Event Recap: Baarnyard x Dreamers In LA Present Fierce Queens United

This weekend, I had the pleasure to join Baarnyard and Dreamers in LA's Fierce Queens United, an event dedicated to supporting women in the industry looking to build their personal brand through social media. Building a brand on social media takes consistency, strategy and a keen understanding of who your audience is. Who are they? Where do they consume content? How can you speak to this audience effectively and monetize your passion into something that offers value?  

From discussing the art of the finessing into the DMs or the importance of building relationships before going in for an ask and how to not get lost in the hype, we talked about the good and bad of social media. Moderated by Kennya of Dreamers in LA and Simone of Baarynyard, Fierce Queens United featured myself and fellow boss ladies Audrey Bellis of Worthy Women LLC, Erin Rivera of Huntern and Fox, and Brittany of My Brown Box. Fun fact: I was already following these ladies on social media before I met them. Why? Because game recognizes game. Here are three important take-aways from the panel: 

Getting sponsorship is relationship-based. Utilize LinkedIn to make a mutual connection.
Life is about relationships. When asked what's the best advice for landing sponsorships, Audrey of Worthy Women noted, "I used LinkedIn a lot to secure sponsorship. You need to find people that you have mutual friends with and ask them to introduce you." Keep in mind that there are people in companies whose sole job is to find events to participate in. Use keywords like "integrated marketing" and partner it with a brands you're looking to be sponsored by. Also note which brands sponsor events in your local city and see if their target market matches your event. 

Create more than you consume. 
With social media, it's easy to look at someone else's profile and compare yourself with someone else's success. But guess what? Everyone is showing is the glossy version of their life: There's no struggle. Never compare your Point C to someone else's Point D, everyone is on their own separate journey. Also, it's important to limit the time you spend on social media. Make sure to create content more than you consume if you're focused on building your own personal brand. 

Often value daily through your social platforms, then go for the ask. 
When building your own personal brand, think of who your ideal consumer is. What are their problems? Where do they consume content? What's their preferred social media platform? Answer these questions and strategize your content based how you can best offer value to your audience. For example, Dizon Dreams specializes in social media and event curation. We offer value to our followers by sharing the best LA hip-hop events to attend, and share social media tips in our newsletter. 

Ultimately, building your personal brand takes consistency and strategy. Take the time to know your passions and specialty and use those skills to help others around you. A special thank you to all the queens (and kings!) who attended, Kennya of Dreams In LA and Simone of Baarnyard for inviting me to speak on the panel, Ashley Osborne of Ayeoh Studio for capturing the magic of the event, and my fabulous stylist Jesa Joy of Blankclo!

<3 Lainney 

Dizon Dreams Hosts TrapxArt Los ANGELES may 21 at the avalon hollywood

Dizon Dreams is proud to host the Los Angeles Trap x Art this Saturday, May 21, at the iconic Avalon Hollywood! Based in the Bay Area, California, Trap x Art is a movement that fuses art,  hip hop culture and the spirit of being your own boss. Whether its your career, your art, your life, your beliefs, your body, your anything, the Trap x Art team believes in self expression. Trap x Art events are a celebration of beautifully diverse people, unparalleled live art exhibits showcasing amazingly talented local artists, and of course dope music. Trap x Art events feature musical tributes to adorned artists and self-made record labels of the past and present who embody the essence of our movement. Each event features a new tribute that the music and some of the art will reflect. 

Dizon Dreams spoke with the team behind the movement, Jesse and Amine Brooks, to talk about the inspiration behind the Trap x Art movement, what they love most about Los Angeles, and advice on how aspiring artists can become their own boss:

How did Trap x Art begin and what's the inspiration behind it?

Trap x Art began in 2013. We started promoting parties full time in 2011. It took us two years to stumble upon the concept of trapxart. The Basquiat documentary is what sparked the inspiration to start incorporating art into our events. Once we began to involve art into our events trapxart and the community we began to build began to grow into what it is today. 

TrapxArt is a movement that fuses art, hip hop culture and the spirit of being your own boss. What tips do you give you aspiring artists who are working towards being their own boss?

Have a strong work ethic, and to be creative. We believe if you stay focused on bettering yourself consistently and form good habits positive results will eventually happen. Things might not turn out how you initially envision things to be but if you put in the work we believe you will end up where you should be.

What do you love about LA? And how does the vibe differ from where you originated the series in the Bay?

LA is a special place for us. We lived in LA prior to the formation of Trap x Art back in 2010. I was interning at Atlantic Records and Amina was working retail at Nordstroms. When I was living in LA I had dreams of being the next big music mogul which didn't work out, but as I said before things may not always go how you envision it but if you put in the work you will be where you want to be. Everyone in LA is trying to make it. I love that. People from all over come to LA with dreams of becoming the next big thing. I also like how many media outlets are in LA. 

LA and the Bay are different for so many reasons. LA has Hollywood the Bay has the tech world. LA has gang culture, the Bay has mob culture, we had the hyphy movement too which I think has set undertones in the swag of people from the bay. The Contrast between the bay and la is huge but I also think we are like first cousins. We are on the same coast. Pac made that clear.

Original interview via LA Pulse Magazine. RSVP for the debut of TrapxArt in Los Angeles on May 21, 2017. Use code "dizondreams" for $5 off your tickets here. 

Co-Founder Lainney Dizon To Be Featured At Fierce Queens United

Amazing things that have happened to us because of social media:
✔️ Clients found us on social which led to 💰
✔️ Met our fav videographers @dukevisions@rich_envisions 
✔️ Had strangers come to our party @thedropparty 
✔️ Received an opportunity to speak at the Fierce Queens United Panel 👸🏾

The point is, you can be winning MORE if you use social media for your business or personal brand. 

