How to Get Media Coverage for Your Business & Own Your Identity with Arianna Davis
In this captivating episode, Victoria Jenn sits down with Arianna Davis, the Editorial Director of TODAY Digital. Arianna shares her inspiring journey from Penn State to leading digital content at one of America's most recognized morning shows. She opens up about her experiences in the media industry, working with Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King, the challenges of maintaining authenticity, and her exciting work as an author.
About Arianna Davis:
Arianna Davis is the Editorial Director of TODAY Digital, managing news, trending, and lifestyle content across TODAY's digital platforms, having previously held the role of Senior Director of Editorial and Strategy at Oprah Daily. She authored the critically acclaimed book "What Would Frida Do? A Guide to Living Boldly," inspired by Frida Kahlo, and is currently working on a novel. Arianna has interviewed high-profile personalities from Hillary Clinton to Oprah Winfrey and Will Smith, and has been a host and panelist for numerous media outlets and events. Her writing is featured in various prestigious publications, and she enjoys traveling and reading in New York City with her dog, Leo.
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Full Transcript:
What's up, everybody. Welcome back to Banking on Cultura, where we talk about the complexity and vibrancy of Latino culture, entrepreneurship, and of course. All the Bonchincha in between now, my guest today, we met in Napa, California over some wine. It was absolutely divine, darling. We were eating like organic food, being bougie, just how we like it.
[00:01:27] Victoria Jenn: and I was completely impressed with her because Once the camera goes on her you guys might recognize her because she kind of is on TV every
[00:01:35] Arianna Davis: morning, maybe
[00:01:39] Victoria Jenn: But yeah, she's a big deal and I'm super pumped to have her here because she is one of the very few Afro Latinas in Front of the camera. So we're gonna get into the nitty gritty of that. So without further ado Thank
[00:01:53] Arianna Davis: you for being here, Ariana Davis. Now I'm like, wait, should we have had wine here? To like, relive our Napa moment.
[00:01:59] Arianna Davis: [00:02:00] I know. Maybe we should have had it. Yes. Next time. Next time. When the camera's off. Yes. Yes. No, we do it when the camera's on, girl. So introduce
[00:02:07] Victoria Jenn: yourself to the people because your bio is. It's like truly extensive. And I was like, no, you know what, she's going to introduce herself because I don't want to do it.
[00:02:14] Arianna Davis: Any misjustice. Oh, thank you. So I'm Ariana Davis and, by Dan, the editorial director of digital for the today show. So that basically translation means I oversee today. com our website. and I also, as you mentioned, do some on camera work there. So, I'm often on the show, just kind of sharing some of the latest.
[00:02:31] Arianna Davis: Stories that are trending on digital and just sharing, like, you know, all the digital moments that everybody's talking about right now. And I'm also the author of What Would Frida Do? A Guide to Living Boldly, my little book baby, that came out in 2020. And it's, kind of part self help, part biography about Frida and just looks at how we can all just take some inspiration from her life to live a more bold life.
[00:02:51] Arianna Davis: So those are my two main day jobs, but I'm also the dog mom to Leo, my boo, my little baby, and I'm also working on another book. I'm working on a novel. Ooh, [00:03:00] not a novel. Yes. It's just fiction. Yes. I'm giving like Latina Carrie Bradshaw. That's like my. Oh my God. That's like. I
[00:03:07] Victoria Jenn: love, we need a Latina Carrie Bradshaw.
[00:03:09] Victoria Jenn: Don't we? Yes, we do. We do. by the way, what do you think of, and Just
[00:03:12] Arianna Davis: Like That? I have thoughts. I have thoughts. Listen, I'm, but I'm also like a Sex and the City stan. And I'm, I'm supporting on watching it because. Same. You know, I just want to know what happens to these characters. I'm like. You have to know.
[00:03:23] Arianna Davis: Always going to be invested. Yes. This season, I think, you know, there is some work. I have some suggestions, but, but it's fun. At the end of the day, like, it's fun. It's cute. Like, I love that they're continuing all of their stories, but if I was in the writer's room, I would have some thoughts. Yes, and I would
[00:03:38] Victoria Jenn: definitely, I'm pretty sure they tried, but.
[00:03:41] Victoria Jenn: Samantha's void is
[00:03:43] Arianna Davis: definitely felt. But you know she's coming back. I mean, yeah, I don't know if this is airing after that happens, but she's supposed to be, having like a little cameo moment later this season. So like a very brief cameo. Like a phone call or something. Yeah. Like I think it's gonna be like a little small.
[00:03:55] Arianna Davis: Yeah. Yeah. No, I don't want that. I want her back. Yes.
[00:03:59] Victoria Jenn: The [00:04:00] Samantha we all love. So many places to start with this because this is really interesting because. Now you're on
[00:04:05] Arianna Davis: the other side. Oh, being interviewed is always a lot of weight. Yes, you're on the other side. So talk to
[00:04:13] Victoria Jenn: us about how you even landed at the Today Show.
[00:04:17] Victoria Jenn: And for folks who are clueless or living under a rock, like, please explain the magnitude of what the Today
[00:04:24] Arianna Davis: Show is so that they know.
[00:04:26] Arianna Davis: So if you have never heard of or aren't familiar with the Today Show, it's like the, I would say, it's like Despierta de America. You know, like that, it's like the American version, right? it's just kind of like morning TV, Channel 4, where you watch your morning TV and you get your news.
[00:04:41] Arianna Davis: So, I guess the briefest version is I went to Penn State and I, I studied journalism there and when I graduated from Penn State, You know, I dreamed of being in the world of magazines. That was always like my dream. but for me, it was like magazines was just like this unobtainable thing. Like I never heard of or saw people who look like us in the world of [00:05:00] magazines.
[00:05:00] Arianna Davis: So, I always wanted to be a writer. That was like my dream since I was a little girl. And my parents were like, what do you mean? You don't want to be a doctor. You don't be a lawyer. Like, what do you mean a writer? But. Luckily for me, my parents really encouraged me and I think they saw like I was a bookworm.
[00:05:12] Arianna Davis: I was like writing books since I was literally eight, like that was my passion. So for me, it was kind of like my dad was like, okay, how can we make sure you make money while also pursuing this dream of being a writer? And so, I decided to study journalism at Penn State and I thought I was going to be a newspaper journalist.
