Andrea Lopez caught her large break within the leisure business by a DM on Instagram. After getting flown to LA to look on NBC’s “Carry the Humorous,” she started rising her following on social media by her spot-on superstar impressions. Then, whereas negotiating an enormous model partnership, she acknowledged a well-known face.
Hear how Lopez discovered the worth of excellent impressions and good relationships for constructing her private model on this week’s episode of Fairly Massive Deal.
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MEGHAN BARR
What prompted you to start out a profession in leisure and comedy?
ANDREA LOPEZ
I all the time liked being on the microphone. I’ve all the time liked the thought of media and I went to highschool for tv, radio and movie. That was my main. So I all the time thought I used to be going to enter radio. I liked the voiceover facet of it.
And my fundamental ardour in life has all the time been impressions and character voices. I feel it got here from my loud, Hispanic, mixed-cultural household. We’re simply all the time doing voices collectively. And my dad was an enormous affect.
I used to be ready, with radio, to morph that and do voices. I used to be in a position to do commercials and completely different voices, and every little thing about radio was fascinating to me. So I actually, actually labored with that. And on the facet, I’d do my impressions on Instagram and completely different social platforms. That additionally gave me a option to be artistic with my ardour.
MEGHAN BARR
What do you imply by impressions and character voices? Are you able to present us truly? Are you able to do one actually fast?
ANDREA LOPEZ
Undoubtedly. I began doing my academics at school and completely different folks that may name the home, like my completely different aunts. I simply all the time would … that’s the place it began, however then I actually acquired into celebrities and actuality TV when that hit large.
I feel my most well-known, most well-known is Kourtney Kardashian. So right here’s slightly Kourtney speaking about her wedding ceremony in Italy.
“We simply fell in love on the Italian riverside. We simply ate pasta and simply had the perfect romantic time on gondolas. It was simply every little thing I’ve ever dreamed of. I really like Travis.”
MEGHAN BARR
Wow. OK. I can see the way you made a profession out of that as a result of I really feel like I simply talked to her. When did you notice that this might change into a enterprise?
ANDREA LOPEZ
Nicely, consider me, convincing my mother and father that I used to be going to enter this, they had been very skeptical, as I’m positive you possibly can perceive. As a father or mother you’re like, “Wait a minute, are you positive? That is what?”
So it took some time, for positive, which is why I feel they actually inspired me to get some kind of diploma or simply go to highschool for something that’s associated to what I really like, which is leisure.
But it surely wasn’t till I used all of the social platforms which might be accessible to us — I put all my voices on Instagram, all my voices on Twitter. And I used to be found by a expertise scout for NBC’s “Carry the Humorous.” I assumed he was completely kidding.
I used to be like, “You’re going to fly me to LA?”
It was only a random Instagram message and doesn’t sound legit. You suppose you’re going to be contacted by way of electronic mail or cellphone, or they’re going to ship you some formal written letter, but it surely turned out to be legit. I auditioned, I truly was in a position to fly out to LA for 2 weeks. I did the present and it was my first time on nationwide tv doing voices.
For the reason that second that present aired, I’ve completely modified my profession trajectory. I’ve been in a position to pursue impressions, voiceovers, and comedy. It took any person else to scout me and to inform me, “You have got the expertise and you may actually pursue this.”
MEGHAN BARR
And when was that? When did that occur?
ANDREA LOPEZ
That was the start of 2019. We filmed (the present) after which we waited, in fact, eight months for it to really be produced and put out on tv. However again in 2019, and earlier than then, I used to be all the time working in media. I had finished manufacturing assistant work in information. I had labored on a radio present. I had finished information hits in a really small city and I used to be additionally a podcast editor. So every little thing that you possibly can presumably do from a decrease degree, I used to be engaged on already. However this was my first time — actually me truly taking an opportunity on myself — being in entrance of the digicam.
MEGHAN BARR
So why don’t we speak slightly bit about that, was there a particular deal that shifted your perspective on the gross sales facet of the influencer market? Like every deal that actually was impactful in your profession that you simply’d wish to discuss?
