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Episode 001 - Esthefany Castillo
12 Plays19 hours ago
Interview with Visual Art Director Esthefany Castillo.
Instagram: @esth.illo
Website: EsthefanyCastillo.com
Transcript
Introduction to Breaking the Mold and Estefany Castillo
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome back to Breaking the Mold, a career podcast for black and brown fashion girlies. I'm your host, Dominique. I'm here to tell you there's enough room at the table for all of us. So pull up a chair, girl. Let's get into it.
00:00:12
Speaker
Today, we have Estefany Castillo. I'm so excited to have you. Hello. Hey, Estefany is a multi-hyphenate, talented photographer, wellness instructor, creative on the branded production team at Blavity, and most importantly, head designer and founder of Infinitely Fluid, a sustainable fashion line.
00:00:34
Speaker
Period. So happy to have you. Thank you. Thank you for coming. You're welcome.
Estefany's Creative Passion and Academic Journey
00:00:38
Speaker
Girl, so that's a lot. I know. How do you do it all? I just love what i do. yeah I just love what I do. I'm someone that when I have ideas, like I think everyone has infinite potential and it's really a matter of like showing up.
00:00:55
Speaker
And so knowing that there's a potential to be X, Y, and z and that like, I'm, I just like am motivated to get there because like, I know that like,
00:01:09
Speaker
Everyone has it in them to create and do the things that they want to do And so these are things that I genuinely want to be doing. I love that. Sometimes it's easy move in your passion when you know it's right for you.
00:01:24
Speaker
So when you were in school, did you always think your path was going to be linear? Or did you know from a young age that the plan was to do multiple things? Hell no. No, what? I mean, like...
00:01:36
Speaker
I mean, I'm, like, at the cusp of, like, the internet and everything. You know, like, I grew up going to the encycl... Like, going to the library, to the encyclopedia, like, typing everything out and needing to do my own spell check and, like, borrowing someone's printer and that was always broken. So, like...
00:01:52
Speaker
that In that world, everything was really linear. You went to college for this one thing, and then the idea that was painted was you will have a job in that one thing that you went to college for after college. So very straightforward, very linear. I don't know what that thing was. I think as I as i came closer to high school and I found my passion for photography and writing, I went to college wanting to do something like travel photography or like photojournalism, right? And so in that realm, but again, coming from the Bronx and then going to like this predominantly white school, I was learning so much that I found like interesting, like sociology and anthropology and things like that, that I was like, wow, I really want to keep taking these classes. and keep expanding your knowledge. And keep expanding my knowledge, which
00:02:43
Speaker
it ties in because I learned how to think critically and but even though I went to school to do something like photojournalism that wasn't my focus I didn't end up taking any of the writing courses because I didn't want to read about Shakespeare and Thoreau and like all that stuff um the writing classes were also at 9 a.m m creative writing they were hard to get why is that so early in college like anything before 10 is like I know I know I know so i don't know it just
00:03:15
Speaker
It just worked
Constructive Criticism and Professional Growth
00:03:16
Speaker
out that way. It just worked out, yeah. So you went to multiple schools. So you went to Wesleyan for the four years, right? And then you went to Harvard for summer. Yeah, for summer. Yeah, okay. And then you're in school now. Yes. So what inspires you to go back to school now?
00:03:31
Speaker
So as a creative, the most undeniable, valuable thing you can have is constructive criticism, especially coming from a structured program. So things where I'm producing something and it's being critiqued and someone is giving me feedback and I'm growing as an artist in that way,
00:03:54
Speaker
it's almost like a king for me. Like, like, ah like nerdy in that way, you know? Like, i yeah, like, I'm just like, if there's like a, like a creative writing class or a workshop a couple weeks long and everyone meets and writes and gets feedback,
00:04:09
Speaker
Love it. Yeah. yeah um So during the pandemic, I ended up taking a streetwear essential class when I started creating the brand. um And then now, even now going, you know, to school, taking this advertising course, it's kind of like I'm at the point in my career where I've been pitching to brands. And so now it's like,
00:04:30
Speaker
just becoming a little bit more refined in in in what it is that i want to do and having someone, a teacher or a mentor help me shape my portfolio. It's like, why not?
