Check Out Celeste Escalera’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Celeste Escalera.

Hi Celeste, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
In 2016, I took a leap of faith and moved to California, from Las Vegas with no job, just determination, a few dollars, and a dream. Coming from a corporate accounting background, I desperately wanted to break into freelance Hollywood accounting. But no one would give me a chance, I faced relentless rejection and gatekeepers who dismissed my experience. Meanwhile, I ran my event business, XperyenceZ, producing high-profile red carpet events for clients like Netflix, Pepsi, Disney, Universal, Grey Goose, and more, all while crying in three-hour freeway traffic each morning to a job that drained me.
Those years shaped the soul of Discontently Happy, a self-reflection book I’ve been working on for over two decades. It covers everything from navigating toxic bosses and near-homelessness to surviving a traumatic moment when I witnessed a murder. The case wasn’t solved for five years, and after a newspaper published my name, I had to be relocated for safety. Life hasn’t been a straight path; it’s been a series of plot twists I’ve turned into purpose.
Eventually, I broke into the industry, landing freelance work on major productions like Fast X, The Gray Man, and Black Barbie (Netflix). But in 2024, the work suddenly dried up. Depressed and unsure what to do next, I pivoted again, launching XPYZ, a TikTok creator-management agency. It grew quickly until the TikTok ban hit, and I found myself in yet another uncertain chapter.
So, I wrote. First, as a form of venting. Then, as storytelling. I turned the bizarre livestream drama I’d witnessed into a psychological thriller – The A-I “Lies” Within, centered around obsession, AI, and identity, that went on to be selected for the Seoul International AI Film Festival. Then one night, I stumbled across a “Starseed” ad, and it hit me: I’ve written about feeling disconnected from this world in my journal for years. I spent one full day pulling old entries and shaping them into a short script: The “SEED” Between Worlds and Stars. That script went on to win Best Short Screenplay – Drama (Honorable Mention) at the New York Screenwriting Festival – my first script, first submission, first placement, and Bangkok Society of Film Critics’ Award – Short Script.
It reminded me, I’m not stuck in one role. I’m allowed to evolve. I’m a storyteller.
Now, I’m expanding XPYZ into a WGA-signatory company to help other writers like myself gain access to studios and literary reps the proper way, not just through favors and “homey hookups.” And as I keep writing, pitching, and building, I’ve also raised five amazing kids, two biological (a music producer and a fashion designer/stylist at just 23), and three incredible bonus children.
No matter how messy life gets, I’ve learned that reinvention is always possible. You’re never too late. You’re never too far gone. And every detour might just be the start of your next chapter.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Has it been a smooth road?
Not even close – and honestly, I wouldn’t trade the chaos for anything. My journey has been unpredictable, painful, and full of unexpected pivots. When I moved to California in 2016, I had no job, no industry contacts, and barely a safety net. I ended up working at a property management company with not one, but two back-to-back bosses who were the definition of toxic. I used to cry in traffic every morning, commuting three hours to that job that drained me while secretly building my event business, XperyenceZ, on the side, producing events for brands like Defend Paris, and getting stars like Jovan Armand of Shazam (the movie) on red carpets, and more.
Trying to break into Hollywood as a freelance production accountant was a battle. My corporate background meant nothing to the gatekeepers in this industry. I mean, WOW, I was once the accounting controller at PH Casino for Planet Hollywood INTL for 8 years in Las Vegas, you would think that held some weight. No one would give me a shot. But I kept pushing. I also wrote myself a check for $1 million and tucked it into my wallet, because I once heard Jim Carrey did the same thing before he made it big, and I thought, why not me too?
Eventually, I got in. I worked on major projects like Fast X, The Gray Man, and Black Barbie for Netflix. I was finally thriving until 2024, when the work dried up completely. I spiraled. I was broke, depressed, and watching everything I’d built fall apart. My first business stalled, so I started a second one, XPYZ, a TikTok creator agency, which began to grow… until the TikTok ban came down and shook the whole industry again.
So, I pivoted again. I started writing. First to vent. Then to heal. Then to create. I turned livestream chaos into a psychological thriller, The A-I “Lies” Within. I turned late-night journal entries into a fantasy short, The “SEED” Between Worlds and Stars, which ended up winning Best Short Screenplay Honorable Mention at the New York Screenwriting Festival. I found my creative voice in the wreckage of everything I thought I’d lost.

