Meet Isabel Geneus | Founder of IzMade4TV & Head of Culture at Pod People

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

Hi Isabel, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born from brawn, brain, and beauty. My family originated from the beautiful country of Haiti. My parents immigrated to the east coast in Connecticut (where I was born and raised) with faith that opportunities that were not allotted to them will be given to their children. With that, I was set on my ways to follow my dreams. I knew from a young age the sacrifices that my parents had made, and that always drove me to work harder. I grew up wanting to make them proud, and I strove- still striving to be the first in my family for a lot of things. As the first college graduate, I have utilized my education to do work that is fulfilling and impactful. 7 months after graduating from Western Connecticut State University, I moved to LA in February 2017, and my journey here has been amazing.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have had the opportunity to work with an incredible team at Pod People as their Head of Culture. Between the time I spent there I am elated to have been able to found a career coaching company: IzMade4TV. Coming from a family that values loyalty and generosity, I wanted to ensure that while I pursue my passions I searched for a way to create a route for others to do the same. Speaking from experience, when you take a good look at all the obstacles stacked against you, it can be suffocating. It doesn’t help that at times the person staring back at you from the mirror seems to be a fraud. I want to help other people excel by defining their struggles, create a strategy for action, and instill the confidence needed to succeed in the workplace. IzMade4TV was birthed from a lifelong vision and nurtured by the acknowledgement of my personal struggles as a young Black woman creative. The road getting here was anything remotely easy, but with no exaggeration it has been my most worthwhile and fulfilling journey to date. I am most proud of having been put into a position where I was able to help employ people during the pandemic, especially BIPOC creatives like myself. I am confident that the world will see for itself that my work is genuine and done out of a place of deep affection for others.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend is visiting me, they are due to get the full “bougie auntie on a budget” experience. I try to ensure that we are skipping the tourists spots and diving straight into an authentic L.A experience. We’re going to take ie easy in the morning, with some quality time and getting massage at Spa Paradise in Sherman Oaks. Next we’ll head out to brunch at one of my favorite black owned restaurants” Blaqhaus Noho for a great food, great music, and bottomless mimosas of course! After our bellies are full, we’ll head out to Marina Del Ray, and rent a boat. After getting a first row seat of the beautiful California water, I always make sure my friends and I stop to take the time to reflect and appreciate the beauty of the sunset as we ride down the PCH. It doesn’t stop there! The next day we’ll head over to Getty Center to fall in love with the gorgeous view of Los Angeles.After that we’ll take the party to Fairfax and spend happy hour at Nas’s Sweet Chick restaurant. I love shopping, and great deals! It’s a must that we go to the Slauson Mall and support the vendors there because they always got the deals. Oh and dinner? We’re getting some authentic Haitian food from Island Flavors in Van Nuys. We’ll finish off the night with some Afro/Soca vibes where we can dance to Caribbean, Hip Hop & R&B music. I love showing people around the city, it makes me appreciate being here even more.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I credit who I am now to many of the people around me. With that being said, first and foremost, Hey Mommy, Hey Pops! I am immensely grateful to the way that my parents have supported and loved me through the good times and the bad. The strength and love my parents has shown me is a direct demonstration of the tender embrace inherited from my grandmother. My grandmother is the steadfast anchor that fastens me to my dreams, she is my courage and my loving parents are my motivation. I’d be remiss to not mention my beautiful Godmother, beloved brothers, favorite baby sister, handsome nephews, fiance, and the entirety of the (PH)amILY (Love to the big Geneus.Germain.Glaude family); as the saying goes, it does take a village. Outside of my tribe, i have found the greatest friends who have believed in me and championed my success. It is an empowering feeling when someone acknowledges your potential, that was done for me not only by my family and friends but my mentor Lorraine Schreyer. I met her while she was visiting Connecticut who encouraged me to relocate to LA, and i did 3 months later. I would like to finish off by speaking briefly on my boss Rachael King and the entire team at Pod People. They have invested in me and have given me an outlet to be creative and make an impact, and I do not have a thank you big enough to give you all.

Website: https://podpeople.com/

Instagram: IzMade4Tv

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabel-geneus-66a1a086/

Twitter: IzMade4TV

Image Credits
Loz On The Film (Lauren Tillman) Sarah Gray Jonathan Irby Thea Traff Glendya Joseph