14 Sep The Weight of Debt
As I reached my one-year anniversary of living in LA, I also reached the most debt I have ever personally had. I saved over $8,000 to make the move to LA, and it went faster than free samples at Costco. Groceries were paid for on credit cards because paychecks weren’t coming in on time, or I was having a hard time finding work. I stepped foot into two restaurants with my resume in hand, and I thank God that they never called me. My heart sank when I did it, but I did not know what else to do.
I got on Brand Ambassador groups on Facebook and worked random events and even handed out protein bars at Costco which is why I know how fast those samples go. If you are a freelancer looking for easy, decent pay work, then check out Brand Ambassador groups. Most jobs start at $20 p/hour, and they are typically just a few days. You learn about a new product/company, meet some interesting people, and still have the flexibility to do other things.
The debt hovering over me weighed heavily on me, and I felt like I wasn’t gaining any traction towards my goals, which is really crazy because I did a lot in a year in a new city. I am very hard on myself, so I hope I can encourage you to be gentle with yourself. Work hard, of course, but talk to yourself the way you would talk to your friends. I am still, to this day, working on this.
I decided to study for my real estate license. Holy random, right? Actually, my real estate agent who helped me find my home in LA became a really good friend of mine, and we talked about bringing me on as an agent. I wanted this to be my side hustle between gigs, and I feel that I could do really well in that field. A couple of weeks after starting my studies, my friend Erin called to ask if I have an interest in being her, and her writing partner, Kay’s, Showrunners’ Assistant. I was, quite literally, bouncing up and down saying, “Yes! I would love to,” as Erin giggled and said, “Well, good!”
Erin and Kay attended Catalyst that first year I produced it. I kept in touch with them, had coffee with them, and they so kindly kept me under their wing. Relationships take time to grow, and I am so thankful for how this one has blossomed.
