We recently connected with Damon Monday and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Damon, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I have been working since I was 15 years old, and being a Mexican-American in SoCal, I have been surrounded by hard workers my entire life. One example that is really close to my heart is my Mom. Although my Dad was present in my life, and very involved with me and my siblings playing sports, my Mom really stood out to me as a hard worker. My Mom has always worked retail, and I remember as a kid, I would occasionally go to work with her at a music store and sit in the back office and watch her on the security cameras. A few years later, and a few kids later, she was working overnights doing inventory reception for Old Navy, taking us to and from school during the day while volunteering at the school, taking us to swim, baseball, or swimming practice, AND she was a Girl Scout troop leader. My mom was definitely known to take advantage of the opportunity to catch a nap, but we always knew she both needed and deserved it.
As I entered the working world, I was always making friends with my older coworkers. I used to work for a hotel, and working there, I became good friends with a number of employees in different departments. It was always the housekeeping staff, the catering staff, and the restaurant staff that were working multiple jobs, staying later than everyone, and also getting in earlier than everyone. Being constantly surrounded by hard workers inspired me to always work a little harder, stay a little longer, and sometimes take on a 2nd or 3rd job along with whatever internship or entrepreneurial venture I was on.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I have been working in entertainment for 12 years. It started as throwing local rock shows, then the rock shows became raves. While promoting and producing raves and warehouse parties, I began working with independent Hip Hop artists while also working the door for a friend’s stand up comedy show. In 2019, I decided to give stand up a shot. When covid hit, and the everything stopped, me and my friends made sure to keep entertainment alive guerilla style. Although I did comedy for my first time in October of 2019, I really started being consistent in November of 2021. While developing as a comic, I have continued my involvement with music by working with B-Side LA and now System Error, which are independent dubstep event production companies.
What I think is really cool about what I do is my ability to navigate different spaces of entertainment on a day to day basis all around SoCal. Opportunities have taken me across county and state lines to bring my unique brand of lifestyle entertainment.
My favorite days are spent with my wife, eating good food, going to do comedy and then going to nightclubs and warehouses to end the night. Something I’m looking forward to as we get to the end of the year is my 30th birthday, being celebrated with a Comedy Show where I will be roasted by a lineup of comics and a couple family members, followed by a System Error show in DTLA. Along with that, I am starting a weekly show with my friend Adam Macias at a new comedy club that just opened in the San Gabriel Valley called Astronaut City. To round off the year, on December 5th, I will be debuting my Slingin’ Sillies showcase at the Ice House Comedy Club in Pasadena, the very first and longest running Comedy Club in the world.
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?
Learning business is important. As an entertainer you are selling yourself, your opinions, your art. You need to know how to create a demand for yourself and how to maintain sustainability. You also have to believe in yourself and be self sufficient. Some people might think you’re crazy, but the most successful and creative people are. You can’t let anybody discourage you from going after your dream. Although many opinions are valid, if you feel in your heart or gut that this is what you want to do, you make sure you do it to the fullest extent of your capabilities. You also have to be real. Don’t fake the funk. Success is a mindset, however you would be doing yourself a disservice by skipping steps or by taking on things you aren’t ready for. Always be clear about what you have to offer and do not over promise.
The best advice I can give is be kind, humble, and genuine. As long as you are kind people will enjoy having you around. By being humble, people will want you around. And in being genuine (A REAL ONE) people will know they can count on you.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
I truly believe in the “Reset”. When I have too much on my plate, I sometimes cant even find the strength to get out of bed. Between trying to build this comedy career out of thin air, family life, and my day job, it’s easy to think about putting less energy into one thing or another or even sometimes quitting. But at the end of the day, these are all things that I love and enjoy.
When this happens, I need to reset. These things all make me happy, but at the end of the day, work is work, and work gets tiring. What really helps me is thinking about what 15 year old Damon would do. 15 year old me would have never imagined me doing anything I’m doing now. And that’s why I seek that part of myself. I think back to a time where I’d say, “When i grow up, I’m going to have a nice car, eat good food, play video games whenever I want, and drink Yoohoo all day.” So I try to do those things. I’ll eat something that makes me feel good, I’ll wash my car, or maybe I find some time to play video games and have a Yoohoo. In doing this, I’m reminded of how simple life can be and how lucky I am to be doing all the things I do. This reset also allows new energy to begin to circulate and good energy flow is what’s needed to not only be creative, but also happy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mondaysaredopepod.buzzsprout.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damonmonday/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mondaysaredope5927
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