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

Chelsea, appreciate you joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I am VERY happy as an actor and writer. I truly believe that art can change the world and I know in my bones that I am in it for the long haul. With that said, I have absolutely had to find other ways to supplement my income. When I first moved to LA, I did a lot of gig work. While it was flexible, it was stressful to always be on the hunt for gigs and their pay was less than ideal. Then, I swung the polar opposite direction…

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?

When I was a kid, I was obsessed with movies. I grew up in a very strict household which meant I spent A LOT of time at home. So my weekends consisted of watching (and rewatching) movies from Blockbusters. I was always curious about acting but had a terrible fear of public speaking so I turned to dance.

I danced through my teens and into adulthood (even professionally with a company in Austin, TX). However, after sustaining an injury, I switched gears and decided to pursue acting. At that point, I was in college for film and TV anyway (I had always known I wanted to be a part of the industry in SOME way).

When I first moved to LA, I thought I would be drowning in auditions. Turns out, that wasn’t the case (for me at least). And I am so thankful for that. It’s because I wasn’t auditioning that I turned to writing. I co-wrote and produced a digital series called Female Friendly that sold to Seeka TV. Since then, I have written and pitched multiple comedic features.

I absolutely love writing. In the early days, it was definitely more about getting myself on screen and making people laugh. But over time, it’s evolved for me. I look at my stories as a catalyst for positive change in the world. Yes, I’m still committed to making people laugh, but I try to make sure there’s a positive message underneath. My stories celebrate emotional resilience, optimism in the face of adversity, and kindness. All things I think the world could use a bit more of.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I’ve had to pivot multiple times throughout my career. I would say the biggest pivot was going from an actor/writer to an actor/writer/entrepreneur. I was very unsure if I wanted to start my own business. Traditionally, side hustles were “money jobs” that you clocked in and out of. So starting a business on top of being an actor and writer was a lot. And it still is. However, I am so glad that I laid the foundation for Notary On Demand when I did. The WGA & SAG-AFTRA strikes are VERY necessary and I am in total solidarity with the unions but I am not sure what I would do financially if I didn’t have Notary On Demand.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The biggest thing I’ve had to unlearn – or rather accept – is the fact that there is no timeline. I used to say THIS is the year that I am going to book XYZ. I no longer do that. I suppose my thesis statement is process over everything else. If you fall in love with the process (the grind of being an artist), you’ll be unstoppable. When I first moved to LA, I thought success looked a certain way. Now, I think success is the fact that I get to pursue this career on a daily basis. I get to audition for major films & TV shows. And occasionally I actually book those jobs and get to work with the same A-list talent that I watched as a little girl renting movies from Blockbuster. Don’t get me wrong, there are experiences as an actor and writer that I would very much like to have. However, I know I’m way more likely to get there because I enjoy the day in and day out. I’m not waiting for a golden, shiny moment to make all this worth it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.chelsearivera.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chelsxrivera/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseaxrivera/
• Other: https://www.notaryondemand.com/