Blog by Jessica Counti, an undergraduate social science student at the University of Western Ontario.
Julianna D’Urzo, a graduate from both Ryerson University and Syracuse University, and a digital producer for an LA-based company, is a new up and coming entrepreneur and the founder of Coast 2 Coast Collective. Started in September 2020, Coast 2 Coast Collective is a digital agency that creates content for companies in Canada and the United States, from assisting companies with branding, content creation, podcast production, consulting, and more. Julianna and her team are very well equipped to handle your digital needs, and have had success with a variety of clients.
What inspired Julianna to start her business? She has always wanted to start her own business, and with the climate of the media industry changing drastically during the pandemic, she saw this as a great opportunity to really help companies come back from this and improve their digital identities. With experience working for a production company already, she says that she saw a window of opportunity to not only help people with their businesses, but with the ongoing pandemic, to have the flexibility to work from home. “That’s why I wanted to start the company…I love to travel, but not being able to travel, the whole idea of Coast 2 Coast and creating content that’s borderless and moves coast to coast with local creators will enable us to provide a global impact”
Part of being an entrepreneur, is the challenges that will come with it. Julianna says that with so many components in some projects, time management can be difficult sometimes. “Everything that’s involved in putting together a podcast... it's not just editing but it’s cover art for the logo, it’s guest outreach, it’s listening to make sure everything sounds okay, it’s writing the intros for the podcast… there’s a lot of tasks that people don't necessarily see”. However, with hard work and determination, Julianna has risen above these tasks and challenges in a way that has helped her to become a stronger entrepreneur, and she claims that organization and time management are key components in managing her business.
The next thing I inquired about were Julianna’s goals as an entrepreneur. With her passion, drive and enthusiasm, it is without a doubt that her goals embody the same spirit. “I had three goals: to be on air, to be a professor, and to be an entrepreneur”. Although she claims that her final goal may have come sooner than she would have expected, she is nonetheless excited to have embarked on this opportunity.
Finally, what has been Julianna’s proudest moment as a business owner? According to her, it is helping customers bring their vision to life that has brought her a lot of satisfaction and joy as an entrepreneur. In a recent project with a client, she says it is also here that she felt very proud of what she does as an entrepreneur, helping others achieve their business goals and aspirations through marketing and production.
Being an entrepreneur is not an easy task to take on… but in a pandemic? Even more grit and determination is required. That is why entrepreneurs like Julianna are great examples of go-getters who find a gap and see an opportunity to fill it.
Instagram: @juliannadurzo | Website: coast2coastcollective.com