Today we’d like to introduce you to Massiel Lopez
Hi Massiel, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Venezuela. I moved to the States in 2021, when I was 20, and the reason I moved was because I was being chased by the gangs in Venezuela. My dad was a businessman, he got kidnapped (I’m glad to say he is fine now) and they were asking us for money to be released. We did not have the money so we had to trust the cops to find him, which was hard because most of the gangs in Venezuela work with the cops and the government. The gang started sending pictures to my mom of me on my way to college or when I was out. They told her they knew everything about me and my brother, and since I was the only one able to get out of the situation, I left.
I always saw my dad working very hard for everything he got, even though he grew up very poor, which gave me the inspiration to work hard and be like him. I studied mass communications and marketing, since I love talking to people, I love knowing more about their stories and I’m very creative. My journey in the US has been hard, but it’s been worth it. I believe this country is full of opportunities and open doors, and you just have to take them and work very hard no matter what.
I think I’ve been entrepreneurial since a very young age. In Venezuela I used to have my own online clothing store at 18, I used to give social media workshops at 17, sell bracelets at 16, a lot of stuff but when I came to the US, I had to start from 0. Then, I started The feminine project, which is my first project ever here in America, and it came up because I wanted to create a community of women who can support other women. Just create that safe space to thrive and uplift each other. I started this project with my dear friend Sascha Sosa who is the co-founder, and together with our team, we’ve been able to see how this has impacted other women’s lives and their businesses.
I’m very excited for what is coming because I know this is just the beginning.
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?
Not at all haha. It’s been very hard.
Coming to America meant leaving everything I knew and who I was behind. The roughest part for me was understanding the people and the culture – I missed my family all the time (still do), had two jobs at the same time, side hustles here and there. – it was rough to adapt, but with a little bit of time (and therapy), I was able to overcome a lot of this. Also, big shoutout to my boyfriend and some of my American friends I was able to understand a lot more of the culture and they showed me a lot more of what I could accomplish here.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Every time people ask me what I do, my answer is “what don’t I do?” I have my official job as a Designer for an Architecture and Engineering company, and I have a few side hustles here and there. I do content creation for social media, I organize events for The Feminine Project, sometimes I model, and I’ve also done social media management. Wherever the money is, I’m there. Now if we talk about specialization, I specialize in marketing and content creation – it’s what I’m passionate about. I love making content, for me, for brands, for other people; I just love it. I feel like it’s where I get to develop my creativity the most.
The thing I’m most proud of, though, is The Feminine Project. I love creating these spaces for other girls, making connections, getting to teach them a little bit of what I know. It’s something very special to me. And when we talk about something that sets me apart from others, I would say it’s how fearless I am with taking risks. Oh man, I’m all about risks, maybe a little bit too much, but I’m not afraid of the “what if.” I just do it
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
It’s okay to start from 0. Coming from a person that had to, it’s totally okay to start over again and try new things. You never know where those new things can take you. Educate yourself about everything you want to learn and anything that can help you grow. Be humble and be nice. You are on your own timeline; you don’t need to go faster than anyone or be on the same path as everyone. You are exactly where you should be right now. And also, don’t be afraid of trying out your ideas; you never know where they can take you. Being a creative person can be hard, especially when you try to monetize your creativity, but absolutely everything is possible if you work very hard for it.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/massiellopezch/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/feminineprojectjax/
Image Credits
Kayla Pursley (Aniston Photography)
Taylor Walker (Willow smudge Photography)
Kendrick Echeverria
Nolen Visuals
