We recently had the chance to connect with Vanessa Torres and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Vanessa, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Honestly, my ‘normal’ day has undergone a massive rebrand this year. I had to unlearn the habit of working 24/7 because, while the ‘founder hustle’ got us here, it was destroying my physical and mental health. Now, I run my day; I don’t let it run me.
I stick to specific blocking hours, usually 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. I start every morning with a workout, and then I transition immediately into what I call my ‘active admin’ time. I have a walking pad at my standing desk, so for the first two hours, I walk while I tackle my ‘1-to-5-minute’ tasks. If something takes less than five minutes—like sending an email, delegating an assignment, or approving a draft—I do it right then. It’s a multitasking hack that wakes up my brain and my body simultaneously.
Once the small stuff is cleared, I use the afternoon for ‘Deep Work.’ I block out distractions—no calls, no texts—to focus entirely on bigger strategic projects.
Of course, in the music and media industry, we have events and campaigns that go late into the night. But my mindset during those times has changed. I’m there as an overseer, not a micromanager. While I’m always willing to get in the trenches if needed, I’ve built a team I trust to handle the heavy lifting. I’m very intentional about this because if you don’t set boundaries, this industry will consume you. By strictly dividing my ‘work time’ from my ‘life time,’ I’m showing my team that we can be high-performing without burning out.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
As the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of RYM Media [a specialized division within the HGD Media Group focused on the music and streaming ecosystem] I describe myself as an executive operating at the intersection of business discipline and creative passion.
On paper, I lead a team that deconstructs the industry for the everyday fan, bridging the gap between complex analytics and compelling storytelling. But in practice, I am a former musician, everyday storyteller and a reformed workaholic who is deeply committed to sustainable growth. I’ve spent the last year pivoting from a founder who touched every task to a leader who operates with intention—proving that it is possible to scale a high-impact brand without losing your soul, or your sanity, in the process.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world weighed in, I was just a girl with a fire to build something. But for a long time, I made my career my entire personality because I was trying to outrun the boxes people kept putting me in.
I went through distinct phases where the world tried to write my story for me. First, I was in an environment where being the ‘Working Girl’ wasn’t celebrated. The objective there was not to have a career, but to focus on home. And while there is absolutely nothing wrong with that path for those who choose it, I knew in my soul it wasn’t *my* life.
Then, as I evolved into the media industry, the narrative shifted to my appearance. I was told I wasn’t ‘pretty enough’ to be the face of anything. I was told my weight, my face, or my smile didn’t fit the standard. That stayed with me for a long time.
Even when I finally reached a leadership position, the voices around me said, ‘No one will take you seriously.’ I took that to heart. I spent years shapeshifting—changing my clothes, hiding my natural hair, and suppressing my personal style because I thought that was the cost of admission.
But who am I now? I am the woman who realized those voices were projecting their own limitations, not mine. Today, I am the executive who makes things happen *while* dressing how I want. I embrace my natural hair, I’m open about my health journey, and I refuse to dilute myself. I’ve learned that I don’t have to choose between being myself and being successful—I can be the boss and be myself at the same time.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
For a long time, I thought success had to be loud. I thought it was the cameras, the lights, and the events. And don’t get me wrong—those things help the business—but at the end of the day, success in that form is often just a performance.
And to be honest, even with all of that happening now—the merger, the magazine launch, the events, the network expansion—I don’t look in the mirror and see a person who has ‘made it.’ I still feel like I have a very long way to go. I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface of what I want to do.
Suffering, however, taught me something different. Suffering is always real.
I’ve navigated burnout, health struggles, and deeply personal challenges behind closed doors. Those moments didn’t come with applause. There were no cameras to capture the resilience it took to get through them.
What suffering taught me, which ‘success’ never could, is who I actually am when the lights go off. It taught me that true power isn’t about the accolades or feeling like you’ve arrived; it’s about the quiet fortitude to keep going when things are hard. Success is a moving target, but substance is something you keep forever.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
The biggest lie the industry tells itself is: ‘You have to be in every room.’
When I first entered the music media space, the pressure to be ubiquitous was overwhelming. If I missed an event or a party, the immediate question was always, ‘Why weren’t you there?’ The industry convinces you that visibility equals value, and that if you aren’t seen, you become irrelevant.
But as I’ve evolved—and specifically through what I’ve learned from my partners this year—I realized that is a myth. The truth is, the people actually making the biggest moves are the ones being talked about in the room, but they aren’t necessarily in the room.
Real power isn’t about scrambling to be everywhere; it’s about being selective. It’s about being seen because you want to be seen, not because you feel like you need to be seen to survive. That shift from operating out of obligation to operating out of strategy has been the ultimate game-changer for me.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
If you strip away the titles, the accolades, and the position… the Storyteller and the Musician remain.
At my core, I am still that music nerd who fell in love with the language before I ever knew how it would evolve my life. I am still the curious observer who traveled the country just to understand people’s stories.
Without the CEO title, I am simply a woman who loves to listen, who loves to learn, and who believes that everyone has a story worth telling. My job is what I do, but being a curious, compassionate, and music-loving human being is who I am. And honestly? That version of me is the one I’m most proud of.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rymmagazine.com | www.hgdmediagroup.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/vanessatorres_rym
Image Credits
Photography HGD Media Group
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
