Meet MIcheal Hollar | Entertainer & Activist

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

Hi MIcheal, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My thought process behind starting my own business originated when I was young. My mother raised me along with my 11 siblings while owning and operating her own home daycare. She inspired me to one day work for myself one projects that I am personally passionate about. After my mother passed this year I knew I had to leave my six-figure salary job with NASA JPL and pursue my own dreams in music and entertainment,

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.
My art is a direct line to the adversity I have faced in my life. When I write I am able to transform my trauma into strength and when I sing I am able to communicate that emotion to everyone within the boundary of my voice. There are no other pansexual Marines that also body build sing dance act and do comedy, that I am aware of. The problem with being the first is there is no path set before you. The entertainment industry is extremely hard to break into, talent alone is hardly enough. The challenges are ever present and sometimes seem insurmountable, however I have found some success simply by being persistent and coachable. Although I am very much still on the tip of the ice berg professionally, I feel I am still on the path to success. I have just completed my 9th song and my first EP music project. I am really proud of this project despite the set backs and learning that people in the industry will use you just like anywhere else in life. Even when I get discouraged I understand that too is a blessing and apart of the odyssey I am on. Starting a new career in my 30s was never my plan, but I am grateful to my other talents and experiences because they have uniquely prepared me to be ready for whatever comes next and ask for help when I am not so prepared for the unexpected.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I moved to LA during COVID so honestly I am still learning. But I enjoy the clubs and bars in West Hollywood and DTLA. I love rollercoasters and going to the amusement parks. LA really has everything from beaches to snowboarding all within a couple hours drive of each other. I am Jamaican so I have a few spots I would take my friends to try authentic Caribbean food. I would also just relax California is about leisure and enjoying life so we would have to find a nice roof top pool to kick back and relax.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mother, my family, and my friends have been the primary source of support, mentorship, and encouragement. When I joined the Marines at 17 years old, I never thought I would continue my service into my late twenties, however that happened because of my senior Marine leadership and my families support. My mother always told me that education is the one thing no one can take from you, she was a teacher after all. Her words continued to resonate within me and led me to the Naval Academy where I graduated in 2016. Everything I am I owe to her and everything I have yet to achieve I owe to those that continue to lose and support me through the hard time and the good ones as well.

Instagram: @mchollar

Twitter: @mc_hollar

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

Youtube: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCdXtERnjrePezTnq2o9XL5Q