TFP Interviews Executive Assistant, Alma Rodriguez>

The “Why I Love” series is a Q & A session with members of the True Film Production team.

Describe your role at TFP in 3 sentences or less.

I have 2 roles so I’m using more than 3 sentences 😉

I am our CEO’s Executive Assistant and the Office Manager at True Film Production HQ.

As Office Manager I’m in charge of all office related matters, including maintaining the office’s condition, updating and maintaining office policies, addressing employee queries regarding office management issues, purchasing office supplies and equipment, as well as maintaining proper inventory levels.

As the Executive Assistant I’m in charge of coordinating our CEO’s calendar – planning meetings, appointments, calls, and events, managing emails, providing reminders; as an executive assistant my tasks vary day to day, but the duty remains the same, assist our CEO.

What about your role do you find fulfilling?

I get the best of both worlds. As an executive assistant I get to work side by side with the person in charge of the entire show.

As an office manager, I get to work side by side with the entire TFP Team. I oversee my coworkers and that allows me to learn more about them as individuals.

What’s your favorite activity (other than work)?

I don’t have a specific activity that’s my favorite. However, there is one thing I have to do daily, no matter what: I journal/write. I  never miss a day of writing; even if I don’t have much to say, I have to end my day by writing what I feel or what’s on my mind, or creating a short story.

Go into detail about one of your 5 most interesting personal facts.

I’ve studied numerous languages throughout my life. I’m fluent in four languages.

English (duh).  

Spanish, but I don’t consider myself someone who knows the language just because they were exposed to it since birth. I know Spanish because I’ve spent years studying the language in depth. The journey began in elementary school when I was given the option to be a part of a Dual Language program. This meant that I would take all standard courses in English – but was also taught the same courses for a period of time throughout the week in Spanish. This continued until I reached High School, and allowed me to master the language. Not only can I speak Spanish, but I can comfortably read and write as well. Learning how to speak a language isn’t the only aspect of studying a language. When I reached High School I took Advanced Placement Courses in Spanish Language, Spanish Language History and Spanish Literature, which allowed me to dive deeper into the language and its history.

French. In High School I studied French for 4 years, and was placed in an Advanced French Language course.  When I went to college, although I was exempt from taking Language Courses, I continued studying French, and then went on to study Portuguese.

I’ve set a goal to learn and master every romance language before I take on a completely different language. I’ve begun studying Italian, but I first want to master Portuguese before I fully dive into the Italian language.

Learning a new language has always been extremely important to me. I’m interested in traveling and learning from new cultures, but I’m not interested in doing so solely through visual experience I’m interested in building a connection with other cultures through what I hear. I want to be able to communicate with the locals and allow them to comfortably express themselves in their native tongue, making our conversations more personal and sincere.

Why did you choose your specific superhero?

There are only two female superheroes that I really like and they are Wonder Woman and Storm. I’m not big into the world of superheroes so I don’t know any heroes other than the common ones I saw on lunchboxes as a kid. My choice was between Wonder Woman and Storm, so I picked the Superhero that doesn’t get as much love.

Why do I like them? WOMAN POWER! These ladies are all about leadership, they’re the bosses. Storm in particular? She’s not only a leader, she’s also a teacher and a guide. That’s a great quality for leaders – lead by example. I love what they represent: femininity and leadership.

What is your favorite movie and why?

Grease! A million times Grease! I’ve watched Grease over 100 times and have yet to become tired of it. I LOVE everything about Grease. I can’t narrow it to one thing. There’s something about the music, the fashion, the songs, the dances and performances, I just LOVE it all! I can recite the entire movie from beginning to end! That tends to annoy people but I can’t control myself, the Grease bug kicks in and gets me in the best of moods.

If you were recruiting someone to work for TFP, what would your pitch be?

Think about your past jobs, employers, and coworkers. When’s the last time someone cared about your efforts, or you as an individual? How many people were you able to build a true connection with that goes beyond “Oh, an employee/a coworker.” How often were you allowed to be yourself without being judged/criticized? When did anyone ever show interest in your professional and personal growth, and tried to assist in that journey? Have you ever worked at a place where your happiness was a genuine interest to your employers? We’re the true definition of a team. You provide your skills and experience, we value it, we value you, we work hard together, and we all move forward together.

What is your favorite TFP or TI video?

Blake Leeper – I’m all about self-love, confidence, motivational stories, and hard work. His story is a reminder that no matter what obstacles arise nothing is impossible to beat!