Today we’d like to introduce you to Ela Quezada.
Ela, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
As long as I can remember, I have been stuck between 1984 and 1994, the soundtrack of my life. I’ll sleep when I’m dead, I tell people. As an 80’s, early 90’s child, my creative side has been severely influenced by it. I studied visual arts for 6 years, but it wasn’t until I picked up a guitar, that I discovered the colors of my creative soul. Back at home, in Puerto Rico that is, I sang in rock bands, while studying Drama at the University of Puerto Rico. In 2009, after 2 years in Boston, I decided to give the whole acting thing a try. To my surprise, the opportunities started showing up and I have been able to create a career out of it. Boston is very welcoming to actors of color and is very diverse when it comes to the commercial and modeling world. I never in a million years thought the I could earn a dollar while modeling, yet here I am.
My passion for beauty didn’t begin until later in my late 20s when I started through modeling. I wanted to experiment with different looks, different colors, and settings. Once I dove in into the makeup and beauty industry, I consistently learned from my pears, but all of my knowledge in visual arts flourished. We, creatives are always learning and keeping up with times, so social media is a great tool. Now, I split my time between being a makeup artist and professional actor. Having a client be happy is my goal. Empowering women and men equally through makeup gives me all sorts of feelings.
Has it been a smooth road?
Well, not an easy ride exactly. To be successful, you have to put in the hours and the work. You just have to. To me, the most difficult part has been dealing with health issues, while pursuing this career part. I have a connective tissue condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Basically, my body produces faulty collagen, which is the “glue” that keeps the body together. The symptoms which can include, severe pain, joint partial or full on dislocations, the stretching of tendons and ligaments. So, sometimes, I do struggle. I always try to push forward, but I have promised myself to take care of my body. You only get the one you have! 🙂
So, as you know, we’re impressed with your business – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Right now, I’m working to build a stronger brand through social media. I’m not one that likes to spend all of her time online, I barely ever use my computer, but I am forcing myself. I’m branching out to do makeup with production companies and not just private clients, and trying to hone my acting skills so when I get an audition I can nail it!
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
My advice would be to get on social media, reach out to people. Put your photos out there, make a website. This is super important and I have booked clients directly from my website. Networking is a great tool, so find out which events are popular in Boston and go meet people.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.elaquezada.com
- Phone: 617-913-9694
- Email: www.elaquezada.com
- Instagram: @elaquezada
- Facebook: ElaQuezada
- Twitter: @elaquezada
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