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.
courtesy of Loaiza
- 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.
courtesy of Loaiza
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
courtesy of Loaiza
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
courtesy of Loaiza
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.