I started out acting as a child. I was in all of these different performance classes. I loved performing, talking in front of people, getting to know people and sharing their stories.

I didn't grow up with a lot of TV, but I started watching Brooke Burke on “Wild On!”, Carson Daily and Sal, and that's when I realized I wanted to be a host. They were doing exactly what I wanted to do! In all of our home videos, I'm the one who takes the camera and interviews people. During my freshman year of college, I started out behind the scenes as a production assistant (PA) for all the red carpet events in Hollywood. I was doing anything and everything, from running crafty (food) and doing sound, to setting up lighting. I did that for about two years. At one point, my boss went out of town and I got to be the stage manager. The producer asked me if I wanted to be the Mountain Dew host on the show—that was kind of my first taste.

When I got the Mountain Dew hostess job, I was driving to LA and back to San Diego a couple times a week—even during finals. I did that for about two years and then the show got cancelled. I wanted to see the in-office side of the business next. When I applied for internships, I knew two things: I wanted to work at Fuel TV and I wanted to work at E! I got both but took the Fuel TV internship because I knew I would be able to excel there. It was a little smaller so I felt I would be more hands-on. I love action sports so it was a nice fit. On my first day, I went in and pretty much told everyone I wanted to be a host. I just threw it out there, giving them my end goal. My producer eventually gave me more to do. I wrote a news flash that he really liked it and then he took me on a shoot. I wrote questions for one of the hosts, but he never asked them, so I jumped in afterwards and asked my questions as a PA. The producer liked it and started filming it. He asked me if I wanted to do the standup outside and that was my first on-camera job. 

Not really. When I meet fans I thank them for being loyal, watching the show and for being part of the whole experience. I do this for them—the show is for them. It’s amazing to meet people who appreciate it and the work you do.

Sports are a part of me; it's what I grew up with and what felt most natural to do. It comes easily because I know and understand sports. I played every sport growing up and then played soccer at SDSU. The athletes are unbelievable and the dedication and work that goes into their careers is unreal. It's a fun job being able to share their story and show people that they are just people too—even if they're making millions of dollars and playing in front of huge crowds of people every day.

I would not be where I am today without taking Marki's classes. She's intense, truthful and strict. She literally whips you into shape. She taught me to be relevant online and to take little steps towards achieving my goal everyday. Everything from how to do transitions, how to hold yourself, your chin, your face, how to talk to others, etc. Everything you need to know about hosting, you’ll learn in that class. I also trained at Groundlings and even took an acting class for 3 months. This is a craft and, the more you can learn and watch other people, the better you're going to get. 

Right after China, I knew I was going to focus 100% of my energy on hosting. By September though, nothing was happening. I was going on a ton of meetings but there was a four-month period where I was living off of what I had saved from bartending. I was seriously questioning whether or not I was going to be able to do this. I would get really sad and my mom would tell me not to break. She was very supportive and told me to keep with it, stay focused and stay in a goal-oriented mindset. It was a struggle and it was scary. I knew it would take a long time to get there, but as soon as it did, it happened all at once. Everything has happened for a reason.

I dedicate at least an hour to social media every day, whether it's catching up or posting. I'm always watching something at night, recording it or watching SportsCenter. And Twitter is huge! You can get everything there; it's quick and to the point. I also check social media throughout the day.

I was the little kid who always put on shows and loved performing. I always knew that it was going to happen; I just didn't know how it was going to pan out. I didn't want to be too specific back then because I didn't want to let my hopes down. Once I got into college, however, I was extremely specific about what I wanted. I set goals for myself every year. Each thing I had laid out for myself has come true. I worked very hard to get it and it’s been awesome. I love what I do.

I love meeting new, amazing, talented people and sharing their stories with the world. It's so inspiring. Every day, I get to talk to people who have worked so hard to get where they are. It's extremely refreshing to feel their drive and see their passion. With Angels Weekly, we get to do fun, behind the scenes stuff. I've gone go-karting, to concerts and backstage—all with these incredible athletes. The driving is probably the least exciting part, but I always told myself that I would never let that become an issue. I was going to do whatever it took. I told myself, "You're just going to let it go, Alex." I wish I could just teleport! My mom always taught me to focus on the positive and let go of the negative things.

I work everyday; there are no off days, so you have to be prepared for that. I do yoga and circuit training, which keeps me centered and sane. Mornings are my workout time, my time for release. If I'm feeling low-energy, I will go to yoga; if I have a lot of energy, I will do circuit training. I do my own hair and make-up for all of my shows. I give myself 2.5 hours before I have to leave, and always make myself a good breakfast. You don't know how long it’s going to be before you have a break, so you need a good meal for your brain to work. I do a lot of prep the night before and I spend 3 to 4 hours getting everything together. It’s a continuous cycle of being prepared and on your game. I would get a full-blown panic attack if I weren’t prepared! Do prep work before so when you’re there, you’re present. Being prepared is everything.

Feeling rejected and finding that first person to give you a shot are probably the biggest struggles. My biggest challenge was to not let that affect me, and to be okay with who I was and what I was doing, my personality and my brand. You are criticized every single day and 5 out of 20 comments may be negative—you can’t let that get you down.

You have to look at yourself and the source. Are you in the right state of mind and in a good place to focus all of your energy on it right now? You need to clean up every aspect of your life and you need to really hone in on what you want—be specific. Do a minimum of one thing every single day that pushes you towards what you want to do. Don't be afraid to tell people what you want, but you have to be ready physically, mentally and emotionally. Make sure all those steps are 100% there before you start questioning why nothing's happening. Do you have a website or a press kit ready in case you meet someone that could make it happen for you? Have everything ready to go.

I would love to take what I’m doing now to a national level and host a daily talk or sports show—something fun! I also would love to do a travel adventure show spotlighting food spots, nightspots, etc., and do a show where I get to meet the most interesting people around the world and spend a day in their lives. The possibilities are endless!