studios as their main photographer. Together we have created a unique country wedding experience.

Website: https://www.myrmedia.com

Instagram: @garyryan1980

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myrealmedia

Other: https://vimeo.com/user161051824

Image Credits
All Images by My Real Media

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