Check Out Gisela Prunés Garcia’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gisela Prunés Garcia.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I am a Spaniard that one day decided to move to a sunny location to learn English once and for all. That decision changed my life in more ways that I could ever truly express. The process of building a life and a career in a second language in a total different culture and jurisdiction was a nightmare dressed as a dream. It wasn’t until overcoming too many challenges, where all of a sudden you realize “Ah! Here it is, the dream!”. It was just hidden between the town of perseverance and stubbornness, past the labyrinth of adversity where every step felt like navigating through a maze of pitfalls, betrayals, and setbacks. 

Overcoming the initial challenges of moving abroad gave me access to career milestones I never thought possible and that went way far beyond my dreams. From not being able to finish an interview phone screening due to my difficulties understanding the language, to working in companies such as Walt Disney Studios or Getty Images and experiencing Hollywood red carpets, has been an experience I still struggle to believe it’s me, who lived it. 

Alright, 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?
The language barrier became the first struggle to overcome. It was pretty humbling realizing that all the knowledge I had was of no use If I wasn’t able to properly communicate. Then, it wasn’t just enough by speaking the new language, it was also about leveling up my communication skills so I could stay very competitive in the new market. 

Another big struggle for me was learning new legislation since in my case, as a Human Resources professional, it was critical to know employment law in the US, and in particular in the State of California. Studying this type of content in a second language was a headache. I would endure eating lots of chocolate and sweet treats that pushed me through before I found out I was Celiac. 

The challenges are too many to number, but it goes from not being able to defend yourself in situation that later I could have once I gained more knowledge to filling out your taxes wrong and receive surprises that make you cry to not realize how important is to build credit in the United States, to understand how the medical system works, to learn about loneliness at times, and like I said, the list could go on and on. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I built a career in Human Resources and have expertise in multiple areas, but I spent most of my time in Recruitment, and later, I transitioned into a strategic HR Business Partner role. 

My most recent experience has been with The Walt Disney Company. My journey with Disney started in 2014, working at Walt Disney Imagineering with the master minds that create the magic behind the Parks and continued with The Walt Disney Studios where I transitioned to focus in film and production teams. After 8 years at Disney, I accepted an offer with Getty Images, where I worked as an HRBP Manager for their Creative and Editorial teams. 

I am very grateful to have a solid foundation of knowledge in the Media/Entertainment Industry. I feel very connected to creative environments, and I find they fuel my work and my professional growth. 

In my spare time, I also created a brand called Creative Career Thinking to help others lead their careers. This brand is also a window to my own development as a professional in the industry that allows me to be engaged in creative endeavors and learn from others while building community. I am finalizing a book about Networking that I believe will speak to the creative audience and should be out very soon! 

Nowadays, I am assessing the possibility of taking another risk, another leap of faith to continue my career in a different capacity but it’s too soon to share what would that look like! We will have to speak again in a few months : ) 

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love the amount of professional opportunities this city offers. LA will always have my heart and my gratitude for the amount of constant opportunity. Also, I found in LA it is very easy to find other professionals interested in collaborating in thousand projects and ideas in order to create something new, or to experiment. At least, this is the environment in which I have been swimming. 

LA in the other hand, it is a city that I found very difficult to navigate, to socialize and to deeply connect with people since there is constant movement and long distances. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.creativecareerthinking.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giselaprunes/