Meet Oskie Mignon: Communication Practitioner

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

Hi Oskie, alright, let’s jump in with a deep one – what’s you’re definition for success?
I don’t think there is a particular form of measurement for success. It’s up to the individual to interpret what that means to them. Personally, success is doing something with a purpose that affords the essentials for living, (e.g car or public transportation, housing, food, etc.) while being charitable or finding creative ways for you or your business to be altruistic. Avoiding  becoming grandiose is also a form of success for me. Staying grounded, evergreen and rooted to an ethos is meritorious. It’s also successful to earn enough revenue to pay off student loans and take a mental + physical vacation once a year.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve never thought of myself as an “out of the box” thinker. Rather, I consider myself as a builder of boxes. More of a generalist than a specialist, if you will.

I was fortunate enough to have over 5+ years of entrepreneurial work that kept me on my toes and bread in my pantry. It’s never easy – that’s the bottom line. There is a labor of love when you work on your own, whether it may be freelancing or DBA (doing business as). Oftentimes you find yourself spinning lots of plates with hopes that one doesn’t hit the ground. And the only way to bankroll your business is to expand your paper wheel (rolodex). This goes without saying.

Nothing can overcome the feeling of accomplishment when you are solely responsible for your own victory, without a corporate workforce. It’s sort of like the David and Goliath story or climbing Mt. Everest or Kilimanjaro. Something you once thought was out of the realm of possibility.

One of many important lessons that stuck is never take a minority stake in a company. When you work for yourself, the company here is you. If you want to prosper into a blue-chip company, then you have to be married to the work. Throw out your schedule of useless activities and stake your flag.

Most of my days are occupied with working with stylists, small business owners, being a Vice Chairperson for the City of Commerce Traffic and Public Safety Committees and working on multiple projects with ENVSN Festival and now Liberty Fairs.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Our trip begins in the famous beach town of Malibu, at the Malibou Lake for a nice scenic hike. Followed by breakfast and some IG photos at corky Malibu Cafe. Next we head to the pristine waters of Zuma Beach for some sun, sand and some champs. We head out to the Malibu Wine Safari to visit some exotic friends and sip on a bubbly glass of Rosé. We end the day at Neptune’s Net for some fresh seafood and an unrivaled view of the California sunset.

Day two we’d head up to the famous WeHo (West Hollywood) for brunch as we go bottomless at the infamous Abbey. Take a quick trip down the luxurious Rodeo Drive for some retail therapy. Then head down Wilshire Blvd. to the city of Santa Monica and hit the tourist filled but fun boardwalk. Play a few games. Ride a few rides. Afterwards, take a casual stroll to Loews down the street for a gorgeous dinner. Lastly, we head a few blocks down to the outrageous Venice Beach Boardwalk for some people watching and to catch a pink sunset.

Third and final day we hit Hollywood to wrap up the westside of LA. We’d pay a visit to the Hollywood walk of fame and eat at Roscoe’s House of Chicken and Waffles. We’d walk off the fest by grabbing a drink at Mama’s Shelter and take in the breathtaking views of the Hollywood skyline and the Hollywood Hills. Drive down to the Beachwood Cafe for a quick nosh then head on up to the Griffith Park Observatory for a late galactic show. The observatory is known for one of the best vantage points in LA. You can see downtown LA’s ever growing skyline. We end our trip heading just down the hill to Los Feliz’s Figaro Bistrot for a refreshing French 75 and a delightful French inspired dinner.

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?
It’s difficult to narrow down the list of people. Instead, I will dedicate this shoutout to a few things. The first of them being able to graduate from Cal State LA with a BA in Communication Studies. This wasn’t just a milestone – it was a soul searching experience. Helming the Presidency for PRSSA Chapter Cal State LA on campus fostered my abilities as a leader. Volunteering throughout my tenure as a student kept me humble. Receiving my degree after two arduous years made me victorious. Breaking barriers and disrupting the status quo in the communication industry were merits. Books like Quit Like a Millionaire and The Achievement Habit, were a game changer and influenced my overall thought process. I gained an understanding on the principles of positive thinking and how one sets mind traps for themself. Also, I acquired some valid reasons on why I should avoid thinking like a capitalist (live to make as much money as possible) and think more like a humanist. In retrospect that probably wasn’t the author’s intentions. Lastly, all my wonderful colleagues who pushed me and whom I’ve pushed in order to achieve a better version of ourselves.

Website: welcometotheplaya.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/OskieMignon

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/OskieMignon

Twitter: www.twitter.com/OskieMignon

Image Credits
ENVSN Festival City of Commerce Clinique Rightlane Productions So Beer