[00:05:27] Arianna Davis: Like that was kind of the lane that I thought I was going to go into. I was going to be like the black and Latina Lois Lane. And so when I graduated from college, I was in an internship program that landed me at the New York Daily News. So I was at the New York Daily News, but I still had this dream of like, how could I break into that glamorous world of magazines?
[00:05:45] Arianna Davis: And when I was at Penn State, actually at a scholarship dinner, the publisher of Seventeen Magazine came to speak. And she gave this really inspiring speech, and I remember afterwards, something literally came over me, and I was like, I cannot let this woman leave without getting her contact information.[00:06:00]
[00:06:00] Arianna Davis: Either it was crazy, I was a little loca, or I had some like, I guess, boldness to me, but I literally followed her to the bathroom, was pretending to like, wash my hands, and then I was like, oh, fancy seeing you here, by the way, I'm like, I would love to get your business card, I would love to get into magazines one day, if you're ever open to like, you know, talking to another Penn State alum, so she gave me her business card, and when I moved to New York.
[00:06:20] Arianna Davis: I was interning at the New York Daily News and I ended up going with her to the Hearst Tower, which is the company that owns like 17 Cosmo, Oprah Magazine, Esquire, a lot of the big magazines and we had lunch and
[00:06:33] Victoria Jenn: Okay, hold on. Before you continue on Yeah. Because you dropped a major like gem and hack.
[00:06:38] Victoria Jenn: Yeah. So you're at this event and you're like, you know what, I need to meet this woman. Yep. Let me pretend like I have to go pee and go to the bathroom so that I run into her.
[00:06:48] Arianna Davis: Yeah. Okay. People don't understand how
[00:06:50] Victoria Jenn: that strategy actually works. And it is actually a really good strategy because they're not surrounded by millions of people, right?
[00:06:58] Victoria Jenn: Usually when they're like [00:07:00] talking outside, you know, especially after a panel, everybody's running up to them. But if you catch them in the bathroom, like that's a sweet spot. So I wanted to drive home that nugget because
[00:07:08] Arianna Davis: that's I'm not saying stop people in the bathroom or anything, but I do think that like, sometimes I think when you recognize that, like there's an opportunity and if you don't like take advantage of it, it could be gone.
[00:07:19] Arianna Davis: Like if I hadn't asked her for her business card, like I don't know where my career would have taken me or what would have happened. And it feels like, and a lot of ways I feel, I do feel like so much of my career. It definitely has been, I feel like it was God, it was ordained, and I think that it was like these were moments that were just meant for me, and then also it was, okay, these opportunities did present themselves to me, but I also had the balls and like the ambition and the drive to actually go after them and like take that leap, like, okay, this woman's in front of you, what are you going to do with that moment?
[00:07:48] Arianna Davis: Like, you have to ask her for a business card. So, I definitely think there's been a lot of moments in my career, like, that were like that, and That was a game changer for me because after we had lunch, luckily, she didn't think I was crazy and she kind [00:08:00] of took me under her wing and then when my internship was getting ready to finish at the New York Daily News, I saw that there was an internship at Oprah Magazine, which is another magazine at the same company as Seventeen.
[00:08:10] Arianna Davis: And I applied and I asked her, I was like, if there's any chance you know anyone over there and would put in a good word, like I'd greatly appreciate it. And she sent an email to a colleague of her, former colleague of hers there. luckily that, like, gave them the heads up to actually, like, look at my application because obviously Oprah Magazine, there's so many people who are applying.
[00:08:26] Arianna Davis: So that kind of helped to get my resume, I think, to the top of the pile and I ended up getting a post grad internship at Oprah. So that's kind of, like, how my whole career story began. Baby Flex. yeah, and listen, like, that to me, I mean, it was the dream, it was absolutely the dream job. And... Did you get to meet her while you were working there?
[00:08:44] Arianna Davis: Yeah, so I did, I actually, so eventually, I started as an intern, eventually worked my ass off, was also working on weekends. to be able to afford living in New York on an intern salary while also paying New York rent. but you know, I, I worked my ass off and eventually I became the assistant to Gail King who, if you're not [00:09:00] familiar, is, Oprah's best friend, but also the editor at large of the magazine.
[00:09:03] Arianna Davis: So I was Gail's assistant for like four years and that was. Just an amazing time because I learned so much from her about what it means to be like a boss what it means to Be hard working what it means to You know be one of the best that you can be in your business. She's also an anchor on CBS this morning She had a radio show.
[00:09:20] Arianna Davis: She's also a mother like I learned so much from her from just being her assistant But also she's just an incredibly kind Lovely, just like a nice person. And so I feel like I learned from her, you know, you can be all those things. You can have the devil wears part of life without the devil part. So that was really just like kind of my introduction into like magazines.
[00:09:38] Arianna Davis: Andhold on before you continue.So you obviously
[00:09:41] Victoria Jenn: being Gail's assistant. Working at Oprah, et cetera. I'm pretty sure you were exposed to a lot. so what's some like bon chinche about that?
[00:09:50] Victoria Jenn: Like world. Cause to me when I, I feel like it's a whole nother
[00:09:53] Arianna Davis: world. I feel like it's you know, I think that like, listen, working for Oprah and Gayle, [00:10:00] I have zero, I will. I only ever have the best things to say because Oprah Winfrey, everyone always asks, like, what's she like in real life and she's exactly how, who you see on TV is who she is in person.
[00:10:09] Arianna Davis: I learned so much from working from her, from getting to work with her and the same with Gayle. Like, for them to be black women in this world and doing the things that they do, like, could cry every time I think about the fact that, like, that was my first job. Yeah. So, so I really don't have any chisme about them, sorry, but I will say, you know, I think that there's definitely been, like, I think because of that one, area that I started to do a lot more the longer that I worked there, and then eventually I went to work at Us Weekly, I then I went to Refinery29 before I went back to Oprah, which we'll get to that, but, I started doing a lot more entertainment journalism and interviewing celebrities and getting to kind of be in that world, and I think one of the things I definitely learned without naming names is that some celebrities are just not how they seem in person.