00:04:43
Speaker
You know what I mean? and all these prompts and things. So because I just like, I'm really good when I'm held accountable, like give me a deadline. You know what I mean? and Give me a deadline. And so just knowing that about myself, I just wanted someone to be holding me accountable to be thinking creatively and pitching these concepts for campaigns in a way that I myself couldn't do.
00:05:06
Speaker
I get that. I definitely miss the structure of school. Literally today, I was talking to a friend about a project, and I was like, if you don't give me a deadline, I'm not going to have it to you. It's going to take so long to get it to you. yeah He was like, get it to me by Sunday. i was like, I'll have it to you by Saturday. yeah I just needed to be held accountable. Yeah, yeah, yeah. My boss was like, oh, Steph, we've been working on like some social strategy stuff. He's like, can you pull this, this, and that? was like, just give me a deadline. like told me yeah Tell me when you want it by, just because otherwise it's not going to have...
00:05:35
Speaker
but It's not going to take priority unless I know what it needs yeah to get done. I get that. And i'm I'm happy you went back to school like for your own development and growth. like You didn't feel like the industry pressured you into it because you went to Wesleyan and so you studied city planning and majored in sociology, right? Mm-hmm.
00:05:52
Speaker
So from doing that and then going into a creative space, did you struggle at all to pivot? Did anybody give you like friction or a hard time, yeah especially like when you went to
Career Challenges and Relocations
00:06:02
Speaker
Blavity? Like what was that journey like? Yes, the pivot was in that advertising in New York is a very gate kept industry.
00:06:12
Speaker
We have some of the best advertising agencies, but it's who you know. And this has been my experience. And this has also been my experience despite having a college degree from Wesleyan, despite having Harvard on my resume, despite having an internship every summer. Like I had an internship the summer before college. Every year I had a summer internship. And so it was just like,
00:06:35
Speaker
what's the guy Yeah. You know, like what's going on? I was applying to, you know, internships at 70 Twin Sunny, Ogilvy, Droga 5, like all these agencies like where you traditionally would get your start in and nothing was sticking at all. And then that's how I got into managing social media at the time, because i when I left city planning, I also left my apartment in Harlem and I moved in back home. So I needed to be doing something, you know. um And so I figured, OK, well, at least when one of these companies or agencies is ready to hire me, at least I can show like I've been managing people's social media. I've been creating content and things like that.
00:07:15
Speaker
And that's but it was rough. But I love when it got rough, you weren't like, oh, it's so hard. You're okay, so how do I do this on my own then? I didn't have another option. If you're not going to hire me, I'm going to go out and get the experience on my own. That's really inspiring. I just did not have another option. Yeah, I get that. I don't know...
00:07:35
Speaker
Yeah, i just didn't have, I don't know how to explain it. Well, yeah, I get it. It's like almost like an entrepreneurial mindset where it's like quitting isn't an option. I've said that so much in the last year where it's like moving home has never been on the table. That was never an option. It's like you kind of just pull yourself up by your bootstraps. You know, like I'm going to figure it out. going to make it work. Like this is the dream. This is the goal. This is where I know I'm meant to be, what I know I'm meant to be doing. Yeah.
00:07:59
Speaker
You figure it out. And it's like you had previously said your friends knew when you came to L.A., like they knew you were going to stay when you didn't know. like but it When it's meant to be, really nothing can get in your way. And I love that other people can see that on you too. yeah That's beautiful. um So talk to me a little bit about that, your journey of moving to New York, from New York to l a so give me like highs and lows. so Things that you would have done differently and things that you're so happy it panned out the way that it did. Okay. So I I know that coming to L.A. for me was first and foremost a career move, even though I always wanted to come here. You know, I just shared how hard it was to try to get an internship anywhere. This agency in l L.A. actually offered me an internship, a two month internship. And I was like,
00:08:53
Speaker
I have to take it because this is my in. You know what I mean? The perks of being freelancer is like you create your own schedule. But the perks of working in-house at an agency is that you get to work with the team. You have a manager or whatever. um You have projects and tasks. And so...