ANDREA LOPEZ
I do have one in thoughts. I feel it can assist clarify how making relationships within the enterprise, after which retaining and fostering the relationships, is so necessary. And all the time placing your greatest foot ahead since you by no means know what may occur sooner or later. So one involves thoughts.
It occurred, I’d say final 12 months. It was with obé health. I went into it completely open-minded. I stated, “Oh my gosh, we may completely do Kourtney prepping for her wedding ceremony and she or he’s using obé health.”
And I truly had used obé earlier than, so I used to be completely trustworthy with that. And after I acquired on the Zoom name to current all my concepts, I acknowledged a really acquainted face. And I stated, “Oh my gosh.”
And it was truly a casting agent that I had auditioned with for a extremely large community. I had auditioned for a present 9 months prior. It was for a bunch place on a extremely large community. It was a really, very large audition.
And I assumed I did nice, however there have been 1,000,000 different nice folks. So I didn’t get the position. However I stored in good contact with the casting director and he knew my impressions, that’s how they’d introduced me within the first place. And I simply couldn’t consider it. I used to be pondering, “Oh my gosh, you’re a casting agent.” And then you definitely swap to an entire completely different model with a distinct title.
It simply goes to indicate you that you simply by no means know what audition can result in what. If it’s a closed door, it may result in an open door. You simply by no means know. And so we had an awesome assembly. I had an awesome pitch deck and he was very proud of what I needed to pitch. It was due to the audition that I had finished many months prior, he knew that I used to be severe {and professional} sufficient that I used to be going to hold off the job.
He was in a position to supply me extra money as a result of he knew me. He had seen me in one other gentle as a bunch. I feel that actually helped, but it surely simply goes to indicate you the relationships you make early on can completely come again tenfold. And that you simply by no means need to be faux. Simply be your genuine self and put your greatest foot ahead and which may result in one thing sooner or later.
MEGHAN BARR
Yeah. What was that deal? Are you able to speak slightly bit about what you bought out of that state of affairs?
ANDREA LOPEZ
This was the primary time I had reached over 10 grand and I used to be doing one video. So much less content material however extra script writing went into that. I used to be undoubtedly doing an entire script for them, however this was over the ten grand mark for one video on TikTok.
MEGHAN BARR
After you secured that deal, over the $10,000 mark for one video, did which have a optimistic impact? Was there a ripple impact? Did that make it easier to achieve momentum by way of getting offers with different manufacturers?
ANDREA LOPEZ
Undoubtedly. So when you get greater and better in your benchmark, my workforce will say, “OK, now that we’ve made this sum of money and anyone presents us decrease, we are able to present them an instance of what you’ve finished. We really feel good asking for slightly bit extra.”
MEGHAN BARR
It appears like that deal helped you perceive what your individual value is in your individual profession, since you are your individual private model. I feel that’s actually necessary, realizing your individual value.
ANDREA LOPEZ
Proper. Precisely. And realizing additionally that I can work with health manufacturers and it doesn’t need to be … quite a lot of the instances you’ll see, as a feminine influencer, I’ll get reached out to by very female-oriented manufacturers. However this one can also be geared in direction of females of all ages. So it undoubtedly acquired me into the health world.
It helped me to appreciate, “OK, there’s a much bigger circle than what I’ve presently been engaged on and there are quite a lot of manufacturers to contact and to work with.”
MEGHAN BARR
Yeah. So how does that work? You ship over the movies and provides them a way of what they’re going to get out of you, and then you definitely trip with them? It appears like they would offer suggestions after which did you make adjustments primarily based on that suggestions?
ANDREA LOPEZ
Proper. I used to be touring at the moment. So I all the time carry my wigs, I all the time carry a tripod. I’ve 1,000,000 wigs. I feel every time I journey the TSA brokers are slightly involved. They suppose I’m performing some covert operation as a result of I’ve like 10 wigs with me.