[00:10:47] Arianna Davis: Like you would I think that the the bigger celebrities are actually a lot nicer than you would think and a lot of the more Kind of like c list people are the ones who are kind of assholes. So that's like I think the one thing I really learned about Being in [00:11:00] the industry is I think that you notice that like when people really start feeling themselves They start feeling themselves and so that was one thing that I think was disappointing for me as like Someone who loves entertainment and pop culture and like celebrities whenever somebody or their team was kind of like a little bit not nice I'd be like wait, but like I really liked you, or I was a fan of you, or you know, that kind of thing.
[00:11:18] Arianna Davis: So, that's the only gossip I got for you. We'll get some more
[00:11:22] Victoria Jenn: bunch each other, you know. okay, so you landed at the Today Show. Yes. And editorial, so essentially editorial is behind the scene. Yeah. So let's talk about editorial a little bit, and then I want to get into how you're getting in front of the camera now.
[00:11:37] Victoria Jenn: Yeah. On national television, on one of the most popular shows in the country, just saying.
[00:11:43]
[00:11:43] [00:12:00] [00:13:00]
[00:13:19] Victoria Jenn: okay, so, editorial, behind the scenes. is it overwhelming to stay on top of, like, the news? Because you essentially have to stay on top of
[00:13:26] Arianna Davis: literally everything, right? Yeah, I think, it definitely, it can get overwhelming for sure.
[00:13:31] Arianna Davis: Like, I think, so, my job is basically, think of it as, like, I'm the editor in chief of a website. Which means that, like, you know, we're publishing. Dozens and dozens and dozens of stories every day and you know, we're definitely more the today shows more of a lifestyle site So we're not necessarily doing only hard news But we are doing news if somebody if celebrity dies if there's a big moment and that's happening in the news cycle We're on top of it and I have a very big team And so it's kind of a combination of me feeling like I'm always plugged in me always kind of wanting to know like what's the latest?
[00:13:58] Arianna Davis: And so I'm definitely always on my [00:14:00] phone My my inbox is always full, you know I've I'm always on Slack. I'm always talking with my team. But the good news is that I have a really great team, and just people that work for me who I really trust, and I know that, like, we're on top of it. And then we also work really closely with our broadcast team and with the show.
[00:14:15] Arianna Davis: And so, I mean, it's, you know, it's a really big organization, and there's a lot of people who are amazing at what they do. So I also know, like, the pressure's not only on me. But, I also think by nature, I'm just kind of, like, always plugged in. Like, I'm always on social media. I need to put my phone down more.
[00:14:28] Arianna Davis: I definitely need to take a break a little bit more. How big is your team? I think right now there's about 55 people on just like the, on the digital team. So, yeah, so it's a, it's a big team. and you know, that includes like we have an evening team who works out of, out of LA. We also have a weekend team, that kind of thing.
[00:14:44] Arianna Davis: So you manage
[00:14:45] Victoria Jenn: 55 people? Yeah. Or oversee 55 people. Wow.
[00:14:48] Arianna Davis: How old are you? I'm 36. Can we know?Yeah. Oh my goodness. Yeah.
[00:14:52] Victoria Jenn: So 36, overseeing 55 people, chief editor of this like massive lifestyle website. Yeah. [00:15:00] And now you're on camera. Yeah. On one of the biggest shows.
[00:15:03] Victoria Jenn: syndicated shows on national television. So
[00:15:06] Arianna Davis: how did that come about? So, you know, that kind of, it wasn't part of the job. Like I took the job, as editorial director. And before this, I did do some on camera stuff before. so after I left Oprah the first time I went to Refinery29. And if you're not familiar, Refinery29 is, it's a site for millennial women.
[00:15:22] Arianna Davis: And when I was there, it was at, it's like, Like it was kind of like the, it's almost like the female version of Buzzfeed. So when I was there, it was during the era where like Facebook Live was a really big thing. So there was a lot of shows on Facebook Live and a lot of media brands were experimenting with doing more kind of stuff.
[00:15:37] Arianna Davis: like on Instagram Live and just like experimenting with like streaming and things like that. that. So while I was at Refinery, one of the, the CCO there was like, Hey, have you ever thought about being on camera? And I was, I was like, no, I'm shy. I'm an, I'm a behind the scenes girl. Like I would never, but I was like, you know, sure.
[00:15:52] Arianna Davis: Like I'll try. And then, you know, like I mentioned, one thing I love is to talk about pop culture and celebrity. So next thing, you know, I was [00:16:00] hosting, a pop culture show every Friday where we would like drink and just talk about the latest celebrity gossip. And then I was hosting live red carpets. Did the Grammys, did the SAG Awards, the Billboard Awards, and that was just like, I feel like because it was very much an experimental time, like it was like, live, like the camera's on and you have to talk for two hours, and like, you're just calling celebrities over and praying that they'll talk to you, and you're like trying to entertain an audience of like thousands of people that are just sitting at their computers like watching you.
[00:16:28] Arianna Davis: I learned how to just like wing it, just like be on camera, but also be myself, and I think that because I didn't necessarily have like a Broadcast journalism backgrounds and it was more just kind of like experimenting and like just learning real time I got to have fun and still like be myself. So after that I did some things I would do a lot of talking head experiences I was on access Hollywood and the Tamron Hall show and like a few different things then when I went back to Oprah again the second time To be the digital director there.
[00:16:56] Arianna Davis: I did some more on camera stuff So then when the time I got to today, you know, the job [00:17:00] wasn't specifically about doing on camera, but after a while, it just made sense to start doing some segments on the show where I was sharing some of the cool stuff we were working on on digital. And so it kind of just happened naturally.
[00:17:11] Arianna Davis: And so now I'm on every so often, just sharing what's trending online, what people are talking about on the internet, and it's really fun. Every
[00:17:17] Victoria Jenn: so often. I feel like you on there quite
[00:17:19] Arianna Davis: often. I'm like, yes, let's go I
[00:17:22] Victoria Jenn: love it because you really don't see a lot of women that look like us in front of the camera So it is always like super.
[00:17:29] Victoria Jenn: Well, look at you girl
[00:17:32] Arianna Davis: Listen but I created this platform. Yes, you know, yes and good for you because I think I think we need more of that And I think that I'm 100% I'm always encouraging of like women and women of color, like I think if we don't see the opportunity, sometimes we have to create them for ourselves.
[00:17:46] Arianna Davis: Absolutely. I'm definitely about that life.