00:09:11
Speaker
Being early in my creative career, I wanted that. And it's something that a lot of agencies value, you know, like, you know how agency life works. So one of the things that I would not have changed was actually coming out here for an internship. It was very humbling. I was like 27, 28 the time. You know, at this moment in time, I had helped friends like with their law school applications. One of my friends was being promoted for a job at Google after being at a financial consulting firm or one was in med school. And so like, it was really humbling to be like, I'm 27 and I'm actually going out there for an internship.
00:09:48
Speaker
100% glad I did that. I love that. Yeah. 100% glad. You can start over at any age. And it's like, to think about 27, 28 now, that's really young. know. But you are that age. Like, I'm 26. You are that age and you're like, you feel so much older. Like, you should have done so much more. But it's like, you really can't start over at any age. I also think that millennials were promised so much more. Yeah. You know? Like, and I, being first generation, definitely was promised so much more. Like, at 27,
00:10:19
Speaker
At 27 with a degree, like always having straight A's, like busting my ass off, I was promised way more. And so I expected to be further along. or you just expected it to look different, right? Like this wasn't the dream I was sold. Yeah, I was told it was going to be easier. yeah no, they lie. Yeah, I told it was going to be easier. Like...
00:10:43
Speaker
What? yeah I'm basically, like, y'all denying me, like, as if I didn't go to college type shit. You know what I mean? Like, it was very, it was very warpy and, like,
00:10:56
Speaker
Actually, very much like now.
00:11:00
Speaker
All What did you call it? um Negative energy? Energy ops. Energy ops. When you have energy ops just coming for you, the challenges are,
Networking, Relationships, and Personal Growth
00:11:10
Speaker
you worked through them. Yes. I feel like for me, this creator journey has never been like handed to me. Yeah. Like there are and I'll speak to later, like how I got my job at Blavity. There's like someone who I'm just very fortunate enough to know who actually I met at that agency that interned at. And.
00:11:31
Speaker
She gave me the opportunity. She was working at Blavity at the time to be on her team. And but besides that, no one has seen me and been like, wow, like you are your work at this is so insane. And like your credentials are so insane. Like,
00:11:48
Speaker
come be on the team. No, it has not been that way. So how was building that relationship? Because I'm kind of in that season right now where it's like, I'm looking for jobs. I'm exactly that. Like, if only somebody could see, if only somebody could see my work ethic, if somebody could see my passion, if like, then I'll get the job or like my credentials, right? And it's falling on deaf ears. It's like, nobody cares. So talk to me about how,
00:12:13
Speaker
you cultivated that relationship. Was it more networking? Was it a genuine friendship that just went your way? Like, what was that like? It was genuine friendship. Like, she, I want, she's from Jersey. She's from New Jersey. Okay, so you were already. Yeah, already. East Coast girlies. Locked in. She was the other black person, the other black woman in the office. And she was cool as fuck. She showed up, like, in her joggers and her kicks. And, like, she had a cute dog. And, like, actually when the shit, when I told you the thing with my Airbnb that first month after coming to L.A., like, she let me stay in her spare bedroom. Oh. And so, because there was a time when I was still that agency, but I had moved when I signed the lease. I was living in Mid-City. And she lived in Inglewood at the time. So she would, on her way up, would, like, scoop me. And then we, you know? And so it was just kind of like that kind of conversation. Like, we would smoke, we would chill. And she was always on her shit. And, like... She just always, some things she was always telling me, she was like, I would rather someone who is going to bust their ass than someone who already has the credentials because the person that's going to bust their ass is going to show out, you know, versus the person that comes in already knowing they don't have anything to prove, you know? And so she has always, like, seen that in me.
