My first job out of college was working as a Production Assistant (PA) for “The Larry Elder Show,” a start-up daytime talk show produced by Telepictures (Ellen, Extra, TMZ). It was the quintessential entry-level production position where I worked a minimum of 12 to 14 hour days doing everything from running out to get Starbucks for the Executive Producers (EPs) to being on set with a walkie-talkie making sure the guests were ready.  

Post-grad, I knew I wanted to “work in the entertainment industry,” but I didn’t quite know in what capacity. Towards the end of college, I realized I much preferred TV to film because of the faster pace, but that was the extent of the direction I knew I wanted to go in. My first gigs in the industry happen to be in non-scripted/alternative programming, and I loved how fast, relative to scripted, we could shoot something and then it was on the air. I also didn’t want to work in scripted television and ruin the smoke-and-mirrors, so I stuck to “real people” entertainment, which I also found more interesting. 

I was freelancing in reality and talk television for several years on shows like Top Chef (did three seasons), Ask Oprah’s All Stars, The Bonnie Hunt Show, The Tyra Banks Show and countless pilots, but I was ready to find a home at a company I could grow with. I also was very interested in the digital space because I am still confident that online is eventually going to be the medium for all content, so I wanted to get in while still on the forefront. I utilized a few connections I had with people at POPSUGAR and got my foot in the door. 

I’ve been working at POPSUGAR for almost two years now and, as much fun as the freelance days were, I enjoy having the camaraderie of a work family I can count on every day instead of having to start over on a new show every 6 to 12 weeks. When I started, we were only about a dozen people in the LA office and, in just these last two years, our company has grown and expanded exponentially in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago and London. All of the cities work very closely together on a daily basis, and we utilize video conferencing and Google hangout so it feels like there is no distance between us. I love how innovative we are as a company and the positive work environment that empowers women.

I think I learned more in four months of physically working in television than the four years of studying it in college. Producing is very much a learn-by-doing kind of job. Every show functions a little differently, but you learn to adapt and figure it out, which is pretty much what a producer’s core job is—find a way to make it happen.

Producing requires instinctive problem-solving skills and creativity that can’t really be taught, but experience can help you figure out what to do and how to handle any situation. It’s essential to be able to anticipate five steps ahead, always be resourceful and be ready to calmly handle Murphy’s Law since it will always happen. I was lucky and had really great mentors who guided me through situation where I just had to make it happen, no matter what, under any circumstances. It is sink or swim, and (thankfully) I swam. Not everyone does.

When pitching new segments I ask myself several key questions. Would I want to watch this? How relevant is this in current pop culture? Have I seen this before? If so, how can we make ours different? What’s the “hook?” In other words, what’s that piece that will give people a reason to watch this? And finally, a one-line elevator pitch (tell me the idea in 30 seconds).

Online video works exponentially faster than traditional cable television or film. Film takes years to go from development to release. Cable television typically takes a few months, between shooting and airing. Our content goes from shooting to posting anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks, depending on the video. 

Since we produce videos in higher volume on smaller budgets, we have streamlined processes that allow each of us to be much more hands on, and that let us learn more about how to do everything in production, which gives us an advantage over people who only know how to do the one thing they do on a film or show. If we come up with a cool idea, we can put it together and post it for the world to see in a matter of days. We also have the ability to bypass a lot of the red tape that other media face since we are essentially our own studio, production company and network in one.

In my role of overseeing production from start to finish, I inherently work very closely with every person who touches the production of the video, including the on-camera talent, the director, on-set crew, the video editors and everyone in between. My role is all encompassing, so part of my brain is spent on developing creative and creative problem solving, and the other part on the business aspects, like pricing estimates, tracking budgets and making sure we hit deadlines. It is probably a 30% to 70% split of creative and business.

My favorite part of my job is that no two days are the same. Every video is different and we have the ability to try new things with every video we create. It’s impossible to get bored when every day requires me to utilize both sides of my brain for a million different things. 

The most challenging part of my job is that the volume and scope of projects is ever changing, so it can be difficult sometimes to find a consistent work/life balance. I am also kind of a workaholic, so there are times when I have to remember that the work will still be there tomorrow. 

If it’s a non-shoot day, this is what an average day looks like:

• 8:00 a.m.: Respond to emails from the east coast

• 9:00/9:30 a.m.: Get to the office

• 10:00 a.m.: First of many conference calls

• 11:00 a.m.: Meeting with team

• 12:00 p.m.: Another conference call

• 1:00 p.m.: Eat lunch at my desk while replying to emails

• 2:00 p.m.: Kickoff call for new project

• 3:00 p.m.: Pre-production call for shoot tomorrow

• 4:00 p.m.: Meeting for budget and production needs

• 5:00 p.m.: Creative brainstorm

• 6:00 p.m.: Watch reviews cuts and give notes, finish up outstanding work

• 7:00/7:30 p.m.: Go home

If it’s a shoot day, it’s pretty much: Go to set around dawn, run around and make sure it’s going smoothly and leave at dusk.

I would recommend finding a way to get your foot in the door in the area that you want to work in. The different worlds within the entertainment industry don’t translate to each other. For example, if someone starts out in non-scripted digital content, they will have a tough time transitioning into scripted film or television because you get pigeonholed in whatever you start in. You will always have to start at the bottom and work your way up, so you should work your way up in the field you want to be in.

If you’re not sure what area you like, it’s pretty easy to get hired as a PA and then you can get on-set experience for different types of projects until you figure out what area to pursue. I would not recommend starting out as a desk assistant (unless you know you want to work in that world, like an agency or talent management) because you won’t get the same hands-on experience as being on set if you are sitting in an office answering phones.

Hollywood is open to those who know which doors to knock on and are too stubborn to quit. It is all about who you know, but everyone knows someone, so you can usually find a way in. It’s what you do when you get in the door that dictates whether you make it or not. It is an incredibly competitive industry and truly only the strong survive. Most of my friends who started in entertainment have since quit and moved on to different career paths. It’s definitely not an easy industry, so you have to know in your heart that this is the only thing you want to do in life, and hold on to that passion even when you’re being told “no” all the time. It’s not as glamorous as it seems—it’s stressful, long hours, hard work and a lot of rejection—but, if you’ve got the drive and dedication to keep doing it, it can be a lot of fun. 

I plan to work at POPSUGAR for a while and continue to grow with the company. I feel like we are only at the tip of the iceberg of what this company is becoming, so I am excited to be an early contributor of the movement and keep going along for the ride. My goal has always been to become a studio executive, and I will continue to work my way up the ranks to accomplish that goal.

Solving the next problem. My brain naturally works in problem-solving mode, so I feel fulfilled when I am able to solve something. Since every day brings new challenges, I look forward to strategically conquering the day’s puzzle pieces and then going home at night not thinking about work because it was all completed at the office.