Meet Sonya Marchand of Los Angeles

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?
Not long after graduating from Howard U, a friend from college encouraged me to move to LA to pursue my dream of becoming an event producer and entrepreneur in Hollywood, but I didn’t always have a clear sense of how I could accomplish that. Like many people, I started by simply saying “yes” to opportunity — even when I wasn’t sure where it would lead. I left my job as an insurance underwriter and drove cross country from upstate NY to take on Hollywood.

My career didn’t begin with a spotlight. It began behind the scenes — watching, listening, learning, and stretching into roles that felt just slightly out of reach. I spent over 10 years as an executive assistant, starting with my first mentor, Writer/Showrunner, Eunetta T. Boone (RIP). She was a gifted producer on “Living Single” and loved to throw lavish parties. That’s literally how I got started in event production, It was a perfect space for me creatively. When not at the studio soaking up knowledge and learning the sitcom world from writers and producers like Yvette Lee Bowser, Warren Hutcherson, Kriss Turner Townsend and more,  I would plan events and even did some of the catering myself too! Eventually people started to hire me and I built a reputation for creating unforgettable experiences. During that time, I also met my husband, Emmy nominated writer/producer Mitch Marchand, right there on the Warner Bros. lot. He worked in the office next door as a PA on “The Wayans Bros”, and now we’re 29 years in with four children between us, all extremely talented and pursuing their own careers as well.

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 road has of course not been easy at all. The lessons were hard: rejection, burnout, self-doubt. But I kept showing up. That consistency became my superpower. I always knew I had stories to tell but it took me a long time to give myself the permission that I thought I needed from everyone else.

I’ve survived a lot of uncomfortable situations both professionally and personally along the way. Black women have it especially hard when it comes to getting the respect and the pay to align with our true worth. But we are built for the challenge, and we usually find a way to succeed in spite of those who might be slow to lend a hand.

Strong administrative skills kept me working during hiatuses at various studios thanks to Ted Milner, whose agency Executive Temps,  has launched the careers of hundreds of Hollywood executives, and he deserves every recognition. After Living Single, I worked for King Management, who at the time represented comedians like Jamie Foxx, Royale Watkins, Chris Spencer and more. I only stayed a year or two but enjoyed learning that world. When my son was 1 1/2 years old, I went back to work.  A 2 week temp assignment at BET Network turned into an 8 year run working for the SVP of Production, Gina Holland and then the President of Entertainment, Reggie Hudlin. I took on stretch projects every chance I got and learned the elements of production management and creative development from the inside out. I always volunteered to train interns and produce the office events; having no idea how much of my future would benefit from that. Overall, it was extremely hard for me to break out of “assistant zone” because I actually liked the work and was good at it. Years flew by while raising a young family, and I was content with work but knew I would have to make a major change in order to be seen as anything else. I always knew that one day I would get to produce projects of my own but it would have to be on my terms.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
After being laid off from BET, I went to work with Reggie at his production company, supporting his creative genius while learning from him about music, history and the art of filmmaking, including what makes a good story. I’m so fortunate to have spent part of my career working with such a mastermind in the game and simply a great person.

A random call from my friend and former colleague from BET’s PR department, Tosha Whitten, took me in the direction of producing red carpet events and project management in the PR space that I never expected to really love! We not only worked the Stellar Awards red carpet off and on for over 10 years but countless film and TV launch campaigns, celebrity events for several major networks and cable outlets. In 2012 I got a call from another producer whom I met while working at BET, Jesse Collins, who needed someone to come help set up and manage the office of his new production company. We linked arms, hired staff, found office space, and laid the foundation to produce some of the most impactful and unforgettable moments in entertainment history across TV, film and streaming media like the BET Awards, BET Honors, The New Edition Story and Bobby Brown story, American SouI and countless other projects. I will forever be proud to see the seeds that we planted back then continue to flourish, win awards and break records. Working with Jesse for almost 7 years was transformational; but the time came when I realized it was time to build my own vision too. So, I stepped away to focus on my health and my creative, and haven’t looked back.

Now, I can say that I’ve become the producer that I’ve always wanted to be. Besides being Co-Founder of P413 Productions with Talent Executive Deborah Byrd, I’ve Executive Produced my first film, Summer of Violence. Written and directed by Nicki Micheaux, the award-winning film had an incredible festival run,  with a theatrical release in 2024 and is currently available on Tubi. Last year, we worked with icons like Susan L. Taylor, Beverly Bond, Tina Knowles, Taraji P. Henson, Dr. Yusef Salaam, Iyanla Vanzant and so many more. I’ve had the opportunity to pay my blessings forward, mentoring emerging talent through film industry training programs like HBCU in LA, Studio T,  and the She Ready Foundation, founded by Tiffany Haddish. Deborah and I are currently in production on a docuseries about careers behind the lens while developing and pitching a slate of film, music and streaming projects that speak to our hearts. Look out, we’re in the lab!

Every job, every side project, every late-night brainstorm session taught me something because I can always find the value in the task no matter how difficult. I’ve learned to be comfortable with being different. What sets me apart from others is that I’m really just Sonya. The baby of that family who ran the dry cleaners from that little neighborhood in Albany, NY . Uniquely someone who is serious about her business but actually does care about yours too. If I’m in it, I’m 100% in.  I do my best to keep my word; even if it means I have to call and tell you it ain’t gonna happen. I am a believer and my faith grounds me in a way that I hope is tangible and visible to all those that cross my path. The most important lesson that I have learned is to bet on myself because I have never lacked anything needed to get where I want to go.

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