We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Trina Sanchez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Trina , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I’m actually in a unique position right now – I recently stepped away from being an employee to focus on my family and pursue more entrepreneurial flexibility, so I’m living both sides of this question in real time.

The last time I really wrestled with this was about three months ago when I was still at the Law Offices of Todd F. Haines. I was sitting in my car after another intense 8-hour day, completely drained but also oddly energized by how much I’d accomplished. The firm was incredibly demanding – we had constant turnover because of the pace, but that also meant endless opportunities to learn and grow. Todd himself is a legend in the legal world, and working directly with him was like getting a masterclass in business every single day.

But then my phone buzzed with a text from my daughter Mya about her track meet, and I realized I’d missed another one. My son Deshonne had football practice that evening – he’s a class of 2026 top recruit who just committed to USC – and I was already calculating whether I could sneak away from case prep to be there for him. That’s when it hit me – I was excelling in this traditional job structure, learning incredibly valuable skills, but I was missing the flexibility to be present for these crucial moments as their athletic careers were reaching new heights.

The insight I came to was this: there’s immense value in both paths, but timing matters. Having run Izma Entertainment for decades, managing top female model influencers and investors, I knew the entrepreneurial world intimately. The traditional job gave me fresh perspectives and skills, but right now, with Deshonne heading to USC and Mya pursuing her track career, I need the flexibility that comes with creating my own opportunities again. The skills I gained in that high-pressure legal environment – the problem-solving, the multitasking, the ability to perform under pressure – those are assets I’m now channeling into building something that works for my family’s current season of life.

I don’t see it as better or worse, just different chapters requiring different approaches. I wouldn’t be opposed to having another job opportunity in the legal world but I prefer it to align with my current chapter which is Entertainment and Sports.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m the founder and CEO of Izma Entertainment, which I launched in 2006 and have been building for nearly two decades. My journey into entertainment started from a place of genuine passion – I’ve always been drawn to the creative energy and the ability to help talented people reach their full potential.

What sets me apart is my unique combination of entertainment industry expertise and recent legal experience. After running Izma Entertainment successfully since 2006, I made the strategic decision to work at the Law Offices of Todd F. Haines, one of the most demanding and respected firms in the legal world. This wasn’t a career change – it was an investment in expanding my skill set. Working under Todd, a true OG in the legal field, I gained invaluable experience in high-pressure environments, contract negotiation, and business strategy that now gives me a competitive edge in entertainment management.

At Izma Entertainment, I’ve had the privilege of booking talent for music videos with some of the biggest icons in the industry – Beyoncé, Nipsey Hussle, 50 Cent, Usher, Jacquees, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Russell Simmons, Tyrese, Gashi, DJ Snake, and Ty Dolla $ign, just to name a few. Beyond music, I also secure talent for investors’ conference presentations in tech, business, and other industries, bridging the gap between entertainment and corporate sectors.

For the models and influencers I represent, I provide strategic career guidance, brand positioning, and access to high-profile opportunities that align with their goals and values. For investors, I identify and vet top-tier talent with genuine growth potential and strong personal brands, plus I provide them with compelling talent for their corporate events and presentations. I’m essentially the bridge between exceptional talent and the resources they need to scale.

What I’m most proud of is my ability to truly see people – not just their current success, but their potential. Over nearly 20 years of building Izma Entertainment, I’ve watched clients transform from emerging talents into industry leaders, and I’ve helped investors find authentic partnerships that create real value. My approach is deeply personal because I understand that behind every brand is a human being with dreams, challenges, and a story worth telling.

I’m also incredibly proud of the flexibility I’ve created in my business model. As a mother of two elite athletes – my son Deshonne is a class of 2026 top football recruit committed to USC, and my daughter Mya is excelling in track – I’ve built a business that allows me to be present for the moments that matter most while still delivering exceptional results for my clients.

