We had the good fortune of connecting with Marjhani BellaMorte and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marjhani, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I wanted to do more for the Gothic community so I started Inland Empire Goth. I knew a lot of Goths would go to Los Angeles and Orange County but there wasn’t anything to bring those of us in the IE together. So I set out to rebuild our local community after the pandemic.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Currently, I work for a lumber company with my twin sister who has worked for them for over 35 years. I’m still fairly new but love the work and especially working with one of my best friends. Before that I had my own business offering virtual assistance and consulting to small businesses. Covid saw to the demise of that business and I had to find something else. For the 20 years before that, I worked a multitude of jobs and my main income came from Belly Dancing professionally. I taught and performed around the world and met amazing people. The success I acquired through dancing encouraged me to go back to school for a Business and Marketing degree so I could better manage my money and my time. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. I learned a lot about sales psychology and how important it is to be ethical. Through dance, I learned the importance of networking and running events. I soaked up everything I could from everyone I could until I was confident enough to branch out on my own. My first big event was a 3-day dance festival called Requiem that I hosted in Fresno in 2019. It was a great success and showed me just how much I love hosting events and bringing people together.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love living in the Inland Empire! There are so many great local areas to visit. Tio’s Tacos in Riverside is a favorite, with amazing food and a beautiful sculpture garden. Of course, our local Goth Events would be a must! Club Dominion at Aurea Vista, Death Before Synthpop at The Hideaway, Other Voices which changes venues, and Goth Karaoke at Packinghouse Brewery. All of these are in Riverside, which is the seat of our Goth Community here. There is also the Historic Mission Inn, the Evergreen Cemetery and the Rubidoux Drive-In which are all some of my favorites. And let me not forget Dr. Strange Records where I have been buying music, clothes and accessories for the past 35 years out in Alta Loma.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to recognize my boyfriend Matt and my daughter Zoe. They have been so supportive, caring, and helpful in this endeavor. They attend every event, stay up late to prepare, and add suggestions and ideas. Most importantly they put up with the hours of work and time I spend away to make this endeavor successful.

I also want to say a huge THANK YOU to my assistant Dali. She really handles the weight of the backend stuff like social media posting, and managing registrations and updates. She truly is the backbone of IE Goth and she is not even in the United States. Her dedication is beyond appreciated.

Dr. Strange Records and SubGothTV have also been major supporters and sponsors of events and helped Inland Empire Goth really get on its feet in a multitude of ways. IE Goth is so grateful for them both!

Website: www.inlandempiregoth.com

Instagram: @Inlandempiregoth

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IEGoth/

Image Credits
Credit: Marjhani BellaMorte

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSocal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.