Today we’d like to introduce you to Juan Lopez.
Hi Juan , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I could have never predicted my path.
I graduated from FIU with a degree in English Literature. I had wide-eyed optimism and was ready to pursue a career in writing. Whether marketing or otherwise. I spent a year applying to every type of writing job I could.
Not one callback.
I decided I had to enter the “real world” and started applying for all sorts of jobs. Eventually, I ended up in an insurance job. I was in insurance for 3 years before I finally settled at a company whose culture suited me. A year into my position as a Personal Lines administrative specialist, this company entered into Vayner Media’s mentor program, which helped small businesses launch their social media efforts.
They say luck is when preparation meets opportunity. I’m living proof.
While Vayner representatives were in town interviewing the staff and managers to get a feel for the culture to formulate a strategy for the social media marketing, there was a happy hour with them and the team.
At this happy hour, I got to talking with them, and I never stopped. I talked about my passion for writing and my admiration for marketing. The next day, I apologized to one of my bosses for dominating so much of the conversation. He smiled and said, “It’s fine.”
I didn’t realize just how fine it was.
A week later, I was called into his office, and my anxiety was at an all-time high. But it turns out I had been chosen to start the social media marketing department, and I would handle its creative direction. I was floored but also felt vindicated. I waited for this moment and seized it. In 4 years, we created hundreds of videos, informative, funny, and highlighting the team culture, growing our audience and impact. In 2022, the agency was bought by a much larger company. While I will always appreciate the opportunities that were given to me, I knew my creative voice was one better suited to small businesses.
I left that May and went to another insurance company. But my heart wasn’t into it. My spark was missing. I was laid off a year later and found myself at a crossroads. I half-heartedly searched for jobs, but one message from my current client, Alexander Dopazo, on LinkedIn, changed my course. We had lunch, and he asked if I was willing to come on as a freelancer. I had always thought about building my own business, but a steady paycheck was always too alluring.
The allure finally wore off.
Since then, Uninhibited Marketing has evolved and taken on several clients in the insurance industry and beyond. I never could have predicted this would be my path and I can’t wait to see where it goes next.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being creative in an industry like insurance isn’t always seen as a positive. I’ve had to be willing to go to bat for my ideas and show those in charge why it helps to be different.
As a business owner for two years now, I’m still learning. You have to be a little of everything as a business owner. The buck stops with you, for better or worse. You may lose a client, and it has nothing to do with your performance. Learning to roll with punches and landing on your feet is essential.
As one of my favorite authors, Ryan Holiday, says, “The Obstacle is the Way”
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a brand strategist, helping small businesses formulate their brand identity. I work with them to tell their story in an authentic way. Once we have that base, I create a social media strategy that is catered to their target audiences and is a reflection of their culture. Finally, if they retain me, I will create content for them every month and distribute it to all relevant platforms.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Creativity.
Even when I’m not working, I’m writing. I write and perform poetry, have done improv acting, and even briefly stand-up comedy.
I love reading, I love movies, and I’m fascinated by the process by which they are created. I’m the guy who consumes every single special feature on the Blu-ray.(and yes, I still buy physical media).
My ideal afternoon is wandering through a museum, aimlessly in wonder. I think sometimes we forget everything around us sprang from someone else’s mind. That manifestation to me is the pinnacle of humanity.
The arts are a reflection of who we were and where we’re going.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uninhibitedmarketing/reels/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-lopez-copywriter/
Image Credits
First image is by David Rosen
Other images are mine.
