Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiersten Nagata.
Kiersten, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started in the music industry over eight years ago when I was brought on to work with the person who owned a company called “LED presents,” who pioneered electronic music in San Diego – at his club, called “Voyeur”. I always knew my passion was going to be in social media, but I only had a little experience with running digital marketing for a health food company prior to coming on with them.
I started out hosting the YouTube Channel’s “Artist Interviews” with DJ’s performing at the club & various other assistant-type responsibilities. I had my mind set on becoming part of their social media & digital marketing presence and worked underneath a handful of digital marketing directors before I was given the opportunity to take over the department myself. Due to the set up of the company & my position, I started my own LLC and ran my work through their company, called “LED Presents.”
Eventually, I began to take on small projects and different clients in the music industry, which then led to six months of touring Europe, working for my LLC on-and-off while maintaining my current responsibilities & clients with LED. Last summer, I realized it was time to move on, as I realized I had done everything that I could with the companies (that now extended to Bang Bang & CRSSD music festival).
In addition to my responsibilities in the music/social media industry, I was asked by some friends to model in a commercial for a marijuana dispensary that had yet to open (The Circle in Long Beach) and by happy accident, reconnected with the current partners of Control Forever & The Cult Creatives. I was on the verge of accepting an offer with another festival company, but quickly realized in talking about career options under the Control Forever parent company, that I had found exactly what I had been searching for — a working environment that supported creative individuals and an opportunity to support and build a digital marketing agency. I brought over a client from my LLC and began to build my roster with the help of the wonderful team at Control Forever.
Great, 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 has definitely NOT been a smooth road! There were many times I thought about giving up and doing something corporate with a decent salary and a 401k, where I knew I would be grinding miserably from 9-to-5, but at least would have something steady. I struggled with feeling like I was on an island, on the outside of the boy’s club, while trying to suppress these isolated emotions & show a brave face. This was long before the MeToo movement, where unwanted sexual advances were commonplace & joked about instead of taken seriously. There were countless times over the years I remember feeling extremely uncomfortable, unsafe and unwanted around co-workers and work situations.
My best advice for young women starting their journey in the entertainment environment: be sure to look out for yourself, because no one else is going to. Find a (female) mentor. Envision what your ideal work life would be and work to manifest that. Don’t be afraid to speak up and protect your sanity by creating a work/life balance. I only recently learned what a work/life balance was after 8+ years working insane hours! Social media doesn’t sleep, but that doesn’t mean you need to do the same.
Please tell us about Super Evil Genius Corp.
Super Evil Genius Corp. is a boutique digital marketing agency, servicing clients in the music, entertainment & fashion industries. We have about a dozen clients that we currently manage — everything from social media accounts, ad purchasing, website creation and maintenance, e-mail blasts & more. We are known for our digital marketing expertise, ad buying abilities, high conversions & social growth. I feel most proud of the support system and network we have in-house.
With a creative agency, a media channel, a podcast studio and an overall creative hub under the same roof, we have been able to offer our clients everything they need from merchandise production, website overhauls, fast turnaround in video and graphics work and much more. We also offer packages for clients in tandem with the creative agency to re-brand or launch new entities. It’s incredibly satisfying to see the power of being able to create & deploy assets for various clients under the same roof with an incredibly hard-working team.
Who have you been inspired by?
My mother is my biggest inspiration, hands down. She has shown me what hard work and dedication looks like from the day I was born. She gave up her life as a world-traveling flight attendant after I was born, to work for Scripps Hospital, La Jolla, in the maternity department. She shifted her work schedule to wake up at 4 am so she would be available to pick me up from school in the afternoon. The woman has truly done everything for me–I will never be able to thank her enough. She also taught me the power of networking from a very young age. She had me volunteering with her non-profit organization (The Parent Connection) from age five-on. She has poured her heart into her position with Scripps (and continues to do so to this day).
I am an only child and spent the majority of my time around her peers, who taught me to communicate & interact comfortably with adults. I have always been surrounded by a multitude of strong women because of her and my extended family. She and they inspire me every day.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2801 E. Spring St
#275
Long Beach, CA 90806 - Website: https://www.SuperEvilGeniusCorp.com
- Email: kk@superevilgeniuscorp.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/superevilgeniuscorp
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/superevilgeniuscorp
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sprevilgeniusco
Image Credit:
@shuttrskunk
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