Cynthia Romero

I define success as creating something I'm proud of and watching it grow beyond what I imagined. Every step forward surprises me, but I keep going because it's not just about me. It's about the people. I want to be able to provide jobs, gigs, opportunities, and fun things to do for people. I think I really do it for the people, because everyone's always asking me, when's the next one? Can you give me work? Put me on the next event. And I wish I had more consistency to be able to do that for them. I think that's what gets me going. I can't give up, people need to eat.

The best career advice I received came from a celebrity I asked years ago about how to maintain balance. I was struggling because I felt like I was working 24-7, to the point of burn out, and didn't give myself enough time for sleep, working out, or doing anything for myself. She told me to work until the sun goes down. When the sun goes down, then you can close your laptop, close your books, close everything, then take the time out for good food, family, friends, whatever it is that you need to do. But as soon as that sun sets, or until 7pm, you're done. As soon as the sun rises, you're up and get going again. There's enough hours in your day to do what you need to do. Rest is important. I liked what she said, and I still try to do that to this day. The other piece of advice that has shaped me is to continue to dream big and don't conform to society if you're not meant to. Your dreams are yours for a reason, and you shouldn't let anyone convince you to play small or fit into boxes that don't match who you are.

If it's in your heart to dream big, don't stop dreaming big. Don't listen to all the naysayers, because their goals and dreams are not yours...you'll have moments of discouragement, but just keep going, because you never know what next opportunity can turn into another, and sometimes the smallest step forward becomes the turning point. So ignore the naysayers, trust your vision, and never stop dreaming big.

The biggest challenge right now is finding real people and authenticity. With AI, and ChatGPT on the rise, people submit AI-generated profile pictures with filters, and a lot of resumes are made-up to make people sound better than what they really are in the industry. It's become harder to spot genuine talent that really want to work, and what's on paper doesn't always match who shows up in person. I don't buy it, I don't fall for it, especially as somebody who's been in the field themselves. A lot of agencies are just doing an, "oh, they look good...they answered my questions correctly" a click here, send to client, and end up submitting a "body" to the event. The client is then disappointed because they notice that the talent submitted was not a good representation of the brand. That's the frustrating part that has always pushed me into providing real people to fully represent a brand effectively. That's why we personally vet every brand ambassador we hire. We either have worked with them in the field before, or we personally interview them face-to-face, so that we know their energy and can put a real face to their name. In a landscape full of illusions, authenticity is your edge.

Balance is 100% the most important value to me. You have to be able to still have a personal life and handle and take care of yourself and your other priorities, even though business IS a priority as a business owner, you can't forget about yourself, your health, the people that really matter in your life. Be there for people. Continue making memories, you know. This will also prevent burnout. I used to struggle with this because I felt like I was working 24-7, would burn out, take a long break, and postpone the growth of Fly Talent. That simple shift of prioritizing a balanced agenda reminded me that balance isn't just a luxury, it's a necessity for longevity, clarity, peace, and joy.