Call her a diva, a princess, a hustler, an inspiration, a motivator, or better yet .. a business woman. Whatever you call her, this English Diva has it going on. Dennica Abdo is the CEO of several businesses including the forefront of Fashion Meets Music , English Gal Media, and London Car Taxi Service just to name a few. She brings you entertainment and news from the UK to LA. Dennica gives Treazuremag.com the in’s and out’s of the biz, and about her being the biz!!!
Where are you from? Tell us about your childhood.
I was born and bred in London, my parentage is Ghanaian (West Africa) and Lebanese (Middle Eastern) I’m the oldest of 5 children which consisted of 3 brothers, 1 sister, therefore I always had a lot to live up to and an example to set. My parents were pretty strict growing up which I’m very thankful for and my childhood consisted of lots of book clubs, going to the theatre, watching musicals on TV, riding bikes, playing in our large garden or the huge local park, being taken to workshops for cooking, making t-shirts, you name it. I feel very lucky to have had such an enriching childhood.
When did you come to the US? How is US different from the UK?
I’ve been in the US on and off since I was 5 years old, but made the full time move about 7 years ago. Being in the US as an adult was a major culture shock, I think more so because I was heavily in the “Entertainment Industry”, TV Production. I basically found out that in LA or should I say Hollywood, what you see is not what you get. I learned a lot of lessons early on and basically now take everything with a pinch of salt. The only bad thing I can say is that I have become a lot more cynical since my time here, whereas I used to be a very trusting, carefree and go lucky individual.
What and when was the first business that you started? How did it come about?
My first business came about by accident around the age of 18 whilst in London. I used to go out a lot and was very sociable (which is how my social butterfly nickname came about) and I networked with a lot of DJ’s, entertainment folk etc. I basically became the 411 of events. As you know London is 24/7, there is something going on every night of the week. I would have strangers calling me up at all hours asking what was going on that evening and I would rattle off 4 or 5 clubs or celebrity events taking place around London. That progressed to actually holding my own events and promoting/marketing other peoples.
Who and/or what was your inspiration behind becoming an entrepreneur?
Moving to LA and witnessing all those hustling around me, I realized that the world really is your oyster out here. Not saying that you can’t achieve what you want where you are or where you come from, but in Hollywood everything is concentrated; you have so many people out here chasing the same thing so there are more provisions here to reach that goal. Also, I was the backbone for several start-ups in the entertainment industry when I first moved out here. I was with them when they had nothing and knew nothing and I was slaving away putting everything together for them because I was the only one with any experience in what they were trying to achieve. Then they hit the big time because of your hard work and they don’t want to share, so you’re out the door. Money makes people do crazy things, but I’m blessed and everything happens for a reason and those experiences have only made me wiser and better as a person.
Tell us about your businesses:
I have several businesses or should I say projects? Everything comes under the English Gal Media umbrella.
English Gal Media – PR, Marketing, Events, Fashion, Entertainment Magazine, Social Network, TV Production. Basically a one-stop shop for all your needs, whether it be a press release, filming and covering an event, viral marketing campaigns or coordinating your release party for you.
www.englishgalmedia.com
Dennica’s Place – Online Entertainment Magazine. This site was started when I decided to flex my entrepreneur muscles several years ago. It was a reference point for me, something that people could go to to see what I had done, my credentials. It sort of grew from there, a fully fledged online magazine, eblasts and a weekly newsletter. Currently the site is being revamped and merged with the English Gal Media site, so please keep checking for updates on the launch.
www.dennicasplace.com
London Taxi Car Service – Vintage London Taxi Cab in Los Angeles. I had always dreamed of having a traditional London Taxi out here in Los Angeles and when one came my way, I had to get it. It’s being used as a car service, i.e. for red carpet events, weddings, photo shoots, movies; music video’s that kind of thing. Comedienne Luenell recently used the taxi for her red carpet entrance at the Black Hollywood Film Festival and I’ve had enquires from Gnarls Barkley and Chrisette Michele’s people about possibly using the car for future projects. It comes with all the authentic frills, right hand drive, suicide doors, drop seats, taxi light, vintage British fare chart etc.
