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

Alright, Jesus M thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Innovation comes in all shapes, sizes and across all industries, so we’d love to hear about something you’ve done that you feel was particularly innovative.

The most innovative thing I have done in my career is consistently choosing to view my work as an outsider. I am an immigrant, I have a thick accent, and I am openly gay. People always see me as an outsider, so instead of trying to blend in, I truly embrace my uniqueness and use it to force myself to see things from a different perspective. During meetings and creative discussions, I always take a moment to step back from the conversation and try to look at it from an external viewpoint. It is too easy to get lost in the moment and miss the nuances that can bring a new, fresh, and unique idea to the table. And success, most of the time, comes from this approach.

Jesus M, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I grew up in Venezuela, and my escape was always watching American TV and movies. I became obsessed with American pop culture. As soon as I could, I moved to the United States and found my way into the entertainment industry, starting mostly in the Hispanic and Latin American market and then transitioning into what is called the “General Market.” I began as a creative producer at Discovery Networks Latin America and worked my way up to become a Creative Director.

Later, I moved to Los Angeles, where I worked as a commercial director and TV executive, leading the Creative Marketing department at brands like OWN, BET, FUSE, and later Disney Channel. In 2020, the year when everything changed, I joined Makine Studios as their SVP of Creative and Strategy. At Makine Studios, we offer creative and strategic support to brands like Disney, MTV, FX, HULU, Netflix, Audible, FOX and more.

We are very proud to always bring a fresh point of view, as unique as we are as a company and as a group of professionals. We take very seriously the responsibility that comes from being a “minority and woman-owned” company and bring that sensibility to all the projects we undertake.

We also bring a sense of joy and a feeling of “I can’t believe we are doing this” that comes from being immigrants who grew up in Latin America, looking up to Hollywood as the ultimate creative destination.

We are deeply committed to meeting the highest production and creative standards and work with an insanely talented team. This is our winning formula: we bring strategy, talent, international taste, American standards, and a passion unique to us. We produce memorable, innovative, and meaningful creative work, and our clients love it because their audiences can’t get enough of it.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

The key word is KINDNESS. Being kind has been the key to my success in the American entertainment industry. An industry that is sometimes perceived as ruthless and cruel (yes, sometimes it feels like that) needs more kindness, and I will always push for it. Be nice, treat people how you want to be treated, try to be fair, listen, and force yourself into a space of empathy.

I send emails, make phone calls, and send text messages, always understanding and respecting people’s personal space and busy schedules. I never expect anything in return. I try to find a balance between business and humanity. I send “Happy Thanksgiving” and “Happy New Year” messages. I share interesting references that I think will make people smile, reflect, or feel inspired.

And the other part of the formula is to always—always—deliver amazingly great work. Yes, we are easy to work with and our rates are ridiculously competitive, but the main reason people come back is that we do great work with the nicest attitude.

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

I think my answer might be a little surprising, but the books that have made me a better creative and a better manager are not about creativity or about business, but about the evolution of us as a species. Books that changed my life include: Cosmos by Carl Sagan, Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari, The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene, and Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (among many others).

The more I understand what makes us human, what brought us here, the history of the universe and our place in it (from our very selfish perspective), how our brains evolved, and what made it possible for us to go from hunters and gatherers to what we are today—with all our achievements and all our flaws—the better creative I become. Understanding our innate need to be part of a community and to believe in “something” to cope with our ephemeral existence enhances my abilities as a creative, a strategist, a manager, and a person. At least, that is the intention, and it is an intention I take very seriously.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jesusmrodriguez.net
• Instagram: @jesusmrodriguezla
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jesus.m.rodriguez.10
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesus-m-rodriguez-ab81984/

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