Autumn 24 Full The Entrepreneurial Spirit Issue Final

Worlds about the Philippines national team's journey to the 2023 World Cup. In the podcast series, Reyes shines a light on the commonalities of the Filipino American experience by interviewing players who were born and raised in the United States and embrace their heritage by playing for the Philippines National Team. Unlike her other work in sports media, Between Two Worlds and her subsequent work highlighting Filipino American athletes is a self-funded, self- produced labor of love. While creating her passion project, Reyes had yet to learn how her followers and the sports world would perceive it. "I remember thinking, 'If I could just get one hundred people to listen to it, or if one person listens and feels more seen or validated, I'll be happy. I would consider that a success.'" Little did she know that the podcast would go on to amass a loyal following and be celebrated by the Filipino American and soccer communities.

ince producing the podcast, Reyes realized there was a massive appetite for content that celebrated and honored her heritage. This content has become a large portion of her work, eventually leading her to visit the Philippines for the first time last April to film for an upcoming documentary project. Reyes's career highlights include attending the Golden Goggle Awards (US Swimming's most prominent award night), interviewing

Sam Kerr pitch-side for her first on-camera segment, and working with corporate titans like Nike, Google, EA Sports, and Capital One. However, when asked to pick her favorite standout moment, Reyes responds with "The Between Two Worlds podcast. Not only because of the reception level it received but because it means so much to me." Reyes points out that she's grateful for all the opportunities she's had in the last two years since she quit her full-tiwme job and decided to forge her path as an independent creator in sports media. Reyes has cultivated her brand in a seemingly calculated way. Even while working full-time, she remained active on social media, voicing her thoughts and unique opinions on men's and women's sports and creating a name for herself in the space. She was building her brand while just participating in a community she was passionate about. As Reyes grew her audience, she became more thoughtful about what she posted online to ensure it aligned with her brand. When she finally made the jump to freelance life, she knew what her interests were and what stories she wanted to tell, using the platform that she had worked to build throughout her entire career. When asked about the importance of building her brand, Reyes points to the power of social media, which can be wielded for good or evil. You never know who's watching, not necessarily in the wrong way. "Be careful what you post online" goes both ways. So, put yourself out there and continue to create. You'll never know where you'll end up.

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