I quit my job in TV to bartend and freelance. It's allowed me to better connect with people and the freedom to work on my own projects.

Sara Loaiza left her full-time TV-production job and is now a bartender doing freelance work on the side.
Sara Loaiza left her full-time TV-production job and is now a bartender doing freelance work on the side.
  • Sara Loaiza worked in TV production for five years before quitting.
  • She started bartending and working freelance jobs on the side in 2022.
  • Now she has the freedom to work on what she's passionate about and is less anxious about her future.

This is an as-told-to essay based on an interview with Sara Loaiza. In 2022, Loaiza, 28, who lives in Brooklyn, quit her job in TV production to work as a bartender and freelance on the side.

The interview has been slightly edited for length and clarity. 

I was in high school when I first found out about TV production. I got into broadcasting and decided it was something that I wanted to pursue professionally.

After college, I didn't have any connections with any networks, local-news outlets, or the industry in general, and my family didn't, either. So it was hard to get a job. I took a few opportunities as a server and at a PR agency in the meantime.

In 2017, I landed my first job as an administrative assistant at CNN en Español.

Loaiza started her production career at CNN en Español.
Loaiza started her production career at CNN en Español.

It felt like my first real job, and I fell in love with being a workaholic. I did everything I could to help my boss and spent a lot of time in the office. 

From there, I was promoted throughout CNN. Then in 2021, I left to join CNBC.

After spending a year there, I decided that I wanted to pursue production on my own. I wanted to make documentaries and docuseries that I'm more passionate about. 

In April 2022, I quit with the intention of taking a year off. Now, more than a year later, I still hope to reenter the corporate world in the future, but I don't see myself going back anytime soon. 

My new jobs give me freedom and allow me to fine-tune my communication skills

Loaiza spent three weeks traveling in Europe after leaving her full-time job.
Loaiza spent three weeks traveling Europe after leaving her full-time job.

Thankfully, I made enough good financial decisions throughout my career I was able to save up and take those first few months off. 

I had always wanted to travel and take a peek at the world, so I went to Europe for the first time and stayed for several weeks.

When I came back to the US, I picked up a bartending job because I didn't want to let go of that freedom in my day-to-day life.

I've since realized that bartending and serving have actually improved my soft skills — including talking to people, connecting with customers, and hearing about people's experiences that resonate with me. These are all important skills in production, too: Storytelling is all about making those connections.

Even without a corporate job, I'm less anxious about the future

Loaiza often works as a freelance assistant producer multiple times a month.
Loaiza often works as a freelance assistant producer multiple times a month.

I do rely on bartending for most of my finances, but another major part of my life today is freelancing. 

I don't want to totally leave the production industry because I still love that work and want to grow my production career. My freelance jobs come and go, but I typically work up to five gigs per month.

Last week, I worked Tuesday and Wednesday as a bartender, then Thursday and Friday on a shoot for a promotional video at the observatory for One World Trade Center. 

As a freelancer, I'm usually a production assistant in the camera department because I love working behind the camera. 

I'm now also working on my own projects, such as a documentary I'm raising money to create. My next goal is to produce it so I can present it at festivals. 

Weirdly enough, I don't feel as anxious about the future anymore. At some point, I hope to be in a leadership position where I can help other people with their big projects. But for now, having my own creative priorities and just enjoying my life is giving me a lot of peace.

Read the original article on Business Insider


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