00:13:29
Speaker
love that. Yeah. I have so much respect to her. I know. Asia, I'm giving you a shout out. Your flower is, like, on God. Oh, my God. Oh, God. should have her on. So you were talking about you're really happy that you got the internship. That's something you wouldn't change. I would not change. your journey, what's something that you would change? You could do it over again. 100%. Something that I would change is signing a lease with someone.
00:13:56
Speaker
With a stranger? did you know the person? some With a roommate. Okay. Just, like, definitely added too much, like, tumultuous energy and Okay, so you moved from New York to L.A. You were in an Airbnb for two months. For a month. Oh, for a month. And then you had a roommate. Yeah, and then I had a roommate. Who's a stranger?
00:14:19
Speaker
We knew of each other right being from back home. Okay. yeah Sometimes that's tough, though. Yeah, it was it was really tough. And i there were really beautiful moments. um I think we were both just, like, navigating a lot. And my personal Personality is a little bit more like whimsical outside. i have lived with other people prior, but it has always been like what's mine is yours kind of thing. and you can't live with everybody. i don't That's another thing they don't tell you either. yeah it's It's like, oh, you know, i had a roommate in college and it was fine. But you really cannot live with everybody. Yeah. yeah So nothing against...
00:14:59
Speaker
person it just was not wasn't a good yeah it just wasn't a good match and i think if i could have done it over again there were a lot of like emotional roller coasters that i just could have avoided and been more present within my first year than needing to make room and or space for that and i bet like likewise it would be the same on her end like yeah you know so Respectfully, I think like that's something that I wish I could have done differently. Yeah, like I didn't know like I could have just gone to studio in K-Town, you know, for like a little bit, just more than what I was paying. You live and you learn and it's fine. Yeah. yeah Okay, so back to Blabity. So you've been there four years. Yeah. Walk me through your journey there. Like, how did you climb the ranks? What's your experience been like? Yeah. So going back to, like, what Asia said, like, I'd rather give the job to someone who's hungry. Like, I work my way up places. Like, if you get me in the door, I'm going to, you know, I'm to take that ticket and I'm going to, like, finesse. it literally So I started as a production coordinator, then became a associate producer and then creative strategist. And so now I'm just like this because I've done the producing for them, the strategy now I'm working into like integrated marketing sales. So pitching to the client, like the deliverables. So just at this point, just like creative because like, what don't I do? So you touch like all aspects of production then, right? Except editor editorial.
00:16:34
Speaker
I used to, when I was first brought in, because Aja knew I had a background in writing and copywriting, I was doing, producing a lot of the editorials. I really wanted to be on video because prior I was doing production. I was a production coordinator at this agency called Missing Pieces. And all they produced was they mean they had director X and Karina Evans like early in their careers, you know, when they were making the Drake videos, the music videos and things like that. I was like, I want to be doing more video stuff. The thing for me is like, even though I got my start as a creative writer, I didn't want to just be locked into words, especially just seeing how like the social and the marketing landscape was changing. Everything was becoming digital. So I... And as a photographer, I mean, you're comfortable behind the camera. Yeah, you know what I mean? Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Like I want to be set. Yeah. that's where I'm trying to head in a little bit more. And why going back to school? Like just to be more like art director.
00:17:35
Speaker
Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you do want to climb the ranks within it then? Like you want to keep growing and stay like longevity? Within advertising. Okay.
The Evolution of 'Infinitely Fluid'
00:17:44
Speaker
Yeah. Like I think advertising is my career. yeah It's what i have wanted to just like tell stories and build campaigns for brands that are...
00:17:56
Speaker
energizing and fun, not even not from me, from like the make money perspective, like, yes, that's important, but it's just it almost feels like a puzzle, like the strategy. What's the story? How is it positioning the brand? What's the experience? What the the deliverables look like? It's just so nerdy, like, ah I really do.
