MEET ABBIGAIL AREVALO
What is the name of your business?
Abyssal Performing Arts
how long have you been a 1909 member?
Since the start!
in a nutshell, what is IT that you do for a living?
I’m a professional Hula Hooper & Fire Performer
What is your why? How did you get to where you are today?
In 2014, I picked up a hula hoop that my mother kept behind the T.V. I felt it in me to listen to my favorite music and just dance with it. I found out right away that I was naturally really good at it and I had a deep earning to unlock more this plastic circle had to offer to my life. In 2015, I went through a really rough year. I left the top university in Florida because of depression, I was going through a terrible breakup, and I didn’t have a sense of purpose for my life. In the end, I just worked 2 miserable jobs and my only source of happiness was hula hooping. Hooping was my therapy. In 2016, I found a hoop troupe online in L.A that was making money hula hooping! I was so inspired that I drew up my business plan and I never felt more motivated to get out of bed in the morning. At the end of this year, I was working a retail job and the job told me that I couldn’t visit my family in Texas. I only saw my family all together once a year in Texas. Therefore, I quit my job.
That Christmas break, I bought my other hula hoop and I decided I was going to try and get gigs. The first venue I walked up to was Pawn Shop, now Clematis Social, and I introduced myself and what I do to Cleve Mash. In the first 5 minutes, he invited me to perform 3 nights a week for the venue. It lasted this way for a year and a half! Every since I quit my retail job, I have networked and sacrificed any means of a “normal” life to live one that I get excited to wake up to everyday as a freelance performance artist.
I am not only a multi hoop circus hula hoop performer, but I’m a pro fire dancer and aspiring stilt walker and aerialist. I have made my full time living creating experiences for people through arts and entertainment. I have gotten paid to travel doing what I love to do as a performer and I have met some interesting people. In addition to performing, I am a performance arts business coach.
I have created Abyssal Performance School, an online ecourse that teaches other performance artists and flow artists how to make a living and build the life of their dreams with their talent. Looking back, I really did leave behind my life to join the circus.
What are some challenges you've had to overcome while running (or starting) your business?
Usually when you start a new job, your employer will give you training, orientation, and paperwork so you know all the ropes. When I first started performing and making my way into the entertainment industry, I was never given any guidance from anyone in the field. There was never a program for me to move from point A to point B. I had to learn through integrating lessons from business books, workshops, YouTube, and other entrepreneurs to create systems that I needed to make my business successful.
I had a talent, but I had to learn how to be a business woman. I had to learn how to find and speak to my own clients, create contracts, create invoices/deposits, and learn how to be a professional in many situations. I had to make a lot of simple, innocent mistakes that could of been avoided if someone was there to explain things to me or guide me in my field.
Although I love what I do entirely, the entertainment industry can be very competitive and cut throat. Because of this, I was never handed a formula for success so I have faced a lot of challenges and mistakes to figure it out on my own. With every fiber of my being I do try to be inspiring, positive, and encouraging to not only my clients but to other performers in my industry. In fact, this is what inspired me to create Abyssal Performance School! I hope to be a light with a healthy entertainment community. I hope I can help an overwhelmed aspiring performer as I once was to feel supported and feel they can be successful!
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone starting out on this Business Owner path?
If you make it a habit to put in at least 1% into your business every day, you can accumulate something really amazing overtime. Make it a priority to do that for your business every day.
What is your favorite life lesson?
Don’t put energy into relationships that don’t put energy into you. This is true for relationships in love, friendships, and business. Go where you are celebrated.
Why is 1909 important to you?
1909 is insanely important to me that I don’t even know how to put it into words! 1909 creates a space that I feel safe in. I love that I can connect with other creatives, entrepreneurs, and professionals. I have a lot of emotional support behind everything that I do. I have support for my business and there are professionals at 1909 that can give me the best advice on the spot. I love the professional development workshops, too. Overall, the creative and productive energy to 1909 is what I need to be successful.
You're grabbing lunch in Downtown WPB - Where are you going and what are you getting?
Kabuki! I am getting the red dragon roll, fried shrimp shumai, and water with lemon.
If you could change one thing about West Palm Beach - what would it be? why?
Affordable housing is something that West Palm Beach needs! Our housing market goes to the people in big corporations or with money outside of our local economy. There needs to be affordable housing for local business owners. Inflation is occurring everywhere in the country, but I believe that there needs to be some work done in West Palm Beach to avoid or reduce that.