Today we’d like to introduce you to Briana Cuoco.
Briana, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I did a lot of print work and commercials as a kid. After my parents realized I also loved to sing, they put me into singing lessons and that transitioned into doing a lot of musical theatre. In middle school, I started dancing seriously and throughout high school that became my sole focus. After graduating, I worked briefly as a dancer on shows like Glee and America’s Got Talent but I quickly realized being a dancer wasn’t what I was meant to do, my heart was with singing and acting.
Since then, I was on The Voice Season 5 as part of both Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton’s teams, I do a ton of theatre around LA as well and two different Las Vegas residencies of For the Record’s BAZ, first incarnation at Mandalay Bay and the second at the Palazzo – playing Satine from Moulin Rouge. I’ve been fortunate enough to work on shows like The Mentalist, Criminal Minds, Mom, NCIS, The Big Bang Theory and the Animal Kingdom. I’ve also been able to do choreography on shows Two and a Half Men, Mom and Young Sheldon, The Big Bang Theory and The People’s Choice Awards.
I’ve been so blessed to work but the entertainment business is unpredictable and you have little to no control throughout most of it. So, almost two years ago, I don’t know what possessed me to go into an industry I knew literally nothing about, with absolutely zero experience or knowledge in starting or running a business, but I decided to start a brand – CULT. It’s been a long road of development but we are about to finally put out our first few pieces and I could not be more excited.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Definitely not smooth. Like I said, as far as starting a business goes, I had literally zero idea what the hell I was doing. So even just knowing where to begin was struggle number one. I started by meeting with any and every person I knew who either started a business, ran a business, or was just simply smarter than me and I wrote down any nugget of advice they had to offer. I went to business seminars, watched lectures online and read articles but at the end of the day – a million problems still arose and the best way to learn is to just do it and learn as you go.
You make mistakes and you hit a million roadblocks starting anything. Production, cash flow, the sample came back wrong again or the fabric doesn’t end up work working and you have to go back to step 1. But even after the millionth time I asked myself what the hell I was doing – I knew I just had to keep going. I also never forgot the importance of who you put around you because you can’t do it alone. You need a team of people that have your back emotionally and that you really trust to do their jobs because they’re great at it – I’m very lucky with who I have.
Alright – so let’s talk business. What else should we know about your work?
Cult comes from my affinity to always being attracted to both our masculine and feminine sides coming together. I’ve never liked being boxed in with the way I present myself. I like finding ways to make normally masculine pieces sexy and feminine – and that’s Cult. A multi-faced active and streetwear brand that maintains the identity that less is more. These are your favorite staple pieces blend the line between masculine and feminine. I’m also really proud of the fact that we’re a company completely built and run by amazing women.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Oh man, so many people. First and foremost – my family. The word “supportive” doesn’t even begin to cover it when it comes to my parents. The things they have done for me to continue to pursue acting, singing and getting Cult off the ground is and always be overwhelming and I simply wouldn’t have even gotten here if it weren’t for them. Same with my sister. If there’s anything she can do to help me in any way – she does it. I feel so deeply indebted to them. I also am so lucky to have incredible friends. All of whom I respect and love and I feel so grateful for the relationships we have – their support in times when I hit a roadblock with Cult and was down or wasn’t booking any jobs has been invaluable.
When it comes to my acting and singing career – I’ve been incredibly lucky to have a team that believes me in and pushes for me to get in the door – it’s hard even to find that these days and I know how lucky I am. When it comes to Cult – my Digital Art Director Kristina Catanese has been my rock – we have been best friends since high school and especially in the beginning, when I had zero clue what I was doing – she was there to help me find the solution to whatever problem I had, she was there to tell me to keep going – she always believed I could do it. It’s been crucial having her by my side on this journey. Also – and she is not last in my heart – my head designer Taylor Maher. She has been more than just a designer. She has taught me so much about the clothing industry, she has been patient with me when I asked the same question 100 times, she has believed in my vision from the beginning and has worked so hard in helping me bring it to life and I simply can’t do this without her.
Contact Info:
- Website: cultlosangeles.com | brianacuoco.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/cultla | www.instagram.com/bricuoco
Image Credit:
All black and white/Cult Images: Bonnie Nichoalds
Color Image: Violeta Meyners
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