[00:17:49] Victoria Jenn: most of your work is consumed with other people's lives, right? Tracking them, what are they doing, what's happening. Do you ever find yourself... Like losing [00:18:00] yourself because so much of like what you do is associated and consumed with other people's lives.
[00:18:06] Arianna Davis: That's a really good question. I think there are definitely moments when I've, when I've felt that or experienced or I'm like, okay, well, I gotta like really like take a break. I'm a very big fan of unplugging. So like, I think that I do a good job of just kind of staying in tune with myself. And I know, Like when I'm literally to the point where like, if I don't have my phone in my hand, I start to feel anxious and I'm like, Oh my God, what's happening?
[00:18:25] Arianna Davis: And I'm like, okay, girl, like we got to take a break. We got to like unplug a little bit. so a couple of things that I do. One is that every night when I get in bed, I literally put my phone and do not disturb. I put it down and then I put it far away from me, like over on the nightstand and I tried to just.
[00:18:39] Arianna Davis: I usually read, I'm a big bookworm, so I'll take some time to just, like, read, but, like, just, like, completely unplug from, like, what's happening on the internet, what's happening with work, and just try to have some, like, me time a little bit, like, every night. and then I love to travel, and I think that, like, for me, when I travel, I, like, always am booking trips and trying to just, like, get away, and when I travel, I also try to unplug and just, like, put my [00:19:00] phone away, leave my phone on airplane while I'm out.
[00:19:02] Arianna Davis: you know, sightseeing or on the beach or whatever it is, just just to try to have some time where it's like, I'm just not thinking about the news cycle, not thinking about work, not thinking about what whoever's posting on Instagram and just try to like have a little bit of like, just unplug time. So I think that that's my way of just trying to make sure that I don't lose myself and I still stay like grounded and tuned in with like me and not just like Ariana on the internet.
[00:19:25] Arianna Davis: Yeah, yeah. I
[00:19:27] Victoria Jenn: think that's super important because a lot of people who are not. Even in your position, struggle with, like, how not
[00:19:35] Arianna Davis: to lose themselves, compare themselves, get so engulfed in it all. Yeah, and even, like, listen, I'm very aware and I'm very proud of, like, the accomplishments that I've had. And even for me, I think that sometimes the comparison game of seeing other women my age or other people in general, it's just, you know, especially, like, I'm 36, but like, I don't have kids yet, you know, I'm not married yet.
[00:19:57] Arianna Davis: And so those are things that it's like, even though I'm like, I [00:20:00] love my career, I love everything I've accomplished. But then I'm just like, this girl had a baby, this girl had a baby shower, this girl had a wedding. Like, it's very easy to always think of like, grass is always greener when you constantly have at your fingertips other people's lives to compare it to.
[00:20:12] Arianna Davis: So it's also, I think, really important to just remember that like, your story is your story. And also what you see on social media is not. That's what somebody has curated about their life. So let's talk about
[00:20:25] Victoria Jenn: how money works on this scene, like in this industry, because I'm being able to do that. We like to talk about how to secure the payback.
[00:20:33] Victoria Jenn: So is that like? Like if somebody wants to do what you're doing, like. How much money are they making? How are they negotiating their contracts?
[00:20:40] Arianna Davis: What is that process? So, I can't get into this too, like, too specifically just because, you know. Oh, you don't want to tell us exactly what you make? I mean, I would.
[00:20:50] Arianna Davis: I would if I didn't have certain parameters, right? But what I will say is that, you know, I do think that
[00:20:55]
[00:20:55] [00:21:00] [00:22:00]
[00:22:32] Arianna Davis: I think that people see, if you're on TV, or if you're in media, they assume like, like people heard that I worked for Oprah Winfrey, and they're like, oh, you must be making millions, and it's like, when you're, when you work in media, like, you're not getting into it for the money.
[00:22:43] Arianna Davis: I'll just, you know, put it that way. I think that, it's definitely, and that's one of the reasons why I know when I was like coming up, my parents were like, Why you want to be a journalist like journalists don't make money. That's not right You know, it's not like a guaranteed kind of field like being a doctor being a lawyer things like that You know, of course like any industry once you get to a [00:23:00] certain level then you'll if you're in like leadership positions manager Management positions you'll start to make more but I think that you know getting in media journalism is definitely more Of an arena you get into because you're passionate about it because you love it versus expecting that you're going to be making the big books, you know, but I think that things are definitely getting better.
[00:23:18] Arianna Davis: Like, I think that from when I was starting out in journalism versus now, a lot of unions have formed at companies. There's a lot more. I think Gen Z. I love that Gen Z is so outspoken and vocal about like, you know, equal pay and having a lot of these conversations. And one of the things that, I do like to always talk to women, especially women of color, about when they come to me for career advice and things like that, one on one, is like, definitely always ask for more.
[00:23:42] Arianna Davis: Like, that is never, like, never be afraid. Never feel like, oh, if I ask for more. When I get this job offer, they might take it back. So, like, I'm too afraid, so I'm just gonna take the job and be grateful, like, no. Ask for more, always. Like, the worst that can happen is that you get a no, and then you can make your decision that way.
[00:23:56] Arianna Davis: Mm hmm. Okay, so you're not gonna tell us, like,
[00:23:58] Victoria Jenn: what the numbers are? [00:24:00]
[00:24:01] Arianna Davis: I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't. I wish I could, I wish I could. Okay, bye.
[00:24:08] Victoria Jenn: all right.
[00:24:08] Arianna Davis: So you've had the
[00:24:10] Victoria Jenn: opportunity to interview some major players. And I'm going to read it off the cue card because
[00:24:14] Arianna Davis: Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey,
[00:24:16] Victoria Jenn: Mariah Carey, John Legend, Maluma,
[00:24:22] Arianna Davis: Will Smith, and the list goes on.
[00:24:24] Arianna Davis: So how do you prepare
[00:24:27] Victoria Jenn: for these conversations and how do you control like
[00:24:31] Arianna Davis: your nerves? You know, One of the interesting things, I think, is because my first job was assisting Gail and I did find myself around Oprah pretty often, I had to just get over nerves real quick. Like, it was just like, there was no time.
