We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alissa Salvatore. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alissa below.

Alissa , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

After graduating high school I was ready to start auditioning for professional work. To celebrate the end of the school year, my friends and I went to the local amusement park, Rye Playland.  (Side note: Mariah Carey filmed her fantasy video here!) After circling the park, I passed by the stage and saw performers rehearsing for their show. I walked right up to that rehearsal with the fearlessness of an 18 year old and asked if they were holding auditions. They said they had already cast this year’s show but he gave me a card for next year. A year later, I auditioned and was cast! It was my very first professional job where I sang and danced and received a paycheck.  I couldn’t believe I got paid for that! We worked hard, performing five high intensity shows six days a week in the outdoor summer heat, and we made $40 a day, before taxes! I didn’t care, I thought it was the greatest job in the world. My very first paycheck was for about $400.00. I had never had that much money in my life! I had just turned 19 and I went right to Tiffany’s and bought their mesh ring (VERY trending at the time!) and a neckclace. It was one of the proudest moments of my life. I wore that jewelry with such pride, knowing my hard work and talent made it happen.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I knew when I was 14 years old that I wanted to perform professionally as a full time career. My father really wanted me to go to college for academia, (I’m first generation Italian) and at the time I really didn’t know anyone who went to school for theater. It didn’t seem like an option. So while I was in college for four years studying medieval literature, I was also performing in both professional and community theater, taking voice lessons and acting classes, sharpening my craft and building my resume. As soon as I graduated, I scoured Backstage magazine for jobs, and starting working professionally full time. Through different jobs, I eventually got myself an agent, and I started working beside performers from some of the most prestigious acting schools in the country. While it can be useful to go to school for theater and acting, I want to show people it’s not the only way! What I am most proud of, is carving out my own path in this business. It can be grueling, full of rejection, financial instability and more. And while I have faced those challenges, I still found ways to pursue what I love, like travel. It was always my priority to have a full life outside of just auditioning and waiting. I never wanted to fall into being a starving artist. I want abundance out of life and I will always find ways to do that. I created my brand Starving Actress showcasing all of my favorite places to go and eat, to explore, how to squeeze the most juice out of life and to bring a little brightness and joy to my followers every day! Starving Actress has given me creative control and inspiration in an industry that is so turbulent. It’s also brought me many opportunities that I am so grateful for.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I went to LA when I was 23 years old, to scope out the scene for a couple months, see if it was a place I wanted to professionally pursue acting. I rented an apartment, got myself a car and started auditioning. I booked the very first audition I went on. It was an improv job in a court room for Gloria Allred, one of those judge shows. It aired on NBC, I improvised my case and won! I was feeling amazing and hopeful that I had what it takes, and I was already making things happen in LA. My mom had a friend, a former nun who she exercised with. The nun told my mother that she used to teach 3rd grade, and one of her students always wrote to her that she is the reason he was successful. He went on to be a writer for a huge hit TV show in LA and he kept in touch with her. She told my mom I should go meet him. I had been working professionally for 3-4 years at that point and I knew not to be presumptuous to think I would get anything more than some advice and maybe the opportunity to give him my resume to keep on file. The next day I was was so excited as I drove onto the Warner Brother’s lot. He met me and gave me a tour. My heart was soaring as we passed the stages where they filmed Friends, Seinfeld and other huge shows. After the tour he sat down with me with a cup of coffee. I had my resume in a manila envelope sitting next to me. He got serious and said “What else can I help with?” I said, ‘Well I just moved here and any advice you could give me would be great.” He said, “Well I will tell you right now you’re not going to get an in just because you know me.” I was taken aback. He continued, “And I got lucky 20 years ago. This industry has a 99% failure rate so what I recommend is going back to New York and getting another career.” I just sat there in shock. “Anything else?” He asked.  I smiled and grabbed my (what felt like) pathetic resume and walked back to my car sobbing. It all just felt impossible. But I didn’t let him stop me. Since then I’ve acted in TV shows, national tours, hundreds of commercials and hosted multiple on air segments. It can be a brutal place, but you have to remember who you are and never forget your uniqueness and strength.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I highly recommend The Success Principals, by Jack Canfield, and Rise and Grind from Daymond John. They are the two books that set me on my true entrepreneurial journey outside of just performing. If you want to be your own boss it’s a lot of work but the freedom is so worth it!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: starvingactressnyc