Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Neysa Garcia-Muhammad. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Neysa, 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 found my purpose when I got clear on how I wanted to feel on a day-to-day basis. I want to feel excited, curious and lit up.
Those are the feelings that let me know that I’m in alignment.
My purpose can’t be contained in one job, one moment in my career or business.
It’s the intention that I have in everything that I do in life as it relates to my relationships, health, and business.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’m Neysa, I’m the CEO and Creative Director at Ginger and Carrot Productions. We partner with restaurants, hospitality leaders, and food brands to support them with content and brand strategy.
My husband and I lead the company together and we built this agency to surround ourselves with the elements of life we love the most: food, community, and people.
We are huge advocates for showing up authentically, unraveling the need for code-switching, and celebrating what makes our clients unique.
Our intention is to create something bigger than ourselves that can serve as a cultural expander, rather than an enforcer.
We’re really excited about supporting our clients in new ways with brand strategy. After a couple of years of creating content, we learned that businesses often don’t have the direction or clarity around how their communications align with their mission.
It allows us to share our perspectives on growth mindset and give them permission to be who they are at their core before anyone picks up a camera.
We are welcoming new clients this summer and looking to partner with restaurant groups and brands that serve the restaurant industry. We’re excited to be more visible in the food world in Los Angeles and expand on our mission – telling captivating stories about food and culture.
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?
The three most important qualities to have on this journey are curiosity, audacity, and focus.
Being curious allows you to ask the right questions that can open up opportunities beyond what you can imagine.
Audacity is necessary when you’re building something from nothing or doing anything for the first time. You have to be bold and take messy action so that you can begin to collect data about what works and what doesn’t work.
Lastly, you need to focus on your journey and no one else’s. To me, that means don’t compare your progress to other agencies and companies in your industry. It also means that when you’re moving in a direction, give it a genuine effort before allowing the shiny object syndrome to convince you to pivot too soon.
Keep your eye on your why, ask amazing questions, and take bold action to see results.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I feel overwhelmed, I used to really beat myself up about it. I used to be frustrated that I couldn’t move through the block that I was experiencing and I would get really angry.
Now, I let it sit. I don’t watch TV or avoid the yucky feeling. I just let it sit and get curious about where it’s coming from and what I’m feeling blocked about.
This by far has been the strategy that allows me to move through my feelings instead of burying them.
The reality is that we’re all human and feeling overwhelmed is normal, especially when you’re building something huge.
Grace is your best friend.
Contact Info:
- Website: gingerandcarrot.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gingerandcarrotprod/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neysa-garcia/
Image Credits
We’re so grateful to our flagship clients, Jarrett Stieber of Little Bear and Parnass & Rod of Talat Market, for always supporting us and amplifying our message as we grow our agency.