00:18:18
Speaker
I really do. It's just so fun. Like, it's just so cool. like My job is literally to come up with ideas. Oh, it's so it's like it's a puzzle. So it kind of lets you be intellectual in that way. But then you also get to be creative. It's just like, does it look visually appealing? And yes, people pay me to come up with ideas.
00:18:39
Speaker
OK, so with everything you're working on, what are you excited about right now? I would it's nothing at work. I know we were just talking about like my day job. But it's actually um redoing my portfolio ah to really just like hone in and like as this title of like art director. That's like what I'm going for. um I'm excited about that because it's like the culmination of like all these the last 10, 12 weeks in school, like every week pitching three new concepts per client. Like it's been like rapid fire and I'm just excited to see it all come together and
00:19:15
Speaker
what the possibilities look like, you know, career-wise and also infinitely fluid. I just feel like this year has just been a moment of like exploring what it can look like. It honestly has just been like a moment of fun, you know? i'm have explored redoing the logo, what a collection can look like, what even just the structure of the business could look like. you know like just Right now I'm just exploring or experimenting with, like instead of just being a wellness studio, like what about just being a studio, an experiential studio, like full service production? like So and then also branching into corporate clients, um doing events for them. That's like full service, like having a media plan where I can hire one of my friends to do content for the event. And like, you know, like so bridging and like seeing what it can look like.
00:20:11
Speaker
It's almost like higher creative. Kind of. Creative director, baby. Period. Yeah. I get that. So walking through Infinitely Fluid, though, that's your brand.
00:20:23
Speaker
What was the birth of that like? Infinitely Fluid started out as Namaste. That used to be what it was called. Namaste? What year was that? work. I love that. Yeah.
00:20:40
Speaker
Because I just, at the time so I got my certification, my yoga instructor certification, maybe like 2017. And at the time already, like I was on the cusp of like these two different like worlds. I'm like in the wellness space, have at this point been like really deep into like herbalism and healing and all this stuff. And then on the other side, it's like I'm taking the six train uptown to the Bronx and like...
00:21:02
Speaker
smoking the fronto with the homies and like just trying to blend these worlds together and like make this practice accessible to everyone. And yeah, Namaste, like instead Namaste, Namaste came out. At the time, I knew it was a very basic name, but I just needed a placeholder. I just needed to take a life form and identity whatever. And then come 2020, when i took that streetwear class during the pandemic, that's when I really started to hone in on like, okay, what can this name look like? You know, what can it become? I wanted something that felt infinitely fluid because i was having a hard time narrowing it down. I didn't want to be just like a pastel-y wellness place with that aesthetic.
00:21:47
Speaker
Very, it's been done. It's very specific. And it's, It kind of puts you in a lane like you can really only do this. Yeah. And it's exclusive by design. You know, it's not inclusive. Like um my friends weren't going to like see that kind of like aesthetic and feel like see themselves in it. I needed something that like was a little bit more broad and could change with time. Because like what Namaste proved to me is like I'm going grow out of it. hmm.
00:22:15
Speaker
It's very hard to grow out of something that's infinite and fluid. Like, yeah you know what I mean? Like, maybe it will look differently, but at the core of it, like, that's what the brand is.
Fashion Inspirations and Legacy
00:22:25
Speaker
It's like an embodiment of, like, all that one is, all that one is becoming, and, like, a no judgment, like a judgment-free zone, basically, because i have multiple phases, and yeah. And I wanted it to be something that, like, I knew was going to be streetwear, and so I just needed it to be lit, like... you know what i mean up yeah i like i missed it the first time so for infinitely fluid who's your ideal customer base then and how are you navigating like you yes you the homies who when we did yoga up at the the the studio on saturdays and sundays like that's my like that's my base um
00:23:12
Speaker
people from back home, like even if like yoga and like that is not their jam, like the entry point, I wanted to create multiple entry points to the conversation, point blank period. And I feel like for, I mean,
00:23:31
Speaker
The Bronx was the birth of hip hop. Like we have been at the forefront of like so much culture, definitely a big contributor to like fashion and street wear.
