Meet V Fuchs

We recently connected with V Fuchs and have shared our conversation below.

Hi V, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

I’ve always walked into a room with the mindset of being an example for others and showing people who are like me that they are allowed in rooms that typically are closed off. It’s taken me time to gain confidence in my skills and who I am, but now I know that I’m good at what I do and I have earned my place in the rooms that I find myself in. It’s all truly about confidence the whole “fake it till you make it” is real, if you act like you belong in a room you will slowly begin to believe it yourself. Being the only one in the room is also a key way to make yourself stand out, you can use it to your advantage to make your name & face stick among a room of people who look the same.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I always knew I was different. I grew up in South America and was always the odd one out among a room of kids who didn’t look like me and wanted nothing to do with me. I found my escape in life among music; music was what saved my life and made the pushing through worth it. I remember attending my first concert ever while living in Ecuador at the age of 10 and my second one at the age of 15. It was at that second concert that I watched the crew begin to load out and thought “that’s a job??” It continued to be a lingering thought as I grew up and when it came to applying for college & figuring out life, I picked the lingering thoughts.

As I’ve entered the industry I started to see how much diversity it lacked, it’s a very male dominated industry with non-males and people from different backgrounds sprinkling. I started to see how I was treated in rooms and how my peers were as well. I’ve now become passionate about advocating for diversity and sustainability in the places where I’m heard and sometimes even in the rooms where someone like me typically wouldn’t be found. Through my efforts alongside a mentor and friend of mine we’ve developed an inclusion rider that while a small change it’s a massive one, to show venues that they need to respect diverse crews, create safe places for them and foster change. I’ve developed partnerships between bands and non-profits that focus on donating unused backstage meals to community organizations that feed people facing homelessness, hunger and food insecurity. I’ve been able to bring students and young professionals into rooms with me and advocate for them to be in the spaces.

This business is extremely profitable and wasteful, what’s the point of doing it if we don’t give back in some way? I love my job and this industry, and it has so much potential to do so much good and create such a large impact outside of its bubble.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I think three qualities, skills or areas of knowledge that have been the most impactful in my journey have been: kindness, empathy and sympathy. These three things have been essential in my coming up in the industry, they have caused me to stand out in a crowd where not everyone lead with those qualities.

My biggest piece of advice for folks who are early in their journey is to be themselves and not let anyone make them feel like they have to dim their light.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

The most impactful thing my parents did for me was move my entire family abroad. I grew up from the ages 7 – 14 in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Guayaquil, Ecuador. If I hadn’t experienced everything I did while growing up over there I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I like to think that because of the hardships I endured being the new kid from a foreign country it made me stronger and kinder than I would’ve turned out if I hadn’t gone through those things. It has given me secret super powers in my life and work environments when communicating or relating to people all over the world.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vmfuchs/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vmfuchs/