1. What do you do? What is your field?
Currently, I’m in business development but I’m also a freelance writer, playwright and photographer.
2. Are you self employed? If not what company do you work for?
I’m both! I work for an amazing social networking company in development called MyCircles. I also do some writing for a few blogs, take my photos and express myself creatively on the side.
3. What do you feel is your biggest professional achievement?
I wrote a short play last year about my life in the military and the loss of my husband. It wasn’t just significant as a professional achievement. It really opened the doors for my writing and for others who’ve experienced the same thing. The play has been a huge success and is still being shown in the SOFL area.
4. Who do you help with your products or services?
With MyCircles our goal is to help everyone who enjoys social networking enjoy it with added privacy and unique controls over sharing. It’s important in this age of what I like to call “digital empowerment” that the users feel as much control as possible. If we can ensure that one person shares their uniqueness without fear then we have succeeded.
With my writing, as a playwright I want to ensure that I share my truth as openly as I can. So many people suffer from so many things and to be able to show them their not alone or give them a brief moment away from their reality is always a win for me.
5. Where do you see yourself next year?
Next year I see myself elbow deep in building up MyCircles and showcasing it to the social media world. I also see myself exploring more in my writing and art in general. I want to make sure that even as I progress in my “day job” I don’t leave behind the creative side of me.
6. What motivates you?
It may sound strange but the lack of understanding things motivates me. LOL. I’ve always been someone who questions everything, since I was a child I’ve been that way. When I can’t figure something out I become so immersed in it and it motivates me to push to making things more understandable. If that makes any sense. LOL.
7. What is something you learned from being in your field that they didn’t tell you in school?
Well, I didn’t go to school for what I do now so in that sense I learned absolutely nothing from school. I never felt comfortable in college. Sometimes I was bored and sometimes I felt that everything said was always communicated to make you feel less intelligent. I learned everything from hands on experience and working my way up to where I am today. Everyone learns differently and I felt like I needed to take a different approach then most.
8. Who do you look up to and why?
I know it sounds very cliché but I really look up to my boss Leon. With the development of MyCircles he’s been through so much but his passion and perseverance has never faltered. It’s amazing to be around someone who has so much raw passion for his dream. It’s rough to watch sometimes because failure is part of everything in life but sometimes failure teaches us so much and seeing someone who understands that a knock down is not a reason to give up is almost unheard of. He fights everyday to bring his dream to life and I couldn’t ask for a better mentor.
9. What’s the most annoying thing you see on social media?
Trolling! I understand we live in a day and age where everyone wants to speak their mind as they are hidden behind the anonymity of their keyboards but sometimes it’s just cruel. I don’t see the point of starting a comment battle because one person has a difference of opinion in an article you shared. Sometimes it leads to arguments with complete strangers who can say cruel and hateful things to get their point across and to me it feels petty and pointless. Words still hurt people even if they are just typed in a paragraph on a FB post.
10. Have you ever given in to a social media fad? If so which one?
I think social media itself is a fad so I suppose that means I’ve given in already. LOL. Recently, I was accused of giving into the underarm “no shave” movement. I find that whatever anyone chooses to do with their body is their business but my involvement in the anti-shaving really had nothing to do with Miley Cyrus and her magenta pits. I am going through a medical issue which prohibits me from shaving and because of that I’ve learned a lot of about the dangers of shaving and the issues that can come with it. I proudly rock my #FreePits because it has allowed me to be healthier and not to mention save a lot of money on razors.
11. What projects are you currently working on?
Currently, my fiancé and I are working on building up a local production company and online magazine called The OMEN. We’ve both had our hands in the local music scene for many many years and we want to craft local shows with national acts that create an intimate experience and allow for local artists to share their music. With the magazine we want to create a place where local music is encouraged and brought to light in a more accessible way globally.
12. How did you get where you are today?
A lot of hard work and a lot of horrific experiences have shaped me. Feeling like you’ve hit a wall sometimes makes you want to give up but we get lucky and we find away around or even through that wall. If I wouldn’t have gone through so much so young, I don’t think I would be anywhere near where I am today.
13. Tell me something about you that people don’t usually know?
I’m a fragile over thinker. LOL. I laugh at it because I think so much and see so many outcomes and I go passed what would be normal conclusions sometimes. I’m a lot more sensitive than I look. Being heavily tattooed I think gives people this impression of me as this strong person but even though I can be, I’m still very much insecure and fragile. I have a big heart and I wear it on my sleeve. Having to grow up so quickly I was always pegged as the strong one, the one who could deal with anything. Though that’s a wonderful trait I think people around me tend to forget that even “strong” people need support sometimes and a shoulder to lean on.
14. Who do you consider social media famous?
I would have to say my friend Vanessa. She’s an alternative model who goes by Vany Vicious. It’s not just because she’s got an insane amount of followers but she’s such a hard worker. She’s done everything on her own and created her own business by doing what she loves. It amazing to see how hard she works and how much she still loves to get up and push herself everyday.
15. How can we find you online?
I’m pretty much everywhere!
Twitter: @TheVampDeVille
IG: @TheVampDeVille
FB: https://www.facebook.com/denise.zubizarreta
Websites: www.MyCircles.com
www.DMPMiami.com
http://omenent.weebly.com
Get Social Media Fame the book, out July 10th!