Join us this Saturday, May 20 for @dreamersinla x @baarnyard's #FierceQueensUnited as co-founder Lainney Dizon shares her advice on building your social media presence and how we've used social to build our brands. RSVP it limited. Grab your tickets here. 

Jon Chu CAllS Out ASIAN-American talent in WARNER BROS 'CRAZY RICH ASIANS' CASTING CALL: HERE'S MY SUBMISSION!

From ABC's Fresh Off the Boat to Emmy-Award winning Master of None and a live-action adaptation of Mulan heading to the big screen, it seems like Hollywood is on the verge of a breakthrough of representing Asian-Americans. Yes, we are talented. Yes, we have a story to share. 

Filmmaker Jon Chu is calling out Asian-American talent to the forefront with his open casting call for upcoming Warner Bros film Crazy Rich Asians, adapted from Kevin Kwan's best-selling novel. 

"You may or may not know that ['Crazy Rich Asians'] is the first all-Asian cast from an American Hollywood studio in a long, long time," Chu said in a video introducing the contest. "So it's a great opportunity to showcase all of the Asian talent out there."

Fact: There are only three Asian-Americans to ever win an Oscar: Miyoshi Umeki, Haing S. Ngor and Ben Kingsley. 

It's time for our story to be shared, don't you agree? Here's my message to every Asian-American with a creative dream: You can do it. The world is waiting for you to shine. Be fearless. 

When Jon Chu announced the casting call, I knew I had to give it a try. I'll admit that I was scared, but life is short and you need to things that make you scared.. so YOLO!  The monologue calls for you to share a special talent and "have your personality shine" so you know I had to do a lil freestyle:

I am fantastic, there's no doubt about it
When Jon Chu said it's a challenge, I said Yup, I'm on it!
Opportunity has been hard to find
With the lack of diverse roles around
Maybe when the time is right, our story will be heard
But until that time, just watch me shine
Watch me, watch me, watch me shine
Watch me, watch me, watch us shine

Watch my full video below:

Hope you enjoy my monologue and freestyle. If you do, please like and share. If you're an aspiring Asian-American actor, there's still time to submit so be sure to check out the info at CrazyRichAsiansCasting.com

Looking forward to watching this in theaters or.... being on set! Special thank you to my friend and director director Edwiiiiin of APLUSFILMZ for helping me creating this. 

As always, thanks for your support! I hope you do something today that terrifies you. 

<3 Lainney 

Myx TV Premieres "My Motto" Digital Series On January 17!

Living in Los Angeles, I'm often surrounded with talkers. These are the people who say they want to do something, but more often than not, talk more than they do. Working with TV clients, Dizon Dreams biggest goal this year is to include diversity in media. Brown people have a special narrative to share and it's coming to Myx TV's digital series January 17.  "My Motto" is a Youtube original series featuring Asian American go-getters determined to build the kind of live they want to live.  Watch the trailer below: 

From touring with Jay-Z to winning an Emmy for dance, "My Motto" features an amazing group of Asian-Americans who highlight the importance of creating your own path. Their journey highlights the risks involved: from being nearly rejected by their parents to leaving financial stability, they show that it's better to risk something rather than to live average. When was the last time you had to risk something and got something even better in return? 

Fail, risk, and believe in your journey. Live your dreams. What's the point of being average?  Watch "My Motto" coming to Myx TV January 17th. 

4 WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR INFLUENCE ON INSTAGRAM

Photo by @TheLAGirl

Did you know that 75% of Instagram users are outside the US? On an average day, 80 million photos are shared. What does that mean for you? It means that being a brand or artist is so much more than sharing your story, it’s about being able to share that story visually on social media. This weekend, Dizon Dreams had the pleasure to attend The LA Girl’s first-ever Instagram Marketing Workshop. The LA Girl is a Los Angeles lifestyle blog founded by Gwen Lane to inspire discovery, adventure and passion for the city we live in. She grew her blog, The LA Girl, into a six-figure business within two years of launch and was able to leave her job as Marketing Director in the entertainment industry. Six-figure business, people! She knows what she's talking about. Gwen’s also passionate about teaching bloggers and influencers how to monetize their channels and grow their platform into a full-time business.

I actually met Gwen when we both were sitting next to each other at The Collective Conference and we bonded over the fact that we’re both Filipina. LOL. When I learned she was having her Instagram Workshop, I had to support her! Here are the most important takeaways I learned in stepping up your game in Instagram:

• Master your brand message by doing a competitive analysis

Who is your target demographic? Who are your competitors? What type of content do they do? What is their sell/give ratio? What value are they giving their followers? Before posting, think of these answers and see how you can create your brand message on a daily basis. 

• Create a visual identity by using mood boards

Did you know that the color blue generates 25% more likes? 93% of consumers consider visual appeal before purchasing. Not gonna lie, I've actually bought glasses from Gloss The Label based on the fact that their visuals are always on point. Also, if you're looking to plan and arrange the look and feel of your feed use Planoly. It's a game-changer. 

• Hashtags are SEO. 

Hashtags are to social media what SEO is to online content. Use it wisely to target your audience. Who are the most influential people in your industry? What hashtags are they using? These people are already well-established with your target audience, so why not learn from the best? 

• Join a comment pod.

What's the point of having followers if there's no engagement? Join a comment pod and boost your engagement. Comment pods are a community of your friends who help one another on Instagram through likes and meaningful comments.  

For more tips follow The LA Girl to learn when the Instagram Marketing Workshop go live! Thanks Gwen for the invite! Comment below with your Instagram hacks and Instagram handle and I'll follow you back.

See you on Instagram!