Michelle Lopez

I attribute my success to my work ethic and the amazing relationships I've been able to establish. My authenticity has been key - being genuine and having integrity. My mentors have been incredible, and the networking I've done has opened so many doors. It's been beautiful to walk into rooms and have people come up to me saying 'oh, you're Michelle' when I don't even know them. The amazing conversations that people I've met have with others about me - being named in a room full of opportunities - has been something I've been so grateful for within the last year or two. That's opened quite a few doors for me. I also have to credit my supportive partner and family. Having that support system goes such a long way and motivates you not to quit. Even when I didn't have people who believed in me early on, I believed in myself. I had to be the underdog in a lot of situations, and because of that, I have thick skin. The name I created for myself was by myself - I self-motivated myself.

Honestly, I didn't receive the career advice I wish I could have had, and that's why I am who I am today. Being Latinx and Hispanic, when I shared with my mom that I wanted to be in radio, it didn't make sense to her. She thought I was wasting my time. Why did I want to do that? How was I going to make money? It wasn't a bachelor's degree, I wasn't going to be a nurse or a doctor. So I didn't get the full motivation that I wish I could have had. But I had to do that for me. I had to be the underdog in a lot of situations where I didn't get people that believed in me, but I believed in myself. Because of that, I feel like I have thick skin. A no or a closed door hurts a little bit, but now because you did that, I'm going to show you that I can get there without your help. I'm grateful that although I've established great relationships and networked with amazing people, the name that I created for myself was by myself. I self-motivated myself. I have conversations with myself when that little voice says 'you're not gonna do it, it's not gonna happen, maybe they're right' - and I say no. I think that's why I'm so big on being supportive to others now, because I'm realizing, especially working with kids, how sometimes they don't have that support. That's why they give up or go into the wrong crowd. Being that support goes a really long way.

Don't give up. Remember why this dream was embedded in you. Remember why you wanted it. Don't ever forget that. It doesn't matter how long it takes - it doesn't matter if it takes you 15 years, it doesn't matter if it takes you 6 months. Don't give up. If this is what you truly want, you can do it. We are our worst enemies, and imposter syndrome is real. The power of social media has become so influential, both positively and negatively, because you're seeing what everybody's posting and you're comparing yourself. It's so easy to feel like success is unreachable, but you can do it too. Not everybody on social media really posts the reality - we never see people posting themselves crying or feeling lonely. Your journey is not like anybody else's. Mine isn't. I've been there where I see myself and think 'wow, here I am, 15 years later, trying to get back into it.' I can't compare myself to those that I hear on the radio or anybody else. My journey is my journey. I wouldn't have learned everything I've learned throughout the years if I had given up. Don't compare yourself to others. Your journey is your own.

The biggest challenges are competition and comparison. The competition can be brutal. Comparison is huge - you compare yourself to others, and I feel like that happens a lot. You see someone else's success and you feel like 'well, I can't get there. How did they get there? What can I do to get there?' But your journey is not like anybody else's. Mine isn't. I've been there where I see myself and I'm like 'wow, here I am, 15 years later, trying to get back into it.' I can't compare myself to those that I hear on the radio or anybody else. My journey is my journey. I wouldn't have learned everything I've learned throughout the years otherwise. The beauty now is that there are more women in the industry - it's empowering to see how many women in radio are in the business now. Back 15 years ago, there wasn't a lot of women in the industry. It was a challenge to put your name out there as a woman. Now it's different, and that's an opportunity.

Authenticity is the most important value to me, for sure. Being true to yourself is critical because this industry makes it so easy to lose yourself and forget who you are. You always have to remember why you started. Don't forget the vision of why you got into this industry. It's so easy to have money get to you, or the artists and celebrities that you meet, where you feel like you don't have to give back or come back to your true self. It's so easy to get lost. But always remember who you are. Always, always be authentic to you. No matter who you're around, don't lose yourself. I'm also big on mental health and really asking people how they're doing - not just surface level, but genuinely asking because you're interested. Although my face and my look can show that I'm doing great and there's nothing wrong, sometimes you're lonely on the inside, sometimes you're empty, and it's all just a persona. In radio, it's all personality - you don't hear anyone on the radio sad and crying. You have to put on this personality, and a lot of times you mask that, and it becomes who you are, and you don't realize that you've really been lying the entire time and you're not okay. I'm huge on that - on being real and checking in on people genuinely.