00:23:42
Speaker
That's a easy entryway, you know? Like we're big on sneaker culture. We're big on just looking fly. Like I've always said like someone from New York can pull up in LA and like pull out in joggers or sweats and still make it look. Have you seen on social media, the argument like, who has better style, New York or LA, and not someone who lives in LA and loves it. that really an argument? New York. You know what mean? New New York every day. I just feel like out here, it's like, you think you got style because you're a designer.
00:24:09
Speaker
No, and I feel like l LA is very reacting to the trend and New York is very... Setting the trend. Yeah. Yeah, and like, you don't need, we don't need trend. Like we are the trend. I see New Yorkers do really weird things and make it work. Like it's, it looks good, you know? if it's something big, like can- That's where the fads start, I feel like are in New York. And then it like trickles. Like going back to my thing, like a girl from New York can put on some sweats, some sneakers on a crop top and still- still be that girl. You know what I mean? Like I just, there's just like no competition. Like I honestly, but I digress. Like, You can put down all your fucking monies into a stylus and this and that. And it's just like,
00:24:51
Speaker
But style is so personal. yeah You know what I mean? Like, it's... I feel like that's what really makes fashion so great. Like, the industry so cool is it's, like, it's a heartbeat. It, like, comes from within first, you know? who do you think inspires you in that way?
00:25:08
Speaker
Like, not only your personal style, but inspires the brand, inspires the way you dress and carry yourself at work. Yeah, I would say, Melody Asani. Love her stuff. Virgil, 100%. Like...
00:25:21
Speaker
some like culture how would I put it culture that is created to be inclusive and different so what I like about Melody Asani is that like she is a you know femme in the space and her stuff is very like trippy and expressive and colorful but it still fits within the niche of streetwear um Virgil was just he actually got his start as an architecture so like the way he thinks he he creates universes. And so to look at that or even like read some of his essays or some of his things, it's just like inspirational in that way. um And then there's like...
00:26:05
Speaker
just I don't know like with upcycling right now there's just been so much inspo um what could be done with fashion and repurposed it's I don't know I guess I draw inspiration from a lot of things but I think Melody Asani has been someone that has been who does what it is that like I'm trying to do she's only one I've seen do it in and do it well yeah yeah It's both. Yeah. It's just effortlessly. Like she just is like, I want to just be and like be known as, yeah. Yeah. As effortlessly fluid. Yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah. So let's talk about legacy. So what do you, you said you want to be known. I just want to be known for being like bold and creative and like,
00:26:53
Speaker
someone who takes chances and i don't really want to be known for a title i just want to be known for everything that like i strived for and managed to accomplish despite all the no's and all the odds and not having connections and not you know like not coming from much Like
Reflections and Cultural Expectations
00:27:14
Speaker
resilience. um Yeah, like resilience and just someone that can inspire um They're already inspiring people. please I get that. so
00:27:30
Speaker
when you speak about everything you've been through and all the notes that you've heard, if you could give a younger version of yourself any advice, what would that be? I think something that I've been, so I've been watching a lot of like, yesterday watched this scary movie called Prom Queen. And no, it just really goes to show like at that time, like in high school, we think that these moments are just so defining. Life death, yeah. You know, so life or death and so defining and,
00:28:01
Speaker
the things that we let that kind of environment make us prioritize or give importance to, it's so, ah don't know what the word is, but it's just so skewed by design. Like, you know, and I would just tell my younger self, like, this ain't even scratching the surface. Like,
00:28:24
Speaker
This is shits and giggles for, like, life. Like, this is so not important. You're not even going to see these motherfuckers. Like... yeah And as life plays out, you haven't even peed. It only gets better. It only gets better. Like, yeah, like, there's been, you know...
00:28:41
Speaker
It could be whatever. it's There's always bumps in the road. Yeah, always bumps in the road. But I just wish that I would not have been so hard on myself back then and, like, compared myself so much to others and gave others so much more of the benefit of the doubt as terms of, like, making them...
