We were lucky to catch up with Christian Figueroa recently and have shared our conversation below.

Christian, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

What can I say? 2021 was a crazy year for me. I never thought that I would have made the decision to leave a corporate job that I was at for over four years. I realized that I wasn’t happy at all and that there were days that I wanted to just want to walk out and leave. While I value what I learned during the time I was there, I knew it was time for me to invest 100% towards my business. Early on, I had often asked myself “how would things be if I was still at that job?” but lately it doesn’t cross my mind at all. I believe this is because of how happy I am in the decision I made. Being able focus full time on my photography business and continue to work with my students in my group fitness classes everyday is a blessing.

Christian, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My passion for photography began when I took my very first photography class in high school. During senior year I decided to join the yearbook committee as one of the photographers. I was assigned to capture photos for stories that needed to be covered for the yearbook, school website and school newspaper. That year my mom gifted me with my very first professional Nikon camera which led me to falling in love with capturing special moments of individuals and portrait photography. I have now expanded my portfolio to include portrait photography and professional event photography such as weddings, sport events, parties, etc.

Running a business isn’t always peaches and cream. Maintaining equipment, unpredictable weather, scheduling changes, networking and editing photos to clients standards while maintaining my style to ensure their needs are met can be a challenge but that’s why I love it.

Around the same time I was finding my love for photography, I found my other passion, leading group fitness classes. It all started when I got my first gym membership. Like many others, I wasn’t a fan of working out by myself so I decided to try the group fitness classes that were offered at the gym. The first class I tried was Zumba Fitness and when I say this I really do mean it, I fell in love. It wasn’t just dance it was a mixture of dance and fitness together, by just me attending those types of classes I lost 35 pounds and had an amazing time doing it.

After a few years one of the instructors that I often went to gave me the opportunity to instruct for 15 minutes in one of her classes. I still thank Yolitzma Perez for allowing me to teach some of her class, she pushed me to be an instructor and helped begin this journey.

I have been so lucky to have met so many amazing people throughout the years that have helped and encouraged me along the way. One awesome instructor in particular who really pushed me and quickly became a great mentor to me, Louis Fisher. He has helped me in so many ways, from working with me to create and test different kinds of routines to always hyping me up in classes. He’s not just a coworker or mentor, he’s a best friend.

In addition to Zumba I have been able to add in some additional formats, full body workouts, a mixture of strength training and cardio, Body Works+Abs, Power Circuit, and Aqua Fitness, all will definitely give you a great workout and get that heart rate up!

Outside of LA Fitness, I enjoy hosting outdoor Zumba classes and often for a cause! Whether for can donations to the food banks or a toy drive during the holidays I love to give back to the community. This is also a great opportunity for those who can’t make it to the gym or those who like to get outside! If you’re interested in joining in on the fun, follow me on Instagram or Facebook for more details.

Instagram: Christianfig.lens

or

Facebook: Christian Figueroa

How did you build your audience on social media?

Networking and building an audience on social media can be difficult, there were times where I wanted to give up because I wasn’t sure how to increase my network and drive in more clients. I decided to change up my approach and I started to post on all platforms versus leaning on just one. I encouraged my clients for reviews and I began working with other social media artists and we created content with each other to get different followers on our pages. The more I did that the more I was exposed to different people on social media. We’re here to help each other, we all have something unique to offer. So if you are just starting don’t be shy to contact someone that has been building their business for years for advice. You never know who’s looking for a small business owner to do business with.

One word of advice, PROMOTE.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the reward of seeing others enjoying my art.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://christianfigueroa.smugmug.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianfig.lens/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christian.figueroa.792197/

Image Credits
JC Puebla, Stephany Kantu, Kenneth Cotter, Olivia Rodriguez, Gabby and Marissa, Kendan Rufus, Brandon Gomez, Connie Gutierrez