[00:24:47] Arianna Davis: I had to just, like, it was, is, again, I think it was one of those things where it's like, God gave me opportunities and it was like I could either be real nervous right now and just be like the shaking little leaf or I can like, you know, be on my best behavior and impress Oprah Winfrey, right? [00:25:00] Like as a young assistant, like just breaking into the industry.
[00:25:02] Arianna Davis: So I think that like because that was like my baptism by fire literally as an assistant just like being around That level of, of person, I think that that really helped me to also realize, like, at the end of the day, Oprah was someone I idolized, I grew up watching her show, I grew up watching her interviews, my mom and I, so much of what we bonded over was, like, you know, watching her on TV, and so, realizing that, like, at the end of the day, this person that I idolized for so long is still a human, and she's a person, and she's here, and she has a business that she's running, I think that helped me to just Yeah, like I was just like realizing that people are still humans, even the people that you idolize, I think it just helps to kind of humanize and I just, I think that that's the main thing that I keep in mind that when I do interview people or when I am around people who are famous or who are celebrities is, is like, they're a person just like you and I, and at the end of the day, like, yeah, I also try to approach it as like a conversation versus an interview.
[00:25:54] Arianna Davis: So I'm having a conversation with this person. I'm interested in what they're doing or what they have to talk about. [00:26:00] Just like I would be with one of my friends or over drinks with somebody versus thinking about them as a celebrity. But so I think that's helped me over time with the nerves. I will say I was really nervous to interview Hillary Clinton because it was.
[00:26:11] Arianna Davis: We, so I was one of the first interviews that she did after losing the election and she had just released her book and I mean, it's Hillary freaking Clinton and also like, you know, so much of what we talked about was relating to the election and just politics and it was just a very important interview.
[00:26:27] Arianna Davis: So that was the one I think I was the most nervous for because it was just like, Oh my, I was just like, you know, all the accolades and everything that is associated with who she is as a person. It was just like, this is the kind of interview that. You don't want to mess up that one was definitely nervous for okay, so
[00:26:44] Victoria Jenn: a couple of more tips on how people can break into the industry and then I want to transition to
[00:26:49] Arianna Davis: entrepreneur.
[00:26:50] Arianna Davis: How can
[00:26:51] Victoria Jenn: we give them tips for getting press? So if someone wants to break into this industry, they want to be on television. They want to be in front of the camera. [00:27:00] Top three tips.
[00:27:00] Arianna Davis: See, it's, so the thing is for me, I, I think that like, my trajectory was more non traditional because I did come kind of through editorial and the on camera stuff just happened.
[00:27:10] Arianna Davis: But what I will say is I think that especially if you're young now and like this generation, I think that like social media is literally at your fingertips. And so like you can literally Get yourself out there. You can market your own self. You can also use your own social media platforms as your portfolio.
[00:27:26] Arianna Davis: So 10, 15, 20 years ago, like we didn't have that option, right? But now it's like you can build your own following. You can prove that you're good on camera. You can prove that like you have interesting things to say literally from your platforms that are just at your disposal. So I definitely think One big tip would be using social media to your, advantage.
[00:27:43] Arianna Davis: I definitely think 100%, especially in media and the world of like TV, journalism, digital media, who you know is definitely important. That saying of like, it's not what you know, but who you know. What you know is definitely important, but also who you know, so not being afraid to make connections, [00:28:00] not being afraid to reach out to somebody if it's not in the bathroom, maybe it's like, you know, in an Instagram DM or it's on LinkedIn, or if you do see networking events that are in your area, like not being afraid to go, even if you go alone.
[00:28:11] Arianna Davis: I remember being 21, 22, and seeing networking events and being like, why I, like, how could I go by myself? But just really forcing myself outside my comfort zone and like meeting people, going to things, you know, events like we went to in Napa. And like, even if you don't know anyone, being open to meeting people, I think that's so important.
[00:28:27] Arianna Davis: you know, I think that it's just like anything like I think practice and just like not like knowing that you have to hone your crafts and also realizing that like, you're gonna have to work your ass off just like any industry. It's not just about, you know, looking cute or having a personality and thinking that like you can just end up on camera or that you can work for any brand.
[00:28:45] Arianna Davis: It's also knowing that like, You're going to have to grind and really work your way up. And, it's easy for me in this interview to kind of summarize my whole journey, but it's taken me 15 years to get to this point. And that even is a lot faster than it is for a lot of people. So realizing that, like, [00:29:00] it's going to take time and grind and hustle.
[00:29:02] Arianna Davis: And, I also think the other thing for people to keep in mind is that our world is always changing. And so right now. TV is around five years from now. What is media gonna look like? Like we were talking about Twitter for so long now It's X like just so many things changing at such a fast rate So I think also just being flexible and knowing that like this this industry is definitely evolving literally by the second So being flexible in
[00:29:27] Victoria Jenn: that way and also adaptable because you're going to have to
[00:29:30] Arianna Davis: ebb and flow with the industry.
[00:29:32] Arianna Davis: one
[00:29:33] Victoria Jenn: of the things that was interesting when I was inviting you on Banking on Cultura and we were talking about our conversation, you told me you had a whole boo thing. And I was like, Oh, we had a boo thing. And you've actually.
[00:29:46] Arianna Davis: Yeah. Yeah. Kept your boo thing on
[00:29:47] Victoria Jenn: the low low, purposely. So, why? And, how has that been helpful?
[00:29:55] Victoria Jenn: Because, you know, you are in the
[00:29:56] Arianna Davis: public eye. Yeah, I mean, it's not like it's a secret. I [00:30:00] think it's one of those things where like, I just don't, There was a point where I used to, we used to post about each other all the time, and I would post about him a lot, but then, I think there was a point after we actually broke up for a little while, and then got back together, and I think with the second time around, I just really realized, That I think social media for me and a lot of ways can be about kind of like, sharing what's going on with like my career and like with work and a lot of just like kind of the day to day like ambitions.
[00:30:26] Arianna Davis: And for me, I felt like so happy and solid in my relationship that it was just like, you know, I don't really feel like this is something that I need to market or that I need to like feel like I need to push content out around to impress anybody because it was really just something that felt really personal, like private to me.
[00:30:41] Arianna Davis: So. That's probably gonna change, like, y'all might, by the time this comes out, you might see something, you know what I'm saying? We might meet the boo. Yeah, but it's just like, it has, it's just like, you know, we're really happy together and it's like a really good situation, but I think that sometimes it's like, it just feels like one nice thing to just like kind of keep to myself, you know what I mean?
