We were lucky to catch up with Julie Robinson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Julie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Risk is felt individually based on the specific context of each situation. For example, it can seem risky to get out of bed in the morning on some days. It was a risk when I decided to start my first business when I was 31 with a small child, and it was a risk to go back to school in my 40s, which led to the creation of my second business, and it was a risk to stick with the business during the pandemic. All of those risks led to me being where I am now, which is further down the road, and continuing to be creative. The risk I’d like to expound upon here is the risk of going back to school, which I’ve heard many peers say they wish they had time for. The risks I was conscious and aware of were that I could become burnt out, my business could suffer, or my relationships with my children and spouse could suffer. With these risks in mind, it still felt possible, and I knew that if I stayed mindful and had a healthy expectation of myself, I could complete this goal and still be the mom, wife, business owner, and friend I wanted to be. It wasn’t easy, and there were unexpected life events that almost derailed the end goals. However, I was committed to my goals, and the risk I’d taken to get to that point was fuel to keep going. My husband had a stroke in September of 2016 that left him unable to walk or take care of himself still to this day. One month after his stroke, my mother passed away. At the same time, my father had a very contagious virus that prevented me from going to the house to see or help him. Additionally, a big client that we’d had for 10 years suddenly canceled the contract. I was overwhelmed and just trying to get through each day. Then, my father passed away at the start of the pandemic, and we were unable to see him or go there as he had moved to our home state. The pandemic obliterated all of our business with our entertainment company as everything shut down on March 16th, 2020, and our town of Las Vegas became a ghost town overnight. The SBA came through and took a risk on us and, thankfully, saved the company. Through all of this, I kept pursuing my goal to complete my doctorate, and in April of 2024, it all paid off! Now, as Dr. Julie Robinson, it is my intention to support others with their goals and to help them recognize that if you keep putting one foot in front of the other, you will eventually get there. Keep going!

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 was a dancer and singer from a young age, and I dreamed of performing professionally as soon as I graduated from Missouri. Fortunately, I was able to secure a job with a variety band in Las Vegas, NV, and I have been here ever since! After that job, I was fortunate to perform with Sammy Davis Jr. and Jerry Lewis at Bally’s in Las Vegas. That led to other shows and, ultimately, the creation of my own entertainment company, Undercover Productions. We provide custom show creation, custom awards show creation for conventions and events, talent of all types, live music of all kinds, impersonators, singers, dancers, brand ambassadors, hosts, narrators, flash mobs, cocktail servers, bartenders, and all types of event talent. We help clients tell their brand story with engaging talent that honors their guests and award winners and help companies get their message out in a way that aligns with their brand and elevates it. We treat all of the talent that work with us as well as we treat our clients and value kindness and honesty in all of our interactions. Wellness is fundamental to all that we do and we hold the intention to infuse wellness into every event and interaction. Our individual and business development areas of focus will create a unique plan for success that will also include helping to clear any unconscious blockages or biases that are holding things back. We have the ability to bring your vision to life or help you figure out what your vision is. Our team of talented creatives is able to create one-of-a-kind offerings that include evidence-based strategies to help create positive change long beyond the event. We are proud of our consistency and have provided daily talent for over seven Strip hotels for over 10 years, 365 days per year. We are also proud to support other women and diverse-owned businesses and dedicate ourselves to being one of your most valued partners.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

The first-hand experience people have had with me over many years has helped to build my reputation with this market that we are reliable and will go above and beyond to make it great. Also, our willingness to donate our services to help causes close to our hearts that has been witnessed over the years, which adds to the comfort level clients feel when working with us.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

Yes, because that was what lined up for me and where opportunities presented themselves. I was conscious to what felt best in the moment and chose that instead of what anyone else thought. It is important to remember that you can have multiple careers; we tend to think we have one shot to ‘get it right,’ but the truth is we can do something for 20 years and then do something additional or switch to something else and have another at least another 20 years to go. Trust what your intuition tells you is right for this moment, and stay in touch with yourself to know when a situation is no longer working and a change on your part is needed. It is never too late to listen to what your heart is saying and try something new.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.uplv.net
• Instagram: @julieuplv
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uplasvegas
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julierobinson
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@undercoverproductionsinc.4290