Meet Tranell Montague, Tim Go, Sunny Leonidas, and Nathaniel Sison of ilovei media

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tranell Montague, Tim Go, Sunny Leonidas, and Nathaniel Sison.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
ilovei media was started when Sunny asked Nate and Tim about starting a YouTube channel. The following week Sunny bought a camera kit and Nate a Mac book to learn how to edit. That was the beginning of ilovei. At first, ilovei was going to be a lifestyle channel. We love shoes, tech, food, and clothing, so it seemed like a natural fit. Not long after, ilovei focused solely on food. A year later is when we added Tranell to the team. He has helped us with social media management and allowed us to film more since we each only have one stomach.

We collectively decided that in 2018 we wanted to collaborate with more influencers and vloggers. The catalyst was when Dave (@goldlinela) reached out to us for an event he put together with Phat Birds (@Phatbirds). From there we met Alex (@thehoodfoodie) who then introduced us to Leo who owns (@cilantrolime and @cilantrolime2.0). We reviewed the food and got to hear Leo’s story which is one of a kind, like the food he serves. We worked together a few more times and were invited to Raina’s HoodFoodie Torta challenge.

At this event, we were introduced to Ashley (@firstdatela), Mike (@thelokelshow), Erik (@letsgogrub), Raina (@rainaiscrazy), George (@mexi_papa_adventures), Danny (@dannycarrisoza) and Bernie (@imbernie_). We felt the need to mention everyone because they’ve all played a role in our journey and got the ball rolling for us to be where we are now. We consider them familia.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it wasn’t a smooth road at all. It took a while to gain momentum because of the learning curve. Sunny was the only one editing at first. Nate was still learning how to edit, and Tim was learning how to work the camera. We also had to get used to being on camera. It was sooo awkward being on camera.

Our first two videos were of us just eating and not talking at all. Safe to say we’ve put that behind us. Another challenge was figuring out how to choose which spots to film. At first, it was random, but now we have a method to our madness. Once we got past where to film, we had to figure out how the algorithms work, how to read the analytics, and what content resonates with our followers.

We made it a goal to release two videos per week, and to date, we’ve only missed two postings. A constant challenge is scheduling since we all have 9-5’s. We’re working hard to change that so we can deliver more quality content more often.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about ilovei media – what should we know?
ilovei media is a media company focused on reviewing cool local places to eat and helping them thrive during a time where social media plays an important role to the success of their business. We specialize in social media content on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

We are most proud of sticking to our goals, stepping out of our comfort zone, the experience we’ve gained, the people we’ve met, and to see how far we’ve come as a team since we released our first video. We can also say that we have our very own dish (ilovei mulitas) named after us at Cilantro Lime which was a major milestone for us. It’s been dope to see us grow.

We believe what sets us apart is our team dynamic and the support we get from our family and friends. Without them, it’s hard to say we would be where we are now. Also, we’re not one dimensional, and we all play a vital role in ilovei media. Most of the people we’ve collabed with mention that they wish they had a team, so that’s always good to hear.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Teamwork is at the top of the list in terms of our success. We’re homies, and that makes it easier for us to hold each other accountable and stay dedicated to our goal and pursue what we love to do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUXKMW0q92y4wS3FbCcFZyQ
• Phone: (818) 431-7356
• Email: iloveilosangeles@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/iloveilosangeles?utm_source=ig_profile_share&igshid=xtw8u2bijk1q
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iloveilosangeles/
• Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUXKMW0q92y4wS3FbCcFZyQ

Image Credit:
@timgophoto

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.