[00:30:58] Arianna Davis: Right. Yeah. [00:31:00]
[00:31:00] Victoria Jenn: I mean, you learn from other people's mistakes as well, because if you follow celebrities, you already know the drama that goes down with their relationships and how it's all over the place once something goes left or right. And. It's one of the things I struggle with as well, like, is when I do get my boo thing and it's like solid to a point where it's like, Oh, should I post them?
[00:31:23] Victoria Jenn: I wonder if I will, because the savages, they are out of control.
[00:31:29] Arianna Davis: Yeah, I think it's like. I think it's one of those things where I think with social media, we feel like we have to curate so much and it's just like, what am I sharing with the world? How am I going to share it? Is it a soft launch? Is it a hard launch?
[00:31:40] Arianna Davis: Like, there's just so much that like, there was a point where I was just like, I don't know, it just, it just started to feel like it was just like, When I want to post something, I will, and like it's more, I think, and that's kind of also how I think I approach social media in general, it's like, you know, there are algorithms you could follow and things you could try to do to try to like be, you know, this type of influencer or have this type of [00:32:00] following, but for me, I think I always just approach everything in my life from a place that just feels authentic and genuine to like who I am and how I feel in that moment, and so I just kind of go with the flow.
[00:32:09] Arianna Davis: Yeah. Yeah. I love that. So
[00:32:11] Victoria Jenn: let's talk about advice for entrepreneurs who are trying to pitch and maybe get on, you know, the today show. com or get on the today show.
[00:32:21] Arianna Davis: How should they be thinking about this? Like, how
[00:32:22] Victoria Jenn: should they approach? Getting, you know, themselves on the show to build their personal brand or their product, their business, what, like, how should they be thinking
[00:32:30] Arianna Davis: about it?
[00:32:31] Arianna Davis: Well, I'll speak to digital specifically because the show is kind of like a whole other arm, I work on the editorial side and We have a whole vertical called shop today, which is actually a whole other team.
[00:32:40] Arianna Davis: So if you have a product specifically or you're looking to get like your, your product or something that you're selling, like that's also like a whole different team. But I would say generally speaking, if you're an entrepreneur, I think the first place to start, which I know we talked about is just like thinking about.
[00:32:54] Arianna Davis: PR, so PR meaning public relations, if you have a product or something that you're interested in, [00:33:00] a story being told, there's two ways you can go about it. You can either A, be your own publicist and think about how you can, you know, create your own press releases or get your own word out about, you know, whatever it is that you're trying to tell and then look into finding the contacts at the places you're trying to get the word out to.
[00:33:15] Arianna Davis: Can you find emails for those people? Do you have like a very quick, snappy, like, Sales pitch basically that you're putting into an email form with like a great subject line that this person's gonna want to open Or do you want to hire somebody who can do that for you? There's plenty of PR agencies a lot of public publicists who literally do this for a living and their whole Job is literally to just like kind of take that off of your plate and figure out.
[00:33:39] Arianna Davis: Okay. Here's your product or here's your story Here is whatever it is that you're trying to get out there Here's how here's kind of the strategy of how we can go about doing that So I think the first You know, place that you want to think about is just like your marketing and your PR strategy if you're specifically really looking to Get on a show or get in a magazine or get into like a publication Okay, so hire a [00:34:00] PR team or you could think about doing it yourself and you know, figuring it out that way I think that the interesting thing too about the time that we're living in is like Everything, so much of this information is like, you can literally go on TikTok, you can go on YouTube, and you can literally figure out for yourself how to write a press release, right?
[00:34:17] Arianna Davis: So like, you know, it's very, it's like kind of basic format, like you want to have a really like catchy subject line, you want to make sure that you're like doing your research to find the contacts, find the emails. So let's use banking on cultura as
[00:34:29] Victoria Jenn: an example, what should be our catchy
[00:34:33] Arianna Davis: line? Well, I think that like the one thing to think about is like, what sets your, what would you say?
[00:34:38] Arianna Davis: I'm going to, I'm going to press you here. What would you say sets your show and your concept apart from, you know, there's a lot of podcasts out there. There's a lot of podcasts out there for Latinas. So, you know, what would you say sets your show apart from the others out there? And this is a good question for anybody with any products or anything that they're trying to pitch.
[00:34:56] Arianna Davis: What would make the today show or Oprah [00:35:00] magazine or? Esquire magazine or whatever publication out there or show or whatever think, Okay, this particular show has something special. So
[00:35:11] Victoria Jenn: I would start with the fact that we focus on cultura, entrepreneurship and monchinche. So there's an opportunity for edutainment type content, right?
[00:35:21] Victoria Jenn: So it's not super boring where people are just like, Oh, my God, like I'm at. where they're actually on the edge of their seats and feeling entertained, as they are learning. So I think that's important because there's a huge gap in the market in terms of Latino centered content that focuses on entrepreneurship specifically.
[00:35:41] Victoria Jenn: so that's one, to the caliber of my guests, my guests, obviously, I mean, hello, we have you on the show. No, but seriously, they're all people who. are super relatable, authentic. They have to have personality to them. So I think that is super important. Like you won't come to Banking Ancultura [00:36:00] and you will find a lot of fluff.
[00:36:02] Victoria Jenn: You'll find a lot of authenticity and a lot of heart led type content coupled with the educational piece. the fact that we Speak influence Spanglish. Mm-Hmm. is a key differentiator. And if you look at the data, I literally feel like I'm pitching right now.
[00:36:16] Arianna Davis: I know. If you look at the data, tell me. Yes.
[00:36:20] Arianna Davis: Victoria. Tell me. If you
[00:36:21] Victoria Jenn: look at the data, most Latinos prefer to consume content. that is English num in English number. But where they are able to see infusions of their culture throughout the content, which we are doing through the language, what they also prefer to see and where they make purchases is when they see someone who looks like them on front of the screen.
[00:36:43] Victoria Jenn: so I think all of those three major components sets us apart. And the fact that we really like to make sure that whoever is watching is not only walking away with tools that they can use and apply to their lives immediately, but that they feel good about their [00:37:00] Latinidad and they feel powerful and they view it as a competitive advantage versus an Achilles heel.
