Meet Rebecca Elias Abboud | Media Maker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rebecca Elias Abboud and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rebecca Elias, how do you think about risk?
If you were to have asked me this question a decade ago, it would be a completely different answer. In my 20s, I was nervous, scared, insecure. I went after 9-5 media jobs with 401ks and what I thought was a sense of safety, of stability. Now in my late 30s, I feel differently. Why? Because after ~10 years of working at one of the most prestigious companies in my area, I took a leap, my first risk. I went to a small startup to be their first producer on staff. It was an uphill battle, explaining media and technology, constantly fighting for what I needed to create a product that I was proud of. After 2 years, I was able to grow the media services in this department to be their number 1 source of revenue-woah! It was time for my review, I had already started interviewing candidates to work under me, to keep this media ball rolling and growing, everything was pointing to a promotion…boy was I wrong. In a swift change that came out of left field, this company that I dedicated my life and expertise to decided to lay off the creative department…me and 1 other person. I was in shock. I thought back to the moment I took that job, my thought…”no risk, no reward”. I always thought getting fired/laid off would be the worst thing in the world, I’d never bounce back. The humiliation, the lack of income, the insecurities would all come rushing in and I would be a failure. WRONG. I surprised myself. I took this opportunity to go full force into my own business. To take a risk ON MYSELF, not someone else. From creating pitch decks to reaching out to clients, these are things I learned during the 2 years at the startup, something I could take from that experience to help me grow. Has it been all sunshine and flowers during my risk taking years? Absolutely not. Have I learned a lot about myself, absolutely. I’ve been able to work with people I like, on projects I choose and travel to places of great beauty and create art. I always say life is like a rollercoaster, there are ups and downs and twists and turns, sometimes it’s scary and sometimes it’s not as bad as you thought – the most important thing? Try and enjoy the ride.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I feel like anyone with time and resources can buy the lights, the backdrop, the perfect equipment to create the perfect scene. What I like to do is create art without resources. Can you make life beautiful with what is just right in front of you? I love the beauty of a fantasy, a world contrived and created…but what a lot of people are missing, is seeing the beauty right in front of them, in the everyday mundane things. The videos and photographs I produce are taking everyday life and showing the beauty, telling the story. What can we do with what is right in front of us? Without external flashes, c-stands, bounce cards and assistants. What can you create with just your eye, your environment and your camera? My brand, my story – love, life, passion, experience, truth. Together we can share each other’s stories, capture each other’s special moments, and make this life a place with more understanding and awareness.

I got to where I am today by being open-minded, kind, and willing to learn. I took jobs at companies with built-in stories and amazing people; non-profits that didn’t have the money to support a full-on production but would let me run wild with my lens. Was it easy? No. Physically and emotionally grueling, I wasn’t getting rich either, but my soul, my heart, my passion was full. I get over challenges by doing what I think is right, by standing up for what I believe in; that alone is not easy, but if you do it, it’s easier to sleep at night and be happy with who you are when you look in the mirror.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, coming from me Roosevelt Row was where I start my venture. I walk from mural to mural, not paying attention to where I am going. Follow the art with your eyes, once you are tired, see what’s around you and take a break. I usually stop into a local brewery, get a snack and sip. Let your eyes guide you.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
It’s so hard to choose one person to give a shoutout to, I would have to pick my 5 friends from childhood. They have been there for me through everything. Constantly telling me how amazing I am, how talented I am, even when I feel like a failure, even when I screw up. f you can find people who stick with you through all your years, your experiences, people who ride with you not matter what you are going through, who support your ups and downs…you’re lucky, you’re loved.

Website: https://www.rebeccaeliasmedia.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notorious_bec

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaeliasabboud/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/rebeccaEabboud

Image Credits
Cam Price, Fighting Come First (boxing photo)
Cora, 6 weeks old (baby photo)

All photos by me Rebecca Elias