We recently connected with Alisha Kohli and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Alisha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

My parents did a lot right—not just in what they said but how they acted. They always taught me and my brother about the importance of hard work, while also displaying it themselves in every facet of their lives.

Growing up, I saw my dad, a business professor, commit himself to becoming a renowned researcher and leading scholar in his field. Despite the countless hours per day he put into achieving this, he was always there for every school pickup and tennis practice drop-off. Meanwhile, my mom was the definition of “always on it,” taking care of my and my brother’s every need seemingly with ease and establishing herself as the best parent anyone could ever have (I’m not biased, clearly). And throughout the chaos of motherhood, she still found time to put her CPA license to good use as a part-time accountant.

But this value of focused effort was only half of the lesson. Instead of only stressing the need to work hard, my parents made it a point to emphasize the importance of balance. What good is money if you never spend it? What good is a job if it makes you miserable? What good is anything if you aren’t able to enjoy life because of it? This mentality, along with the examples my parents set, is why I’m able to take a step back when things get too much and reexamine what I value the most, allowing me to approach my career and life with clarity and confidence.

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 am a copywriter and creative lead at an entertainment marketing agency in Los Angeles. My work entails leading creative concepting and production for social campaigns for TV series and films from clients like Peacock, Netflix, and Paramount. With every project, my and my team’s goal is to create thumb-stopping content that intrigues viewers and drives them to check out our clients’ latest releases, both on streaming services and in theaters.

Originally from Virginia, I moved to LA over four years ago to pursue a career in advertising. I discovered the industry and the discipline of copywriting while in college after declaring a major in Media Studies and exploring possible career paths. While a student, I interned at a music management company, helping out with artists’ social content. Later, I worked remotely as a Writing/Strategy Intern for an LA-based entertainment marketing agency. This opportunity eventually converted into my first full-time job and led me to California!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

My main goal is to always feel like I’m improving as a creative. When you work in a creative industry like advertising, it can be difficult to measure your success and growth because the nature of the work is so subjective; one person could love your idea and another could hate it—and neither is necessarily wrong. So for me, the only truly accurate way to assess my development is by being completely honest and asking myself: Do I feel like I’m a better creative right now than I was a year ago? Six months ago? Last week? And a lot of the time the answer is yes, which is all I can hope for.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the constant affirmation that I am one. Before I began my career as a copywriter, I never considered myself creative—I wasn’t into art, I didn’t write poetry, and although I loved playing guitar, it was never anything original, mostly just Green Day covers.

However, a lifelong peripheral interest in writing and comedy eventually led me to a career in copywriting. Suddenly, I was referred to as a “creative” as an official job title, reporting to a creative director, and being tasked with creative ideation—a far cry from the unimaginative, left-brained person I’d always viewed myself to be. As I began to grow in my career and develop my skills and confidence, I became the most proud of just being able to say that I’m a creative, a feeling I still have and treasure. I get paid to think differently and come up with new ways of saying things, and that in itself is the most satisfying and validating part. Yes, the work can be frustrating and exhausting and messy, but at the end of most days, I’m just happy to be a part of it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.alishakohli.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alishakohli

Image Credits

Myles Mantzaris, Kristal Bailey