[00:37:06] Victoria Jenn: So that's a long kind of drift. So help me, like, how do I pinch that up so that people, like, get it? And
[00:37:11] Arianna Davis: they're like, yeah! Yeah, I think that there's two things.
[00:37:14] Arianna Davis: [00:38:00] So one is, I think that you can definitely pitch your show, right? You can pitch the show and pitch it as, you know, if your audience is interested in a show that [00:39:00] is, gonna Educate them on entrepreneurship while also giving them lots of laughs and lots of chisme then like, you know, this is the show for them Here's you know when it's airing Here's some of the star studded guests that you can that you can expect Like really just kind of selling the straightforwardness of the show and just trying to get the show out there but then the other thing that I think a lot that's really helpful to think about is You're the face, right?
[00:39:22] Arianna Davis: So you're the face of your show. You're the host. And so also pitching yourself as an expert. So I think a lot of times, shows, magazines, websites, they're looking for experts for stories. So let's just say that, you know, we're working on a story about, for Hispanic Heritage Month about, you know, Podcast that you should listen to right now and like, maybe we want to talk to an expert who could give us some recommendations like talking to you as a host could be an idea or if we're looking for free working on a story about entrepreneurship or how to start your own business, like pitching yourself as an expert and somebody that who can speak to different topics so that you can be kind of providing a [00:40:00] service for like whatever media alley you're talking to, but you're also then plugging your show.
[00:40:03] Arianna Davis: So we spoke to Victoria who gave us XYZ great quotes. And by the way, she's the host of Banking on Cultura. And then she's, that's literally kind of like also plugging. So I think there's two ways for entrepreneurs to think about it. One is like your actual product that you're selling or your thing that you're trying to promote.
[00:40:19] Arianna Davis: And then also how to promote yourself and think about getting your own self out there as like a business owner or the founder or the face. And. Getting in that way. Mm. That's really interesting
[00:40:29] Victoria Jenn: because I literally steered away from mentioning myself as a key differentiator on purpose because so many people have challenged me to think about, okay, outside of you as the host, Victoria Jen, like, why is banking on cultura a thing?
[00:40:44] Victoria Jenn: Why should we be paying attention? Yeah. and I, for anyone who's tuning in, like you have to think about that. Like. What is your product without you? What is your business without you? What is your show without you? Whatever it is, because I think that is super [00:41:00] powerful. But then to your point, I guess this depends on who's your audience and who you're talking to and how like, what is the best way to give you the most leverage?
[00:41:10] Victoria Jenn: Inserting yourself and your expertise and your charisma and your personality and your energy and your badassery. Am I, should I keep
[00:41:17] Arianna Davis: going on?
[00:41:17] Victoria Jenn: but no, seriously, like making sure that you understand that you are a key asset in that, in the whole scheme of things.
[00:41:24] Arianna Davis: Exactly. Yeah. And I think, I mean, I think that's a really good point.
[00:41:27] Arianna Davis: I think like business strategy wise, you definitely want to think about. You know, making sure that your idea or your product or whatever it is that you've started has a long life, like no matter, one day you might step down and you won't be involved anymore, you'll just sell it or whatever it is.
[00:41:39] Arianna Davis: So that's definitely important to think about. But I think in the moment of like trying to promote it and getting the word out there and trying to get that placement in different media outlets and trying to get promotion, I think that you shouldn't be afraid to lead into yourself as like a face. Yeah, I love that.
[00:41:54] Arianna Davis: Okay,
[00:41:55] Victoria Jenn: so let's get into the Talk That Talk
[00:41:56] Arianna Davis: segment. Ooh, Talk That Talk. So, [00:42:00] Afro Latina,
[00:42:01] Victoria Jenn: on camera, do you speak Spanish fluently?
[00:42:03] Arianna Davis: Spanglish. You speak Spanglish. Spanglish. This is why, this is why. This is our fluent language here.
[00:42:09] Victoria Jenn: so, what do you think about the, the stigma that is associated with Latinos who don't speak Spanish and how the community,
[00:42:20] Arianna Davis: I have so much to say on this topic.
[00:42:21] Arianna Davis: so for those who don't know, my background is my dad is African American, grew up, born and raised in Baltimore. My mom is Boricua, so my mom's Puerto Rican. Shout out to the Boricuas! so, and I grew up in Maryland. I grew up like, you know, outside of Baltimore where there's not a lot of Latinos. And so for me, you know, I grew up, Mostly my, you know, I, I understood Spanish because whenever I was visiting my mom's family in the Bronx, or if we went to Puerto Rico, or when I heard my mom on the phone, I would always hear her speaking Spanish, and a lot of times she or my family would speak to me in Spanish, and I would just answer in English, and obviously my dad doesn't speak Spanish, so growing up, we didn't really speak a lot of Spanish in the house, and so I I feel like it wasn't until I [00:43:00] got a little bit older and then there was that kind of moment of like my Latino friends that would tease me and they'd be like, Oh, you're not really Latina.
[00:43:06] Arianna Davis: And then I always had the dynamic to on the flip side of that, of like my black friends being like, Oh, you talk like a white girl or like, Oh, you're Mexican because you're black and Puerto Rican. Like there was always on both sides for me being biracial that I feel like I had, I always kind of was made to feel less than it was made to feel like ashamed for how it was brought up or like the fact that I come from two different cultures.
[00:43:26] Arianna Davis: So for me, I think it's. Both the language thing and also just like a kind of coming from two different cultures thing. but ultimately, I think as I've gotten older, you know, it wasn't until I was really in my 20s that I was just like, okay, I'm in control and if being, if speaking Spanish is really important to me, then like I can take control and I can like, do better about learning about it and, you know, I took, I took some classes.
[00:43:48] Arianna Davis: I also made a point of just like pushing myself outside of my, comfort zone. And speaking Spanish even when I felt, you know, uncomfortable because, The reality is I think in our community, like we get teased for if you don't have the perfect accent, you get teased if [00:44:00] you, you know, speak a certain way, you get teased if you don't know certain words and like, there's always going to be that stigma.
[00:44:05] Arianna Davis: So for me, I feel like for a long time it made me feel bad. It made me feel like, dang, I guess I'm really not that, you know, I'm not Latina enough. I'm not Puerto Rican enough. Like I felt like that pressure. But then as I got older, I was just like, fuck that. Like, I'm like, at the end of the day, like, I'm so proud to be Puerto Rican.
