Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Justin Lopez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Justin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Taking a risk on myself has been a journey built on resilience, hard work, and an unshakeable belief that I could turn my humble beginnings into something greater. I grew up in a rough neighborhood, with parents who worked multiple jobs just to keep things together. My early years were challenging, not only because of the environment but also because I struggled with learning disorders that made school a constant uphill battle. But against the odds, I became the first person in my family to go to college, eventually graduating with a master’s degree—a milestone I never thought possible in those early days.

After school, I found myself bouncing from job to job, each experience teaching me something new, helping me build a diverse skill set. I dabbled in different fields, learning a little bit of everything—an approach that would unknowingly lay the foundation for my career. Eventually, I decided to dive into audio and video editing, initially just to help friends with content projects. That decision turned into a passion, and it sparked a new trajectory for me.

I transitioned into a full-time role at Amazon, starting from the ground up in content development. I poured everything into learning, growing, and making an impact, ultimately working my way up to lead content strategy. Each step in that journey was a testament to the idea that there’s no “overnight success.” My success took years of consistent effort, adaptability, and the willingness to take risks, even when the path wasn’t clear.

But my story doesn’t stop there. Inspired by the possibilities of digital media, I took another leap and started my own content channel on TikTok. In just five months, that channel grew to over 70,000 followers. It was exhilarating, but it didn’t happen by accident. I treated my channel with the same dedication I brought to my professional life—learning the platform, honing my content, and showing up day after day.

If there’s one lesson I’ve learned from this journey, it’s that “overnight successes” usually take years. Every success I’ve had came from relentless work, consistency, and a willingness to keep pushing, even when things got tough. You might get a spark of success early on, but achieving massive, lasting success requires resilience and the courage to believe in yourself, even when the odds aren’t in your favor. Taking a risk on myself has been my greatest investment, and it’s a risk I’d take again in a heartbeat.

Justin, 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?

I got into my current field by always staying open to new experiences and being willing to step outside my comfort zone. Growing up in a challenging environment and knowing what it feels like to have very little gave me a unique perspective on failure—it made me less afraid to take risks because, to me, failure was just another stepping stone. My journey started with humble beginnings, where I watched my parents work multiple jobs just to get by. Those early years shaped my resilience and taught me that everything worth having requires hard work. I was the first person in my family to go to college, eventually earning a master’s degree, which felt like a monumental achievement given where I started.

I’m most proud of a project called “Amazon Black Stories” which is a podcast project that I hosted and produced end to end at Amazon. In it, I interview creatives from the African diaspora in positions all around the world.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was the belief that a career had to be linear, and that I always needed to know exactly where I was headed. Growing up, I thought that success meant following a clear, predetermined path. But as I began bouncing from one job to the next, picking up skills in vastly different fields, I realized that the journey isn’t always straightforward—and that’s okay. In fact, my own career trajectory has been anything but predictable. I’ve worked in biz dev, Recruiting, market intelligence, tech, and now content strategy. Each of these roles felt like a detour at the time, but they all added up to something greater. Embracing the messiness and allowing myself to explore new interests without a rigid plan has been transformative. I

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the ability to bring my wandering thoughts to life, turning abstract ideas into something tangible and impactful. It’s a journey that reconnects me with that fearless inner child—the one who believed anything was possible, who dreamed of conquering the world without hesitation. In each project, I get to channel that boundless curiosity and sense of adventure, creating something that not only resonates with others but also serves as a reminder of that unshakable belief in possibility. There’s a magic in bridging the gap between imagination and reality, and every time I do, it feels like reclaiming a piece of that childhood wonder.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/admin
• Other: tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@demigodmoki
  twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/demigodmoki