Story & Lesson Highlights with ROSIE OKUMURA & JAY ROSENZWEIG

We’re looking forward to introducing you to ROSIE OKUMURA & JAY ROSENZWEIG. Check out our conversation below.

ROSIE & JAY, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your customers?
Most people mainly need to feel seen & heard, which is so important to me

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Rosie Okumura, also known online as IRL Rosie! I’m a content creator, voice actor, and together with my partner Jay Rosenzweig, a licensed PI with over 30 years of experience, we run IRL Investigations in Los Angeles. Our work blends traditional investigative expertise with modern tools and storytelling. We help clients uncover the truth while educating the public about scams, fraud, online safety and lot’s more. What makes our brand unique is that we bridge entertainment and investigation, turning real cases and awareness campaigns into something informative, human, and accessible. We do everything from background checks and skip tracing to surveillance and missing persons cases. We love what we do!

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
Honestly, I’ve learned the most about work from Jay Rosenzweig, my partner at IRL Investigations. He’s been a licensed private investigator for over three decades, and his discipline, attention to detail, and integrity completely reshaped how I think about work. I came from a creative world where I followed intuition and storytelling, and Jay taught me the importance of documentation, patience, and doing things the right way, not just the fast way.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I’d tell my younger self, all the twists and unconventional life changes will make sense one day. Your creativity, curiosity, and instinct to protect people aren’t random but instead they’re leading you somewhere important! The girl making videos and doing silly voices online is the same woman who will help people in real life, uncover truth, and give others strength. Trust your path because you’re building something meaningful, even when it doesn’t look traditional!

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes! the public version of me is very much the real me. What you see online and through IRL Investigations is genuinely who I am: curious, protective, and super silly! (just with a camera in front of me). The only difference is that offline, I’m a LOT quieter while I recharge. ha!

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
We both understand how easy it is for good people to be deceived. Most people think they’d “never fall for a scam” or that manipulation is obvious, but it’s not, it’s actually very psychological, emotional, and often happens to the most trusting people. Through our investigative work and content, we’ve seen how shame keeps victims quiet, and how compassion and education can turn that around. We’ve learned that truth and empathy go hand in hand, you can’t uncover one without the other.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.irlpi.com
• Instagram: @irlinvestigations
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/irlinvestigations
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@irlrosie

Image Credits
Francis Iacuzzi (black and white photo)
Chanelle Barona (round headshot with orange background)