We recently connected with Lana Montalban and have shared our conversation below.
Lana, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I’m a risk taker. At 18, I left home for the unknown and spent 2 years travelling – hitchhiking to be precise – through Europe, mostly by myself.
At 24, I left home again after an opportunity to do a job in New York for one week, but I decided to stay longer and that opened up a world of new opportunities by sheer willpower, and the willingness to devour the world in front of me. I have never been afraid of challenges, and always thought that through your own effort you can accomplish anything, whatever your goal is. It’s really up to you.
In fact, for my latest project there was a very clear trigger. When Russia invaded Ukraine almost 2 years ago (my family is from Odessa, Ukraine), it hit me like a wrecking ball. I decided to help the innocent children, victims of this horrendous situation, and thought that the best way to do it, according to my limited economical possibilities, was to write a children’s book and donate all net proceeds to different organizations.
I’m proud to say that the bilingual book, “Lullaby: Canción de Cuna”, is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
I’ve been getting a great response.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Perseverance is one of my main mottos in life. I always joke with my family and say that I don’t take “no” for an answer. Ever. When I started with the book “Lullaby: Canción de Cuna”, for example, I wanted to get the sponsorship of the Ukrainian Embassy. That, I thought, would make it more official. It took a long time, letters and calls, but I never gave up, and now I have it.
With my talent agency, it’s the same thing. There were times, for example during Covid, when the easy way would have been to just close the business. Things were not happening; productions were stopped, and people were desperate. Yet, I’m like a Pitbull: once I hold on to something, I don’t let go. It’s a sacrifice sometimes. Many times, actually. But, in the end, it’s worth it. Put in the time and the effort. That’s it, simple but effective.
I wish I was a famous celebrity so I would be invited to all the TV shows to promote my charity book, sell millions of them and be able to help many children in need, not only in Ukraine. But I’m not, so from my humble place I do what I can. I have to come to terms with my own limitations.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
As we age, our priorities change. I work a lot, but I don’t let it overtake the rest of my life. Since I became a children’s book writer, I take a lot of courses, seminars and webinars, walks on the beach, and time off with my family. But only make the effort when you I’m quite sure that the result will be worth it.
I don’t want to have any regrets. I would not like to reach a point when I’m close to the end of my life, and think back to see that I wasted valuable time doing things that were not important. And important could be to read a book in my balcony until the sunset forces me to go inside. Important is what you decide it is. Thank goodness I’m not in the rat race anymore. I decide how I spend my time and I have no time for nonsense.
I have always been a very creative person.
My family calls me MacGyver, like the TV character. I always find a creative solution to any problem, and I also come from an extremely creative lineage, full of artists and writers, so I guess I had no option. It’s in my genes.
I have no expertise in anything, but I can say without humility that I know a little bit about a lot of things.
Everything is an inspiration if your eyes and your mind are open to let the inspiration come in.
On New Year’s Day, my love and I took a long walk down the Brickell area. We were observing and enjoying every tree, building, cloud, sculpture. A lady who was walking her dog, stopped and said: “you guys comment on everything”!
Yes. We do. There’s much beauty around us, if we’re ready to see it.
Recapping, I would say that my most important qualities are creativity, resilience and finding inspiration everywhere.
If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?
A decade can be an enormous amount of time if you take advantage of it or nothing if you waste it. Now, I’m writing my first novel. For some reason I’m writing in English which is not my first language, but it came out like that. So, as you can imagine if writing a novel is hard work, doing it in a language that is not yours is even harder. It also requires a lot of research because I’m using a historical figure, so it adds to the challenge. But I’m OK with that. Challenges are stimulating and hopefully that may keep my brain active forever, hahaha. I would like to write up a storm and if possible, to be able to share my creations with as many people as possible. And, of course, spend time with my loved ones.
Contact Info:
- Website: Lanamontalbanauthor.com
- Instagram: @LanaMontalban
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LanaMontalban/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lanamontalban/
- Twitter: @LanaMontalban
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/lanamontalban
Image Credits
Edward Leal for lana con lullaby Anita Andrade for lana para lullaby,