00:29:07
Speaker
giving them the value that they, like, carried themselves with. I don't know if that makes any sense. But, i like, in the context of high school, just, like, putting other people on a pedestal without them, like, really earning it.
00:29:20
Speaker
And I feel like It's like idolizing them. Idolizing... When in reality, you don't have it figured out either. yeah Like, we're all just babies. Idolizing certain, you know, certain people, certain groups. um um Or... Because I was, like, a bookworm in high school. um And I just wasn't really...
00:29:38
Speaker
seeing my value um from like a appearance perspective and just like a social person. Like I just wasn't really like seeing what more was to me outside of like school, like my grades, you know, I just spent so much time in that. But um yeah i guess what i would just tell myself is just like you are just so like you don't you haven't even tapped into like what can come out of you you know and like yeah let people peak now but it's so much better when you peak later on in life
00:30:15
Speaker
You're like, you're going lap them. You have no idea. Baby, I've been running laps. Ben lapped them. Yeah. It's very unfortunate in a good way. I mean, you know, like.
00:30:29
Speaker
But especially when you move from one coast to the other, not even one coast to the other, but when you leave your hometown, whether it's a town or a city, it's like there's always those people that kind of stay where you left them. Yeah.
00:30:42
Speaker
you're just You're exactly where I left you, right there doing the exact same thing that you were always doing. Versus creatives tend to be more like yeah upwards and onwards. And it wasn't even intentional. It wasn't intentional, and I feel like that's why I would tell myself, my my younger self, then, like in middle school or in high school, like knowing what I know now, it's like...
00:31:09
Speaker
this doesn't matter, you know? i was just giving things like so much importance and it just didn't. It wasn't. It wasn't, you know? yeah It didn't matter. And similar to what you were saying, like my friends knew that I would be coming to Lai to move here night and I didn't see it. Other people were seeing things in me that I wasn't seeing in myself and I didn't give myself that credit.
00:31:29
Speaker
So I would just go back and like hype myself up, I think. Yeah, give yourself the credit. Yeah, imagine how much peace we would have had if we met. If we knew then what we know now. I know, dude. Even if, so I peaked, don't want to say peaked, but like I really came into my confidence in college.
00:31:48
Speaker
If 21 year old me was in high school, menace, complete menace. Because at this point I had managed like how to have like social life, be outside, be a baddie, get the grades, like just from like leaving home, you know, like dorming and stuff like that. Like I just felt And I think that actually helped me discover who I was a lot more because- were on your own. And yeah, and in Dominican household, first generation, like there's just so many cultural things and like school is the first priority and there's just no room to falter um when the goal and everything your parents put on the line is for you to go to college. And that's why i feel like I said earlier, I was promised so much more. You had yeah. Because-
00:32:34
Speaker
Like you go to college, and you get the dream. Yeah. That's what you think. Went to college. Did not get the dream. i Still working for the dream now. Yeah. As if like my heads are so my head is still in the books. You know what I mean?
00:32:47
Speaker
always learning. Always learning. Always evolving. Yeah. yeah So I think that's
Work Preferences and Cultural Trends
00:32:52
Speaker
what I tell myself. Yeah. Period. Okay. I was thinking we could do some rapid fire really quick. Okay, so to play in or out.
00:33:01
Speaker
Okay. So going read off some things and you tell me if it's in or if it's out. Okay. Okay, so first, um going to events alone. Out. Why? i don't do that shit. No? Always have a friend?
00:33:13
Speaker
For the most part, I do it when it's like... I do it, but it just takes like a little bit more of like a mental talk, like, all right, we're getting there. Yeah, like putting the anxiety to the side. Yeah. So how do you know who a good person to bring with you is then? i don't know. I kind of just ask like an immediate person um if it's something like a shared interest or something like that.
