I arrived to Los Angeles in October of 2009. The music “Hate It Or Love It” by The Game played from my car speakers as I entered the city of Los Angeles.
I made my way to the coast, to a town in LA called Venice Beach. I arranged to stay with a buddy of mine (friend of a friend) in Santa Monica, just north of VB.
I was fresh off a road trip. The vibe of America moving at 75 MPH was behind me. The West Coast vibe of LA and coastal beaches was sitting with.
I had a few hundred dollars a day coming in from Google Ads, and a lot of free time. I arrived at my buddy’s place. We met and everything was cool.
He arranged an air mattress, and I had a place for a couple weeks as I looked for an apartment.
My buddy and I went to Mel’s Diner, and talked about people that buy Bentleys vs people that want to change the world.
He was the former, I was the latter.
I said, you could take that $200,000 and donate it to charity, and people would benefit.
Fifteen years later, I see the reason why a person would buy a Bentley. I may buy one in the future to prove my worth.
Chalk that up as twenty year old idealism converted to 38 year old realism.
And a little cynicism.
I searched on Craigslist and found an apartment in Venice Beach. I went over there and met the roommate. He was from Argentina. He went to an ashram. He invited me to his ashram. I was into the spiritual air of LA so rented from him for $840, two blocks from the beach.
I used a lot of social media and built a personal brand around social entrepreneurship and social good. I wanted to change the world, and I was sure I would find other people in LA who want to change the world, too.
I applied for a job with a coworking space for social good entrepreneurs. Director of Social Media.
We met, the founders and I, at a coffee shop on Abbot Kinney in Venice, a coffee shop called Intelligentsia. As I sipped a mocha, the best mocha of my life, I learned I would get the job.
I was elated to start building my career in social media and social good and get paid to change the world.
I also interviewed with a company called Causecast. They hosted a mixer at the Viceroy Santa Monica about social good and changing the world.
I ended up getting hired there as a blogger about social impact and good causes. It led to a blogging partnership with the Huffington Post.
So I joined the scene of social good, making friends and connections along the way.
I hosted events in Santa Monica and Venice Beach at bars and venues, attracting a social good audience.
I went to events and mixers about green business, eco friendly business, sustainability, and social entrepreneurship.
I connected with Urban Social Entrepreneurs and their CEO in an event, and we joined forces. More informally but very important.
As I moved into my apartment, renting the living room as my own room, I stayed in touch with my buddy from Santa Monica.
We went to a diner in Santa Monica and met a woman there who invited us to a party in the Hollywood Hills. I met a blonde there, who I later took out on a date.
Los Angeles is so busy with events. There are dance parties in Echo Park, art installations in downtown LA, museums on major streets, shopping everywhere, and plenty of smiling people who are happy to be here.
If you are up for a vacation in Los Angeles, make avail of these articles below:
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