What I want people to know is that when you work with me, you’re working with someone who has a proven track record at the highest levels of entertainment spanning nearly two decades. I’ve been trusted by Grammy-winning artists and major industry players to deliver quality talent, and I bring that same level of excellence to every project, whether it’s a music video, a corporate presentation, or long-term career management.

Whether you’re a talented individual looking for strategic guidance or an investor seeking authentic partnerships with rising stars, I bring nearly 20 years of relationship-building, a proven track record with A-list clients, and a genuine commitment to seeing everyone I work with succeed.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Being a mother while running Izma Entertainment has been the ultimate test of resilience, and honestly, it’s shaped me into the leader I am today. There have been countless moments where life threw everything at me at once – business crises, family emergencies, financial pressures – but I learned early on that giving up wasn’t an option, not just for me, but for Deshonne and Mya who were watching every move I made.

I remember one particularly challenging period a few years back when I was juggling a major project with multiple A-list artists, coordinating talent for several music videos simultaneously, while Deshonne was dealing with a serious injury that threatened his football prospects and Mya was struggling with some personal challenges. I was getting calls at 2 AM about talent changes, spending days at physical therapy appointments, managing crisis after crisis in my business, and still trying to be present as a mother.

There were moments I felt like I was drowning, but I kept thinking about what I wanted my children to learn from watching me navigate this storm. I wanted them to see that when life hits you hard, you don’t crumble – you plant your feet, you stay grounded with 10 toes down, and you keep moving forward. I wanted them to understand that hard work isn’t just about the good days when everything flows smoothly; it’s about showing up consistently when everything feels impossible.

What kept me going was the knowledge that every challenge I overcame was building something bigger – not just my business, but my children’s understanding of what it means to be resilient. Now, watching Deshonne commit to USC and seeing Mya excel in her own pursuits, I know they learned those lessons. They saw me take hits and keep standing, and now they carry that same strength into their own battles.

That’s what resilience really means to me – it’s not about avoiding adversity, it’s about showing the people who matter most that you can face whatever comes and still build something meaningful. Every setback became a setup for a comeback, and every struggle became a story I could share with my clients who are facing their own challenges in this industry.

Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?

My funding story is deeply personal and started with family – specifically my stepfather Robert Sanchez, who became my first investor and, more importantly, my mentor. Robert was a successful business owner who had built his company from the ground up through self-funding, and he saw something in my vision for Izma Entertainment that made him believe in me before anyone else did.

But Robert didn’t just write me a check – he gave me something far more valuable. He showed me the roadmap to become my own investor. He taught me the fundamentals of building sustainable business capital and how to reinvest profits strategically. One of the most practical lessons he gave me was helping me tackle my shopping habits, which I’ll admit I inherited from my mom April Sanchez. Robert helped me understand how to save and condense those impulses, turning what could have been frivolous spending into business investment capital.

From there, I expanded my funding strategy by working with silent investors who believed in the entertainment industry’s potential and my ability to navigate it. I also utilized Small Business Administration funding, which provided the additional capital I needed to scale operations and take on bigger projects with higher-profile clients.

But here’s the fun fact that really changed my business game – learning how to buy more money with your profits. Robert taught me that every dollar your business generates should be working to generate more dollars. Instead of just covering expenses and taking what’s left, I learned to strategically reinvest profits into opportunities that would multiply my capital. Whether that was upgrading equipment, expanding my network, or positioning myself for higher-value projects, every profit became an investment in bigger profits.

This approach has been crucial in an industry like entertainment where cash flow can be unpredictable, but opportunities can be massive. Having multiple funding sources and understanding how to make money work for me has allowed me to weather the ups and downs while continuously growing Izma Entertainment into the operation it is today. Robert didn’t just give me my first investment – he gave me the financial literacy to become a sustainable business owner.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.izmaentertainment.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trinaconnects
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/trinaconnects
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@izmaent8668
• Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/izma-entertainment-los-angeles-3

Image Credits

Zackary Jackson