Today we’d like to introduce you to Karla Andrillon.
Karla, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My entrepreneurial journey has been anything but linear, and I think that is what has made it meaningful.
I’m originally from Puerto Rico, and my journey has taken me through different cities, industries, and seasons of life. Over the years, I’ve worked in different areas of business, marketing, content creation, fitness club manager, teacher and events, while also navigating the realities of being a mother and rebuilding my life in Texas.
I’ve always been drawn to bringing people together. What started as an interest in events eventually became something much bigger for me. I realized that I wasn’t just interested in putting together an event, I was interested in creating an experience around it: the atmosphere, the people, the partnerships, the story, the content, and the feeling people take home with them.
That realization led me to begin building my own event and experience brand, Ritma. My vision is to create experiences that go beyond traditional Latin events and bring together different cultures, communities, businesses, artists, and brands in a way that feels intentional and memorable.
Long term, I envision Ritma growing into a platform capable of producing everything from intimate curated experiences to large-scale concerts and cultural events featuring major artists and performers from different genres. I want to create spaces where Latin, Black, American, Caribbean, and other communities can come together through music, culture, entertainment, and shared experiences.
At the same time, I’ve been expanding into digital services, content creation, social media strategy, and digital products. I’ve learned that many of the skills I developed through events — storytelling, marketing, relationship-building, organization, and creating memorable experiences, translate naturally into helping other businesses and creators grow.
Today, I’m building a business that reflects all of those pieces: events and experiences, creative and digital services, content, and eventually digital products that can help other entrepreneurs create and grow their businesses.
I’m still very much in the building stage, and I actually embrace that. Every day I’ve learned to trust the process, start with what I have, and keep moving forward. My goal is to build something that is not only financially sustainable, but also creates opportunities for other people and makes people feel connected.
For me, entrepreneurship has become less about having a perfect plan and more about having the courage to build something that feels true to who I am and where I’m going.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, and honestly, I don’t think I would be the person or entrepreneur I am today if it had been.
After Hurricane Maria, I left Puerto Rico and moved to the mainland without knowing much English and without having everything figured out. Starting over in a new place was challenging in ways that are difficult to explain until you experience it yourself. I had to learn a new environment, a new culture, a new way of doing business, and a language that I was not comfortable speaking. I’m still learning English today, and I’ve learned not to let that become a limitation. If anything, it has taught me to be more resourceful, patient, and willing to put myself in uncomfortable situations.
I’m also a mother raising two beautiful teenage daughters, and motherhood has been one of the greatest joys of my life while also being one of my biggest responsibilities. Being a single mom means carrying the weight of your own dreams while also carrying the responsibilities, emotions, needs, and challenges that come with raising two young women. There have been many moments when I’ve had to put my own exhaustion aside because my daughters needed me.
There were seasons when I worked 13- or 14-hour shifts just to keep everything moving. There were times when I was physically exhausted but still had responsibilities waiting for me at home. I’ve had to learn how to manage work, motherhood, finances, personal growth, and my own dreams, sometimes all at the same time.
Starting over also meant rebuilding my confidence. There were moments when I questioned whether I was doing enough or whether I was moving fast enough. But I kept going.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that entrepreneurship doesn’t always begin when you have the perfect resources, the perfect team, or the perfect plan. Sometimes it begins when you simply decide that you are not going to give up on yourself.
Today, I’m still learning, still building, and still figuring things out. But I’m doing it with a much clearer understanding of who I am and what I want to create.
The struggles didn’t disappear when I became an entrepreneur. I simply learned how to turn many of those struggles into strength, perspective, creativity, and determination. And I hope that part of my story reminds other women, mothers, immigrants, and anyone starting over that they don’t have to have everything figured out to begin building something of their own.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Today, my work sits at the intersection of events, experiences, creativity, marketing, and entrepreneurship.
Through my event and experience brand, Ritma, I create experiences designed to bring people together through music, culture, entertainment, and community. But I don’t see an event as simply a date on a calendar or a place where people buy a ticket. I look at the entire ecosystem around it, the concept, the audience, the artists, the businesses, the partnerships, the content, the marketing, and the opportunities that can come from bringing the right people together.
That same approach carries into the creative and digital services I provide to businesses, entrepreneurs, and creators. I help turn ideas into something tangible through content strategy, social media, event logistics, partnerships, and creative development. I’m also developing digital products that will allow me to share what I’ve learned with other entrepreneurs.
What sets me apart is the way I think about connection. I naturally look for the relationship between things that may seem separate, an event and a brand, an artist and a business, culture and commerce, content and community. I’m constantly asking, “What else can this become?”
I also bring a perspective shaped by my Puerto Rican roots, my experience building a life in Texas, motherhood, content creation, and entrepreneurship. I understand both the creative side and the business side, and I’m comfortable being involved in the details while keeping the bigger vision in mind.
What I’m most proud of is that I’m building all of this from the ground up. I didn’t start with a large team, unlimited resources, or a perfect roadmap. I’ve learned to be resourceful, create opportunities, build relationships, and figure things out along the way.
Long term, I see Ritma growing from curated experiences into larger cultural events and concerts featuring major artists from different genres, while continuing to create opportunities for businesses, creatives, and communities to connect.
More than anything, I want to be known as someone who doesn’t just organize things, I create experiences, build connections, and see possibilities where other people may only see an idea.
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is creating a life that has purpose, one where I can take care of my family, continue growing as a woman and entrepreneur, and build something that can positively impact other people.
My daughters are at the center of that. Being a mother has taught me that success is not only about what you accomplish professionally. It’s also about the example you set, the values you pass on, and showing your children that it is possible to start over, work hard, and build something meaningful.
I also care deeply about creating opportunities and bringing people together. Whether I’m working on an event, helping a business with its creative direction, connecting an artist with an opportunity, or developing a new idea, I want there to be something bigger behind the work.
Coming from Puerto Rico, starting over in Texas, learning a new language and building a new life has made me appreciate community and connection in a different way. I know what it feels like to start from scratch, and that’s why I want the things I build to create doors, not just for myself, but for other people too.
At this stage of my life, I value authenticity, family, faith, growth, and the freedom to create a life that reflects who I am.
I don’t want to simply build a successful business. I want to build a life and a legacy that my daughters can be proud of and that gives other people a reason to believe that they can build something of their own, too.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karlaandrillon