www.lalondontaxi.com
English Gal Apparel & Accessories – My clothing line showcasing why it’s cool to be an English Gal. I’ve been honored to have Davetta Sherman (The Young and the Restless), Saaphyri (Charm School), Brittany Jo (Model) and Jordyn Taylor (Singer) model English Gal in the past. Fully fledged website coming soon.
www.englishgal.com
Fashion Meets Music – Showcasing new designers, performers & vendors, LIVE Events, TV & Web. Fashion Meets Music (FMM) was designed to give fashion designers, models and musical performers a place to be seen and heard, a place to showcase their talent. Patrons can network with industry professionals and shop for one of a kind pieces, samples and cutting edge clothing lines. FMM also features live art, DJ’s, gift bags and much more. It's the premiere location for networking and shopping within the fashion and music industry. Fashion Meets Music has also been picked up as a TV show, on a screen near you very soon.
www.fashionmeetsmusic.tv
How long does it take you to prepare for the Fashion Meets Music Events?
Depending on how many designers and artists we’re showcasing, the show’s usually take around 2 months to prepare for. Finding the perfect location, gathering designers, auditions, fittings, rehearsals, selecting artists, gathering sponsors and the right vendors for the event.
What are some of the challenges that you face in running your businesses? How do overcome them?
People who underestimate you because you’re female, it happens a lot, then they realize you mean business and it’s a whole different ball game. I usually deal with it by talking properly, i.e., putting my BEST British accent in full effect, lol.
What does your daily schedule consist of?
I’m up early, around 5am and go to bed late, around 1am, unless I have an event to go to then around 3am.
If I don’t have meetings booked, locations to view, events to cover or conference calls scheduled then you’ll find me online. 90% of my day is spent online; it’s where I get everything done. I also do a lot of work with European production companies and artists so my early morning is their end of day, therefore a lot of my work is done around 5-8am.
What are you currently working on?
At the moment, I'm working on the biggest global fashion soiree to hit the MAGIC, POOL and PROJECT Tradeshows next month in Las Vegas. This event is being hosted by supermodel Tyson Beckford and taking place at the #1 & #2 luxurious casino resorts on The Strip, the Wynn and the Bellagio. It's a major project, the first of many. You can get more information at www.TheFashionNations.com
I've also teamed up with 3 other strong business minded females in the industry to produce an event we'll be launching next year. It's still in the planning stages, but it's going to be HUGE.
On the PR and marketing side, I'm currently working with TREW, an amazing Hip-Hop artist out of VA who you'll soon be hearing a lot more of, check him out at
www.trew804.com
G-Symphony is a LA based producer making waves in the music industry -
www.myspace.com/gsymphonymusic
Various projects with my New York based mentor and friend Lila Polite, a phenomenal woman who I truly admire and appreciate.
And a project I'm honored and very excited to be part of
www.thatswzup.com, the one-stop entertainment portal that will soon be taking over the world, stay tuned.
What are your future goals? What steps are you taking to achieve them?
My future goals, that’s a hard question to answer because I have so many.
First and foremost and what I’m working towards at the moment is to take Fashion Meets Music global. I’m currently working on a Nationwide Tour, if you want Fashion Meets Music in your city, let me know. Also syndicating the Fashion Meets Music TV show.
To have my clothing line in department stores, not just boutiques. I want to walking down the street or watching TV and see “English Gal’s” everywhere.
To grow English Gal Media as a whole, I want each “project” under my umbrella to be successful in their own right.
Affirmation that you live by
I actually live by two.
Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.
Don’t just exist, make a difference
Where you can find me:
www.englishgalmedia.com
www.myspace.com/dennica
englishgalmedia@gmail.com
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