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

Athena, appreciate you joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I think everything in life happens for a reason. Although we may wish we started something years ago, we must trust that it simply wasn’t the right time. I look at life like a ladder. We climb it in hopes to reach the top level of success. We must climb each level in order to learn and grow. Sometimes we can’t reach the next level of success unless we’ve learned what we need to learn in order to progress to the next level of our lives.

Often times I do wish I moved to LA years ago but when I reflect on the past I know I wasn’t ready. I trust where I am and I know this is the right path for me.

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 in no way new to the creative life. I was performing in comedic show skates on the ice as a figure skater from 3 years old. In fact, that is when I discovered I had a creative side. Since then I would perform at my local theater and as I got older I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to perform Off Broadway for a few years.

As my mom used to say, I was always a unique child. Growing up in school, whenever asked to create a science or history project, I was the kid who not only brought in my physical project, but I even went so far as to dress up in character to make the project come to life. I’ll never forget one year my parents helped me create a cotton gin for a history project. I thought it would be cool if I went to school dressed as Eli Whitney and put on a Southern accent and explain “why I invented the cotton gin” in full out character. My history teacher was so impressed, he had the school principal come and watch me do it again. Then they had me perform it a few more times for the younger grades to see. As the years went on, I continued to dress in character for presentations and put on accents. Each year I had a different teacher who would continue to invite the principal to watch me perform it a second time. I think the principal eventually got tired of seeing me perform. I knew from those days this was my calling.

In High School I would perform the smaller comedic roles in Musicals as I could never sing well enough to have a larger part. Nobody wants to hear me sing, I sound like a dying bird. I’ll never forget how much people would laugh each time I performed. (Not at me, LOL) It gave me so much life. Senior year, I was voted in the yearbook “Broadway Bound” and “Most likely to become famous.”

What I truly enjoy most about acting is that I get to entertain and inspire others. It gives me great joy I am able to put a smile on someones face doing what I love.

I created my podcast “The Athena Vas Show” to inspire others through my own life experiences and just talking as I would with a friend, No interviews, No pre-planned segments No B.S. PERIOD. Just real life conversations I’d have with a friend if out to lunch. Except it’s filmed.

I know first hand how hard it is to overcome life struggles, lose loved ones and hit rock bottom. If I can work through it all, then so can everyone else.

It is my life mission to inspire and help others live out their every dream. I know how scary it is to do something out of the norm and that’s why I will continue supporting and inspiring others for the rest of my life. Everyone deserves to be happy.

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

Well here’s a story. Did you know I used to have 350 followers? Yea. I’d get about 3 likes on my photos and the one time I got the most likes about 60 was when my mom died. For years I’d think everyone hated me because I didn’t get any likes. But I realized now, that really is not the case. After years of watching everyone else thrive on the gram and always thinking to myself “oh I can’t do that, that will never be me.”

In 2020 I told myself “F*CK IT,” if they can do it, why the hell can’t I? What makes them any more special than me? Are they better than me? Are they prettier than me? Guess what? NONE OF THAT MATTERS. The only difference between a HUGE follow count and a low follow count is DETERMINATION, how much work you’re willing to put in growing your account. Let me tell you, it’s a FULL TIME JOB.

That year, I set a very specific goal. I told myself “in 1 year, I will have 100,000 Followers and I will do everything it takes to succeed.” Welp, I did not got my goal in 1 year, I got it in 6 months. In one year I doubled my goal and reached 220,000 followers.

How did I do it? I researched my butt off for 6 months prior to beginning the journey. Then I implemented everything I learned, I experimented and found new ways to grow my account. Now, standing at over 300,000 followers I developed an Instagram Bootcamp here in LA where I help others grow their accounts using the exact methods I used. I only do it twice a year as this takes away from my ultimate goal but people are always asking me for tips on how to grow their account so I wanted to be able to help. You must know that social media has so many benefits for your brand, your business and getting the word out for something you’re passionate about.

Note, it wasn’t just my goal to be “popular” or an “influencer.” It was my goal to build a large social platform where I can reach a greater audience and help people one day at a time. Again, I know what it’s like to struggle in life and I wanted to be able to motivate people. I know what it’s like to be the underdog and not have things handed to you. I’m often told thank you in person or through messages and comments for posting something that really inspired them and I am so grateful for those messages. It allows me to continue doing what I do and even motivates me to continue,

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

It is my life mission to help change the world one day at a time. I’ve experienced a great deal of cruelty from others growing up. It wasn’t all sunshines and rainbows.

I know that a large part of being treated poorly by others is due to their own unhappiness. They are most likely unhappy due to their own trauma and doing a job they hate or never fulfilling their life dream. It could be from settling for a companion they don’t love to settling for a job that doesn’t see their worth.

I aim to make movies that will inspire others to pursue their dreams and see they are not alone in their struggles.

If more people would pursue their own passions they would be happier. If they would use their idols as motivation instead of envy they too could have their dream. Which would create a world of happiness and peace.

My biggest drive is to make my moms death matter. To leave my mark on the world and help people reach their full potential in life to become happier beings who give back to the world.

I aim to give back to every single person that was kind to me on my journey to the top and create a wave of giving back. People tend to simulate what others do, just like hurt people, hurt people. Well, if we create a wave of kindness and giving back, slowly but surely everyone else will be doing it too. I keep an entire list of people who were nice to me “just because” and I aim to give back “just because” when I have the means for it one day. I’ve encountered so many people that were bitter and angry. I want to acknowledge the people that were good and kind. Hopefully letting the bitter angry people re-evaluate how they treat people and want to be kinder to others.

We are a reflection of how we act. If we have a positive attitude, kindness will follow you. If you have a negative attitude, everything around you tends to crumble and follow that negative pattern.

So let’s choose to be kind, choose to do something nice for someone else today, even as small as a compliment. That one kind remark can change their lives.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11137642/
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/iamathenavas
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamathenavas/
• Twitter: twitter.com/iamathenavas
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@IamAthenaVas
• Other: Spotify: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/vqkWiQRakyb