Today we’d like to introduce you to Chella Cardona
Hi Chella, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I fell into my career after traveling and bouncing between working in food service, trying out opportunities that allowed for a flexible schedule, and creating my own career pathways sometimes when I faced limited avenues in the creative workspaces I squeezed into. I learned everything foundational about my career in event planning and logistics from my former boss and mentor at SXSW, Inc. He was and still is the Chief Logistics Officer for the entire conference. I was fortunate enough to learn the basics of event planning from him. In the 5 planning seasons I worked with him, the level of responsibility I was given and knowledge I gained was priceless. Making the most of that opportunity set me on a career path that put all of my natural strengths and abilities to use. I could not have asked for a better education than the experience I had working with him. Diving into the environment of event production has directly led me to my current career as a Producer where I get to build unique experiences for really great client partners in advertising, fashion, tech and entertainment industries. Getting to a level of success as a freelance producer has come with many personal sacrifices; but I love what I do and feel lucky to take up space in my chosen profession. My ultimate goal in life has always been to be happy and to find a way to make a living doing something I love. I knew having a 9 to 5 career path didn’t suit me and over time, I learned to find a balance between my desire to have a creative outlet and my need to not only make a living but thrive in a career that hopefully would bring me adventure, success and fulfillment.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has been a bit bumpy. I faced and still face challenges most women in male dominant spaces face and people of color face in mostly white spaces. With the nature of my job being behind the scenes, it was hard to just be seen and many times others took credit for my work. I made a lot of mistakes when I was young, getting ahead of myself, not realizing what I didn’t know, or often finding I wasn’t afforded the same support and sometimes forgiveness I saw my peers receive in similar junior roles. With my personal creative projects, the obstacles I faced were centered more around not being taken seriously or being brushed off. With professional and personal projects, I’m almost never assumed to be the person in charge when walking into meetings. I have had to learn to turn being underestimated into an advantage.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Kul Collected, Inc?
Kul Collected, Inc is based in Austin, TX and it’s the parent company for my three businesses: KUL(dot)Productions (www.kul.productions), where I offer professional services as a freelance producer and work behind-the-scenes as an extension of my clients offering experiential and creative production support, logistics,and planning.
Hola Aloha (www.holaalohaTaylor.com) is an Hawaiian shave ice parlor and gift shop I own located in Taylor, TX where I make small batch dairy-free coconut ice cream and raw fruit syrups from scratch. It’s a passion project first started over 11 years ago out of a food truck in East Austin. We offer guilt-free Hawaiian shave ice and package ice cream to go, all out of our 2nd Street parlor and I occasionally pop-up for corporate and private events.
Kul Collected (www.kulcollected.com) first started in 2013 as an online journal I kept where I documented interesting art, music, locations, fashion, and technology I found in my work travels. It later morphed into a pop-up concept and online shop that occasionally teams with artisans and artist to produce collaborative products and works. You can find a lot of the curated online merchandise for sale inside Hola Aloha.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
When I think of what brings joy to my life: it’s the ritual of gathering amongst exceptional creative professionals to tackle a mountain project, finding beauty where and whenever possible, and being of service to others. I feel I get to practice joy everyday though my career and creative outlets.
Contact Info:
- Email: Chella@kul.productions
- Website: https://www.kulcollected.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holaalohataylor/
Image Credits:
Church’s Chicken truck image provided by T3, Austin, TX