[00:44:20] Arianna Davis: I'm so proud to It's very important to me in the industry that I'm in. And with every accomplishment that I've had to try to represent for Latinas, to try to represent for black women. so for me, I'm like, you know what, there are certain elements of my culture that like, no one can take that away from me and can take away my identity.
[00:44:36] Arianna Davis: and at the end of the day, it's language, right? But that doesn't. Represent everything about our culture. So, I definitely think it's something that's become more important to me as I've gotten older. And I know that if I do have kids one day, like, I want to make sure that they speak Spanish. and it's not something that I blame my parents for.
[00:44:52] Arianna Davis: It's just like the, it's like the situation that we grew up in. And I think a lot of, like, second and third generation Latinos also feel the same way. It's like, if you grow up where [00:45:00] you grow up and you're not necessarily speaking it at home. It's kind of just like, it just happens. And it's not something that I feel we should have to shame each other for.
[00:45:08] Arianna Davis: It's one of those things
[00:45:09] Victoria Jenn: that is being used as like a divider. Yeah, community when we have way more bigger fish to fry. So don't get me wrong. It's super important to cultivate the language like that is a part of our identity as a community. Yeah,
[00:45:24] Arianna Davis: right. And listen, the Tick Tock girls are teaching me they're like, at the end of the day, it's the colonizers language, right?
[00:45:28] Arianna Davis: So it's like This isn't even one of the language we spoke in the first place. And like this, you know, just because some people from Spain came over. But, but at the end of the day, it's like, obviously it's like our, it's our shared language. And I think that, you know, I feel like there's, there's a lot of, we're kind of called the, the Yo Sabo kids, right?
[00:45:44] Arianna Davis: Like, this is like the thing I think with social media that is an upside is that I feel like I've made friends with the girls on Instagram who also are like me, who are Latina, who don't speak perfect Spanish and they'll post about it. And I'll be like, Oh my God, me too. And then next thing, you know, we're like.
[00:45:57] Arianna Davis: all kind of like vibing with each other and sharing our [00:46:00] experiences. So, I feel like social media can get a bad rep, but that's one of the things that I feel like I've definitely seen, is like, you can also kind of find your little corners of the internet. And there's a couple other girls, if you, I don't know if you know Maya in the moment, she's like, she was also, I know that was, yeah, yeah, Maya Murillo is her real name, but she, she's Mexican, and she, when she was at BuzzFeed, and then now as an influencer, like, did a lot of content about being, like, Mexicana, and not really speaking Spanish.
[00:46:23] Arianna Davis: Speaking a lot of Spanish, and I remember just being like, wow, like I think she was the first person that I saw who like really spoke about this. This was like years ago. I saw she did something on YouTube and then I was just like, Oh my God, I relate to that. And so it also made me feel a little bit less alone.
[00:46:36] Arianna Davis: So I think that the stigma has definitely, been removed a little bit, I think around this topic, especially as like more and more kids are growing up and not necessarily speaking Spanish, but it's still definitely a thing. Yeah, totally. We still
[00:46:50] Victoria Jenn: have a ways to go, but my hope is with shows like Banking on Cultura
[00:46:54] Arianna Davis: and having
[00:46:55] Victoria Jenn: these super candid and raw conversations about stigmas that [00:47:00] exist in our community, we can begin to unpack and we can begin to, you know, educate abuelo, tias, tios about, hey, It's okay.
[00:47:10] Victoria Jenn: If I speak Spanglish, like,
[00:47:12] Arianna Davis: stop pressing me. 1000%. There's so many bigger issues that we could be worrying about right now. Like, you know, so many things, but I think that that's, but at the end of the day, it's what's important to you and like, what makes you feel connected to your culture.
[00:47:24] Arianna Davis: And so if speaking Spanish is like one of the most important things. Then you can also do things about that. You can take the lessons, you can learn, don't be afraid. Don't be afraid to learn, don't be afraid to practice. Yeah, yeah. Alright, so where can people
[00:47:38] Victoria Jenn: like, learn about you and follow you so they can pick up the book you have right now and also get
[00:47:43] Arianna Davis: this novel?
[00:47:44] Arianna Davis: Yeah, so I'm on Instagram at, at Ariana G A B that's Ariana, one R, two N's and Yeah, you can. I mean, that's probably the best place on Instagram. I also have a website ariannadavis. com you can head there. But basically what we're free to do is available wherever you buy your books. [00:48:00] Amazon, Barnes and Noble, et cetera.
[00:48:01] Arianna Davis: And then my novel is still a work in progress. But hopefully by the time this airs, I'll have some more news to share. I would love that.
[00:48:08] Victoria Jenn: And then I would love to read it and then have you back on. Because the Latina Carrie Bradshaw. I mean, hello. That's the goal. A big deal. And, Much love and good
[00:48:18] Arianna Davis: luck for that because I know writing books is not easy.
[00:48:23] Arianna Davis: That's a whole other side hustle, honey. Yeah, so,
[00:48:26] Victoria Jenn: so kudos to you and thank you for being an example for Afro Latinas, for women. For holding it down for us on the big screen, doing your
[00:48:36] Arianna Davis: damn thing. Thank you. And thank you for what you're doing. I love that you're doing this with this show. And, I feel like this is gonna blow up and you're just gonna be, you're gonna be next.
[00:48:43] Arianna Davis: So, I'm excited for you. Thank you. Do you see me in the editorial print on today. com or on the Today Show? I mean, we could talk. We could talk. We could talk. Let's talk. No, I appreciate you
[00:48:55] Victoria Jenn: so much for being here, mama. All right, guys, that's a wrap for today's episode. [00:49:00] Make sure to tune into the next one.
[00:49:01] Victoria Jenn: Leave your reviews. Let us know what you think about the episodes. Make sure to subscribe if you're watching us on the YouTubes. Make sure download us if you're over on the audio streaming platforms. We, we taking it all. Okay, we're taking video and we're taking audio by storm. So we need you guys to like literally support and attack all fronts.
[00:49:19] Victoria Jenn: so that the today show comes and knocks on our door. Okay. That's how we doing things. No, but thanks so much for being here, guys. Until next time.