My struggles haven’t just shaped me – they’ve paved the way for my children. Watching me push through career blocks, financial setbacks, and personal losses gave my daughter, Rielle Esc., and my son, OHSEA of G.O.D.S Music, a front-row seat to what resilience really looks like. They often tell me that it’s the lessons in perseverance, seeing me rebuild over and over again, that fuel their drive to keep going in their own creative paths. I didn’t just teach them to dream – I taught them to fight for it. And every time life tries to knock them down, I hear my voice echoing back through them: “Keep on truckin’.”

No, it hasn’t been smooth. But every setback sharpened my direction. Every heartbreak became a plotline. And every breakdown? A breakthrough.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a proud jack-of-all-trades, and I say that with confidence, not apology. I blend the structure of traditional accounting (yes, I can still ten-key by touch in my sleep) with the imagination of a dreaming Aquarius and the hustle of a businesswoman who refuses to be boxed in. I’ve worked for years as a freelance production accountant on major Hollywood films, but I’m also a writer, event producer, agency owner, and fashion designer in the making.

What sets me apart is my ability to pivot across industries without losing my authenticity. I don’t believe in limiting my talents to one niche. Why should I? One of my millionaire friends once told me, “Celeste, you need to create seven streams of income from your skills, because that’s how you survive any economy.” I took that to heart.

I launched XPYZ, a TikTok creator-management agency, during a digital shift that many people feared, but I saw opportunity. I also run XperyenceZ, my red carpet and brand activation event company that has worked with names like Netflix, SBE Hyde Bellagio, and Pepsi. Right now, I’m developing BADA Chic, a fashion line inspired by Korean streetwear with my own signature twist. And I’m preparing to launch a “purse and sip” concept, think paint-and-sip but with hand-stitched, luxury-inspired purses. Not actual Birkins, but the same craftsmanship style, offered as fun, confidence-building classes.

What I’m most proud of is that I kept going, even when it would’ve been easier to stop. I’ve turned setbacks into side hustles, ideas into income, and trauma into storytelling. I don’t just dream big, I act big. And I’m building a brand around the idea that being multifaceted isn’t a flaw, it’s a power.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
The next 5 to 10 years are going to be wild-in the best and weirdest ways. In entertainment, I see a shift toward more digital-first, remote-friendly productions. Accounting and crew jobs are already being streamlined with new tech, but I think we’re going to see even more automation and AI tools helping creatives and crew alike work smarter, not harder. That means those of us who can adapt, especially freelancers, will thrive.

On the creator side, I believe the influencer space will continue to grow, but it’ll favor authenticity over perfection. People are tired of the fake. I’ve seen firsthand how livestreamers who are raw and real outperform the ones trying too hard. That’s why I created XPYZ – because there’s power in helping creators build sustainable careers while staying true to themselves. But with all the AI and virtual influencers entering the scene, I think we’ll also be forced to have bigger conversations around digital ethics and what’s real anymore.

As for events and fashion? The future is all about experiences. That’s why I’m excited about my upcoming “purse-and-sip” workshops and BADA Chic clothing line. People want to create, feel, connect, especially after years of screens and distance. The lines between fashion, tech, entertainment, and culture are blurring. And that’s exactly where I thrive.

So where’s it all going? Honestly, I think the future belongs to the multi-hyphenates. The people who don’t fit one box. If you can blend your talents and adapt, there’s room for you at the top.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://THEAILIESWITHIN.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chescalera/?igsh=MXdzamo5dHE3cDB3NA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr#
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/celesteescalera?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
• Other: XperyenceZ.com & celesteescalera.com

Image Credits
XpyeryenceZ is my creation from many many moons ago when I first opened the company in 2014