Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leonardo Velasquez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Leonardo , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I got into the world of art when I was nine years old thanks to an aunt who is a plastic artist and one day she took me to a rehearsal of some friends of hers. From that moment on I felt that it was fun and I started performing in various groups in the city. When I was a teenager I took my first puppet course and from that moment on I knew I wanted to be a puppeteer. It all started as a hobby doing shows for friends and family until one day someone asked me how much my show cost and I thought: Ohhhhhh I can make money. The following week I paid for an advertisement in a magazine for parents and from that moment on I haven’t stopped.

That was more than 20 years ago in my home country Venezuela. Step by step my business grew until it became my main source of income. I remember that they called me by the name of my company, Mr. Balalin Balalan.

Then I moved to the United States and I had to start from scratch. But with the experience I already had. Before leaving Venezuela I told myself: You will do what you are so passionate about, do not disappoint yourself.
And so it was, when I arrived I worked like any immigrant. And step by step I started doing shows in Houston and its surroundings. Now I am Mr. Leo and I continue doing what I am passionate about. I believe that there is no recipe for doing things. I think that perseverance and discipline are essential. I like to enjoy the process and not have expectations for the result.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’ve already told the story of how I started.
I offer puppet and magic shows for children. Entertainment for the whole family.
Recently, a grandmother who was at one of my shows told me: Mr. Leo, you made me feel like a child again. It’s been a long time since I saw a puppet show and I feel that you have modernized the art of puppetry.
That made me feel very happy and proud.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

My content on social media is organic, I don’t have much knowledge but several people have told me that my networks look very natural and real and I think that has been attractive to my audience, which are young families.

You have to be honest with the public and create content that reflects the service and product.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think it is gratifying to be able to make a living from art, although sometimes we still hear that old paradigm that you cannot make a living from art. Art is free and enriching.
It is very gratifying for me to be able to work with the public that I consider the most difficult. Children are honest and have no filter.
It makes me very happy to keep my inner child afloat and to be able to enter that world and play entertaining with puppets and magic.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.merleopuppetshow.com
• Instagram: @mrleopuppetshow
• Facebook: Mr. Leo Puppet Show
• Youtube: Mr. Leo Puppet Show