Meet Kendal Major | Head of Influencer Relations and Partnerships at Ocehua

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

Hi Kendal, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I’m from a diverse suburb south of Seattle, Washington. Growing up surrounded by people from different backgrounds was something that really shaped who I am today. I carried with me my observations and experiences and took that into educating myself more when I went to college. I ended up studying Communications with a concentration in Culture and minored in Diversity Studies. I come from a mixed Asian (Taiwanese) background, but my appearance presents more to others my European ancestry. Personally, I strongly connect with my Asian heritage and so it can be challenging for others who don’t come from multiple ethnic backgrounds to understand or even accept someone like me. I believe in living a life that feels authentic to you – whatever that means. Do the work to understand, respect, and be confident in who you are and what you want out of life both personally and professionally and you’ll feel more fulfilled.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Ocehua is a boutique talent management agency that represents diverse content creators and influencers. We are creating a unique space in the ever-changing and ever-growing Influencer industry to be a voice and advocate for ALL, but more-so for those from underrepresented communities. Noticing a disparity in representation and fair compensation, Ocehua aims to be a business that promote equality, equity, kindness, inclusivity, and positivity.

My background is predominately in professional sports and entertainment having worked in the areas of Talent Relations,
Talent/Player Management, Footage Research, Licensing and Acquisitions, Game Presentation, Event Planning and Video Production. I also held a couple smaller roles in Communications that offered me insight into the world of Public Relations. Collectively, these experiences built a fantastic foundation for me to leverage and align in my current role and industry.

My professional interests always leaned more creative and the Seattle job market didn’t offer much opportunity for me to explore and build my career the way that I wanted. I ended up moving to the East Coast for about four years to further explore working in Entertainment. It was hands down one of the best decisions I ever made.

Full-time entertainment and professional sports jobs are really really hard to come by. Most work is contract based and it unfortunately doesn’t allow for the stability and upward mobility that we all want (or need) to feel secure. After a couple years of interviewing and trying to get a full-time position, I knew I would eventually move back to The Greater Seattle area, but the thought of how I would continue my career and my professional pursuits that I loved there really bothered me. I concluded that if there weren’t any positions available to me in the field of work I wanted to be in, I’d create one on my own, thus, Ocehua was born.

If I could offer advice to others:
1) Don’t be afraid to move for an industry or job.
2) Don’t see no as rejection, but rather redirection.
3) Be intentional about the roles/jobs you take as they are often building blocks and/or connectors for what is to come.
4) Find an industry that feels like “home.” This refers to the people/community that you work with and the people you want to affect with your work. If you feel alignment and acceptance – lean into that. That means something for the work you are engaging with (or not).
5) It’s okay to want work to mean something more than just a paycheck/income
6) You are never stuck. Be resourceful and brave. Find ways to create the life you want.

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 would like to thank a few people for where I am today. First, I’d like to thank my husband, Joe, for being my biggest supporter in helping me achieve my goal of starting and maintaining my own talent agency that manages influencers and content creators. Secondly, I’d like to thank past colleagues who became friends who believed in my work and vision and have supported me since the initial idea of my pursuits. The confidence and encouragement you gave me helped me feel more capable as I jumped into the uncharted territory of entrepreneurship. I want to thank Viveca Chow, the first talent to sign with my agency’s roster. I’m forever grateful for your trust, energy, and professionalism. It’s been an absolute dream working with you and I am beyond grateful for you coming into my life.

Website: https://www.ocehua.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ocehua/

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

Image Credits
Photo courtesy of Marcella R. Photography Photo courtesy of Lawrence DeLeon Photo courtesy of Sam Pickart