However from my finish I used to be like, “That is nice. That is all I want.” They got here again with just a few revisions and that very same day I used to be like, “OK.” I pulled my wig out. I placed on my make-up, I did the identical getup. And I used to be again as Kourtney.
After I despatched it over to them, they liked it. They permitted it. These processes can take months. Individuals don’t notice there’s truly work that goes on behind it. I’m additionally a author for a community and that may be a entire different job.
And the turnaround time is so fast. I feel folks neglect that with these movies, they need to approve them they usually need to make adjustments. Typically the movies received’t go stay till the product or the service is stay. So you’ll be able to wait three months, however they wish to have all of it deliberate out.
MEGHAN BARR
And has that have modified the way in which that you simply conduct offers transferring ahead?
ANDREA LOPEZ
Seeing how interconnected everyone is, I undoubtedly was like, “OK, so if that is potential then I must be bringing the perfect concepts.”
I truly all the time put together an entire presentation. I feel I simply come extra ready and extra enthusiastic about it, as a result of there’s that off probability I do acknowledge any person, and also you simply by no means know.
I feel it simply made me take it slightly bit, much more severe than I already was. I used to be like, “That is nice. I do know folks now.” You begin constructing your contact checklist and it’s very nice.
MEGHAN BARR
What recommendation would you give to your self, to 19 12 months outdated Andrea simply beginning out?
ANDREA LOPEZ
I’ve all the time been open to saying “sure” to as many alternatives, however know that each one that point that you simply had been an intern, and also you had been making no cash, and also you awakened and labored on the information station at 3:45 within the morning, after which in a while was working as an intern on a podcast. It’s all going to repay.
It actually is difficult work proper now, however belief me these jobs are all necessary and we’ll get you to the place you wish to be. And also you’re going to be a means higher candidate as a result of you may have all that background. You’ve finished the work.
So even once you’re exhausted and also you suppose it’s ineffective, it’s not. You can be making actually good cash that you simply by no means thought was potential. It is possible for you to to stay by yourself and it’s going to be nice.
I undoubtedly lived at residence for some time and I all the time was like, “These jobs, I’m going to be an intern endlessly,” however you’re not. You’ll begin making strides. You’ll make connections and one job all the time results in the subsequent job. Proceed what you’re doing. It appears exhausting now, but it surely pays off.
MEGHAN BARR
What are the most important classes you’ve discovered over the previous few years? Like the most important profession classes that you simply’ve discovered from going by all these completely different experiences?
ANDREA LOPEZ
I feel I hear lots of people say they’re above sure issues. They’re like, “Nicely, I’ve been working at this for a 12 months.” And I similar to to inform them, “Rome was not in-built a day. This stuff take time, however know that no matter you’re doing proper now, in the event you’re placing within the work, it can come again and it’ll all be OK.”
I had a extremely nice boss who I labored for, for 3 years. I used to be an intern for her. I used to be a producer for her podcast. And the most important piece of recommendation she ever instructed me was, “Rising tides raise all ships.”
When one in every of your mates or any person in your workforce is getting quite a lot of success, that’s nice for you too. It’s not a contest. I work with so many individuals that do different impressions and I feel I’ve constructed an awesome workforce. It’s nice to shout different folks out. It’s nice to indicate assist to your mates, and even not your mates, simply folks which might be in the identical business, since you guys are all a workforce.
Don’t consider it as I’m one individual and it’s simply me on the island and solely I can succeed. That’s by no means a good suggestion. That was the perfect piece of recommendation. And she or he nonetheless helps me to this present day.
We haven’t labored collectively professionally for 2 years, however she nonetheless calls me. We’re nonetheless nice buddies. I nonetheless name her when there’s a deal and I wish to get her opinion. So it’s a workforce effort. I feel that’s the most important piece of recommendation I can provide.
This episode of “Fairly Massive Deal” featured Andrea Lopez, comic and social media influencer. It was produced by Meghan Barr and edited by Xavier Leong. In case you have a fairly large deal to inform us about, write in to PrettyBigDeal@zoominfo.com. In any other case, we’ll see you on the subsequent episode.
