Meet Maya Robinson | Media Producer

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

Hi Maya, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Yes. Over time, my work-life balance has gone from working out of a scarcity mindset to creating more positive feedback between my personal and professional life, as well as better aligning both.

My concern when I started my first job at eighteen was earning money. No particular amount, just anything more than zero. This continued to drive my work ethic, decisions, and experiences until I left office jobs in my mid-twenties. I did service work for one year after that, until I landed in a social services position. The work-from-home structure of this position brought my personal and professional worlds together, so this experience changed my way of thinking about work-life balance by combining both in a position with good pay, which shifted my focus from scarcity to support.

Throughout this same period, beginning in 2018 and ending in 2021 when I formed a limited liability company, I started developing creative story ideas, essays, and poetry. I wanted to create content I could pitch to artist fellowships and contests in entertainment hubs like Los Angeles and New York City. But I was starting to learn more about intellectual property, so my ideas for sharing deeply personal work changed. I felt more protective. There were also writer-producers who built careers online, so there was less need to go the industry route to create and share narrative content.

So, while researching advice for self-publishing/distributing, I came across the idea of forming an LLC. After figuring out the specifics for registering one, I did in December of 2021 and have been preparing future projects since then.

For how all this relates to changes in how I think about work-life balance: I think, over time, I worry less about earnings/job security (work will come, there’s plenty to do) and focus more on choosing work that supports my quality of life. For example, as a woman, I go through monthly phases of energy related to menstrual cycles. Being able to adapt my workflow to fluctuations in my mind and body is priceless. Nothing beats being able to give myself comfort and rest during some of my worst days every month, instead of having to push through them. I’m also someone who loves variety, movement, autonomy, and solitude, qualities that are hard to combine in most positions, so my thinking has also changed in how willing I am to be stubborn, faithful, selective, and enterprising in securing work that meets these standards.

In short, I’ve been fortunate enough to refine my work-life balance to a point where my personal needs and professional responsibilities feed each other. I think this is optimal because work is a part of life and should support what gives you life.

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.
Sure! I would say a big part of my work/career is being able to indulge my associative thinking, vivid imagination, and love for synthesizing information. These are things I’m excited to do through my company and creative projects like a story based on my college experience, and short stories that blend personal experiences and observations with abstract concepts like mythology. It’s because of this personalized approach that intellectual property is such a big part of where I am today professionally, and why I’m working to build a career that’s mindful of risks faced by creative professionals.

I’m not sure yet how things will unfold but I know I want to do things that make people talk, think, escape, imagine, and act. I appreciate art that feels like an experience, that helps me live a more authentic and fulfilling life, so I want to put similar art into the world. I also want to remind people that they are worthy of their dreams and inspire them to realize their full potential through my work. I see my career as my way to help others think outside of the box.

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.
Hm, okay, let’s say it’s a normal week in San Diego: sunny and summer weather. This is what I’d do with my best friend, a combination of my weekly routine and favorite spots in the city:

Sunday: Slow, spiritual, self-care day. We’d attend a church service if they’re open to it, hit up a local park for a yoga session, something to help them stretch and relax after traveling, then either a picnic lunch or dinner at Sunset Cliffs, my favorite spot!

Monday: Scenic drives throughout the county. Maybe some pit stops in places like Julian—an official California Historical Landmark known for its apple pie and annual Apple Days festival—and Borrego Springs where, if it’s dark enough, we could camp and stargaze under the First International Dark Sky in CA. I tried once before with my family but it wasn’t dark enough 🙁

Tuesday: A fun tourist day sightseeing different neighborhoods and historic landmarks. We could ride one of the hop-on, hop-off trolleys in Old Town, take a GoCar tour, or go jet skiing in Harbor Island.

Wednesday: Beach day on Coronado Island, riding bikes, checking out local shops, maybe even staying overnight in the Hotel del Coronado.

Thursday: Enjoy some local hang-outs and activities like the hilarious trivia night at the Quartyard in Downtown San Diego.

Friday: Day trip to either LA or TJ.

Saturday: An easy day to end their visit. Maybe a hike at the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve and a waterfront goodbye dinner at C Level.

Honorable mentions (unfortunately, they closed permanently during the Covid shutdowns, but if they were still open…):

Sunday brunch at Cafe on Park in Hillcrest with their giant, fresh-made blackberry pancakes, home fries, and thick, juicy, crispy bacon.

Anything from Tacos Mimi in Pacific Beach but especially their vegetarian-friendly tacos de papa!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
As someone whose faith is central to their well-being, I want to dedicate my first shout out to God. Whatever your beliefs, life is a big and miraculous thing, and I like to recognize whatever is responsible, in an ultimate sense, for my existence, well-being, and success.

Second, I want to shout out my parents for everything they’ve done for me: everything they sacrificed for my care and upbringing; the example they set as entrepreneurs; the example they set as people who cared for their people (family and communities); for how they fostered wisdom, common sense, ambition, and curiosity in their children; for continued immaterial and material support. The list goes on forever.

Third, I want to shout out family members, friends, teachers/mentors, and others in my wider community for doing the same and helping encourage me in all the steps I’ve taken to get to where I am now, especially those that helped open doors, direct me, and never diminished my talents or ambitions.

Website: https://afaceinthecloud.wordpress.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/9o1maya/?hl=en

Image Credits
Maya Robinson