00:33:41
Speaker
And a big part of too, is like being sober, like going to places with no liquid courage. it just feels a little bit more... Of a thing, um but that's a me thing. I have friends who like literally like just the just like going out by themselves. I love that for them. I aspire like to get there. I'll do go by myself to like date things or like oh networking things yeah or like um if my friend has like a social hang, I'll go there. But even the anxiety of knowing like my friend is hosting and I'm going to need to make other friends is like... I don't know anyone there. I get that. I get that. Sometimes you need a buffer. Yeah, the buffer. like, okay. You're like, okay. yeah Okay, the second one. um Working for free, whether that's interning, styling, photographing. Out.
00:34:31
Speaker
Why? I think that I'm 32. That's Pay me. Yeah. Baby has bills. Yeah. Well, not even that. Like, I have paid my dues at this point. Like, and I'm at the point in my life where I feel like if I don't start giving myself that reputation or like that credit like if i don't start actually saying no to the free shit i'm not gonna start saying yes to the pay shit yeah you know what i mean yeah um and that goes back to honoring like what it is that i have to contribute or like what i have to give
00:35:15
Speaker
um There are certain things where like a friend and I will barter. So like if i am doing some content for you, then you can assist me when I have two yoga events, you know, like something like that.
00:35:26
Speaker
But I think that I really want to move away from the doing stuff for free. And a big thing for Infinitely Fluid is to always pay people. Like when I started just even experimenting with logo stuff, I wouldn't start that until I knew I could at least pay someone 150. You know, like to do it the i really want to break that culture of like asking creatives to do things for free for exposure and for experience. So it's frustrating. I mean, we have bills too. My rent is just as much as the accountant's.
00:36:04
Speaker
It is. Yeah. Yeah. So I just want to be that that change in in order for me to The way I see it, call forth those paid opportunities is to say no, let the universe know, like, I'm not taking the free stuff anymore. Like, yeah, you know? Yeah, I get that. Okay, the next one is strict working hours. Like, only nine to five will not work outside of that. Yeah.
00:36:39
Speaker
It's a little bit because those as a freelancer and like someone who works for myself, like those hours really helped me to not push work into the weekends, if that makes sense. When I first started, like I would be the type to like work Monday through Sunday, you know, or like maybe let myself sleep in so that I can work like from three to 12 and just, you know, leave things for the weekend. So I am learning to appreciate the strict hours because they're self-imposed. Now, if someone is telling me I need to be out in fucking Culver City every fuck Monday through Friday from 9 to 6, absolutely no. Yeah. Absolutely no. It's an entrepreneurial strict working hours. Yeah, like self-imposed, like self-accountable, like more so for self-care reasons. and
00:37:31
Speaker
But yeah. Yeah, I get that. Okay, the next one is working overnights. Out. Out. Unless it's me working on a website and that's like, I'm getting a joy out of it or something like that. Okay, so like a passion project. a passion project. like working out.
00:37:48
Speaker
I get that. Okay, the last one is taking breaks. In. In. Big Napper. Big Napper. Yeah, Big Napper. Big like on rest and restore. And I just...
00:38:05
Speaker
two
00:38:08
Speaker
Right? I knew the name was not going to age well, and I just knew I needed to to pivot. ah It was a good choice. It was a good choice. Yeah, at the time. it was great. It fit the vibe. um This is when, like, so you know, Slay is making a comeback. It is. je It always comes back, yep.
00:38:23
Speaker
Very interesting. i was talking to someone, and I was like, oh, yeah, this is this. they're like, Slay. And I was like, okay. You're saying Slay? Yeah. Huh? Yeah. They all come back, though. i know. That's how trends are. that was like, yeah, so...
Conclusion and Social Media Connections
00:38:40
Speaker
okay yeah well thank you for coming on breaking the mold thank you for having me of course this is fun okay so where can the girlies find you how can we support you yes so you can follow me on my personal instagram which estilo it's e-s-t-h period i-l-l-o and then infinitely fluid is at infinitely fluid just spelled like that Excellent. All right, girlies. Thank you for pulling up a seat.
00:39:09
Speaker
I'll see you next time. Thank you so much. Bye, everyone.
00:39:15
Speaker
First guest!