We had the good fortune of connecting with Eva Louis and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Eva, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
There was a period of time in my life, where I was told to constantly wait until everything was perfect or wait for all the conditions to be just right. Then, two years in a row, I had two life changing surgeries where I could have died from either one if things didn’t go right. After that, I said to myself, I’m waiting no longer to life my life fully. It was at that time, I decided I would take the risk to live the life I was supposed to be living. I risked everything to push myself and my career to the next level in 2006 and have never looked back. I moved from the midwest to Arizona and basically moved my entire life without family to start over with a new company and figure out what life would be like on my own. I’ve learned to get the most out of life by taking calculated risks. There are ups and downs you can experience but life with no risk does not seem legit real. Everything has some kind of risk associated to it. I became especially aware of this as I entered the entrepreneurial life with my business. However, I would not change any of it, because the rewards have far outweighed the risks taken. And I’ve learned so much along the way.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What people know most about me or see is my love of film and fashion. These two go together for me because I’ve been influenced by these since I was little because of my mom’s love of both. I grew up seeing and learning about sewing and creating art from her, but I also saw my first musicals and films with my mom. Her love became my love and I’ve created and been involved in these ever since. When I started my business in 2010, I dedicated myself to following my passions. From a film perspective, my love of acting was embraced and I jumped in fully to find my place. As I evolved over the years, media coverage and red carpet events became part of the filmmaking process for me and that’s where my love of creating was further established. I learned about the industry from a business perspective, but I always had and eye for the visual side and storytelling. I invested in my first film camera in 2014 and started learning at that time. I decided I would start to harness that effort with the fashion coverage videos I was making and then in 2016 took on a role of producer for a major short film and major feature film. I learned the production side of filmmaking and then took on the crew understanding of filmmaking and started out the gate with cinematography and editing. Since then, cinematography, editing, producing are constants in my daily life. I am continuously researching and learning the ins and outs of all types of filming and studying different directors for their styles while evolving my own. In addition to the production side, I’m writing stories and developing content constantly. In fashion, I’ve been involved with fashion weeks, working with designers from all over the world, covering and modeling their brands, as well as learning and understanding the business side of it. The best advice I got when I launched my business was from another expert, who told me that if you want to be in the industry, just don’t go to a couple of fashion shows and say you’re in the industry but be present and active all over. I took this to heart and dived in fully by joining fashion organizations, helping to support and run events. I was able to utilize my skills in writing and media to provide coverage to emerging designers and help them with their business because of my background. I integrated all those aspects together to make it part of what I essentially do every day. I’ve learned how to represent brands and be an influencer for them and educate them along the way. I believe what makes me stand out is that I work hard to understand the 360 degrees of the industries I’m involved with. I look for the creation opportunities in everything and I don’t let the negative stop me from pursuing and helping others realize their dreams. It’s all part of the process which I choose to master to really make a difference. From every interaction there is something learned and even if there are failures from those, I’ve chosen to learn and become better than before. I fully support failing fast so you can move on and keep creating. My life mission is edification of others with positive encouragement to show them what’s possible. This is ultimately how I use my creativity and my passions are focused on this. I do not separate my professional life from my personal life of who I am because I love everything I do. It’s hard work and not for the faint of heart because there are challenges all the time. However, as long as I fulfill my mission everyday, that means I’ve helped someone.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I absolutely have some favorite places that I love to staycation because of the surrounding and the getaway feeling when visiting these places: Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Bungalows – a concept by Hyatt is probably one of my most favorite places because you have everything in one spot including a fabulous day spa and they are located right next to North Scottsdale Rd which has so much to offer. On site, they have one of my favorite restaurants which is an must for anyone visiting, WEFT & WARP ART BAR + KITCHEN which provides for an amazing menu and specialty desserts and I have often celebrated my birthday there and anniversary events too, Other favorite places to eat are the Herb Box in Old Town Scottsdale, the Biltmore – Embassy Suites has a to die for lounge that is great for meetings and just hanging out or getting an awesome meal. In Chandler, another healthy option is Picazzo’s Healthy Italian Kitchen especially if you are looking for original vegan options. For things to do, when the Phoenix Raceway is open, the experience there is like no other. Downtown Phoenix has the Japanese Friendship Garden which is a lovely place to stroll when the weather is reasonable. The Heard Museum is probably one of of the most educational and diverse for American Indian Art. In Mesa, the art district downtown is full of so many cool locations and home to so many theater shows. Back to North Scottsdale, there is the Talking Stick Resort which is a fabulous casino and has great amenities as well as their pool, spa, but their rooms take you away to luxury and I have visited them every year for at least six years straight.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve been blessed to have amazing individuals in my life, from my parents to co-workers, to awesome managers, teachers, and industry experts. However, everything started with my love for writing and literature which came from and was supported by my high school literature instructor, Pam Johnson. This class and instructor helped me establish my love of reading, theater, performance arts, writing, and public speaking which was the door opened to the rest of my life. I directed my first two plays in high school, worked on amazing research projects and fell in love with writing at that time and learned the power behind words because of her. I was super scared in her class not to succeed because she demanded the best of every student. If you showed you had the desire to learn, she prompted you with tips and tricks and inspired students and I’m just fortunate enough to be one of those students who listened to everything she said. When I entered college, she was my inspiration for taking public speaking and learning how to speak in front of large audiences. I’ve used that skill throughout my entire career and I will always remember it was because of my high school instructor that pushed me to be better.
Website: www.chronicbehavior.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chronicbehaviorllc/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evalouis2010/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/chronicbehavior
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvaMLouis
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgJkk_QCMp8Iynn_I7RuXsw
Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBacWMuc7zprsz9Jtl4AL4w https://www.facebook.com/chronicbehaviorllc
Image Credits
Eva Louis
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