Meet Monique Berduo | Alternative Development Executive

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

Hi Monique, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Approaching risk in my life and career is like walking a delicate balance between passion and uncertainty. As a daughter of Mexican and Guatemalan immigrants, I was born to a family that has taken risks in more ways than one. Growing up I was handed a blueprint for success that was traditional and clean-cut: be a great student in school, don’t get in trouble, don’t make too much noise, get a college degree and land a respectable job. However, from an early age, my grandfather nicknamed me the “troublemaker” of the family because I would constantly challenge expectations or take unconventional risks.

The pivotal moment came when I made the decision to drop out of community college, driven by a passion and overwhelming drive to pursue a career in reality TV. I dreamt of climbing the ranks and paving my own path to become a development executive. As you can imagine, this decision wasn’t met with immediate understanding and support. But I was hellbent and failure wasn’t an option for me.

Fast forward about seven years after working my first show as a production assistant on ABC’s SPLASH (I’ll spare you any flop-puns about this less successful series), and now I’m head of development at Warner Bros./Discovery alternative TV label, Shed Media.

Looking back, I am profoundly grateful for the risks and missteps that paved the way to my current position. While I know there’s still much growth and learning ahead of me, I attribute my current success to the tenacity to take risks.

For me, risk taking isn’t just about defying expectations, it’s about embracing the unknown, finding joy in the journey, and learning from every mistake. In an industry as dynamic as ours change and uncertainty are the only constants. So, buckle up!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
If you’re a reality TV fan then you might’ve seen some of the shows I’ve been lucky to be part of, as a viewer here are some of my favorites: Celebrity Wife Swap, The Amazing Race, Queer Eye, Love Island, Real Housewives of New Jersey, The Family Stallone. As a labor of love my highlights are lesser known: The Four on Fox, Nikita Unfiltered on Snapchat, and countless development projects that remain confidential until further notice. There are so many projects in the pipeline that I’m excited about but while I’m at WB/Shed check out Paris in Love, Real Housewives of New York, Salt Lake City and Ultimate Girls Trip all on Peacock.

The path to where I am today hasn’t been the easiest, but it’s been incredibly rewarding. Despite seven years of professional growth, I genuinely feel like I’m just scratching the surface. A key lesson learned throughout my career centers on finding my own voice. Self-advocacy is paramount, and the courage to put oneself out there is crucial.

A most recent challenge I’ve had to navigate is trying to sell series in the current climate when buyers are risk averse more than ever, budgets are shrinking and slots to fill are slim to none. During these times when everyone has great ideas, reputation, and services to back their series concepts, you have to find new ways to stand apart from the competition. In my experience, networking is crucial because at the end of the day if two production companies pitch the same idea to a buyer – that buyer is most likely going to pick up the series their friend is pitching them; I’ve experienced it on both sides. Building relationships is fundamental because, in an industry where everyone knows each other, being a good colleague and a kind person can set you apart. We get to tell stories and make TV for a living so why not have fun with it?

What I want people to grasp about my story is that it’s an ongoing narrative with much more to unfold. My passions revolve around continuing to tell the stories of my community and creating entertaining series. The fact that I get to make TV for a living still feels surreal to me – from my early days as a production assistant to where I am now. I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to an industry I love, and the excitement of each day on the job has yet to wear off. I’m eagerly looking forward to the chapters yet to be written in my career.

Whether you’re a creative or not, chase that dream job/industry like your life depends on it because you won’t regret it.

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?
As a born and bred Angeleno I have so much love for this city, and am absolutely biased when I say it’s filled with the absolute best restaurants and experiences. But if I had to highlight a few recent favorites, I would say Little Fatty in Mar Vista, it’s the best Taiwanese soul food I’ve ever had! Every single dish is amazing!

But let’s start at the top, here’s my dream itinerary for any visiting friends: start the day at Trinity Boxing Club off Melrose Ave. Post workout we’re going to breakfast at Blueys Santa Monica. Then I’d say we should go to Belle’s Beach House in Venice because the drinks and popcorn shrimp are to die for. Make your way to Gin Rummy at the top of Abbot Kinney and Washington Blvd for drinks and a fun vibe, then pop over next door to Scopa Italian Roots.

On another day that’s not so westside centric, I’d say you absolutely have to go to Lowboy and Bar Flores in Echo Park. And if you’re in downtown, Bar CDMX is a must because they play all the best cumbia and rock en espanol songs. You’ll dance the night away!

Now if it’s a Sunday and the weather is perfect (which it typically is 90% of the time), skip everything I said above and just go to Palisades Park for reading and dog watching in the park – this is my happy place, especially if it includes an Alfred’s iced matcha americano. I could spend hours here either watching the sun rise or set, the view never gets old.

And for a bonus trip – I’d take the Pacific Surfliner train up to Santa Barbara for the day to drink wine at Grassini’s tasting room in downtown.

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?
Wow – I feel like the list of gratitude is endless for me. A massive shoutout goes to my ride-or-die husband, who has been an incredible support system every step of the way. I’m forever grateful to my parents for instilling in me a love for hard work, negotiation skills, and the gift of gab. Special shoutout to the many amazing organizations like the National Association of Latino Independent Producers and all my colleagues in the industry who continue to pave the way for underrepresented voices and storytelling. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank David Eilenberg, Head of Content at Roku, because every time I’ve found myself at a crossroads in my career or in a need of a reference, David has always helped me out and I’m beyond grateful.

Two random but amazing content recommendations: 1)Lewis Howes School of Greatness podcast episode on the Mamba Mentality and The Mind of a Champion is chef’s kiss inspiration 2)Michelle Obama’s memoir, Becoming.

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

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

Image Credits
Owen Kolasinski (Headshot photo)