We had the good fortune of connecting with James and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi James, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Work life balance is extremely important to me. I have always found that when I am feeling more fulfilled with activities outside of work, I show up to work with more energy and passion for my job. A lot of adults start to lose their “extracurricular activities” once the stress of work starts to weigh them down. I’ve intentionally focused on keeping those extracurriculars as an integral part of my life and routine. As a lover of theatre, I have continued to participate in community theatre performances outside of my corporate job and lifestyle. Keeping that artistic passion alive and having that creative outlet is a healthy way for me to balance out the time and energy I give to my job!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have always had a “double life” between my professional and my creative endeavors. By day I work in social media marketing. I originally started working in social media marketing for the Broadway and theatre industry which I adored, until 2020 when COVID abruptly halted the entire industry.

I was left unemployed, with a network of theatrical connections that had no job opportunities available to me. After 7 months of unemployment and an unclear future, I ventured into the uncharted waters of TikTok marketing, taking my social media marketing experience and repurposing it in a new lane of work for corporate clients. I am fortunate enough to have continued paving a lane for myself in this field ever since, specializing in social media marketing and influencer work, bringing me to my current role as an Account Director at OK COOL.

Creatively, I was also devastated during COVID to lose my performance outlets outside of my corporate life. I was lucky to find some virtual performance alternatives to carry me through those sad and lonely days of lockdown, until the community theaters began to reopen. Since 2022 I have been able to regularly perform outside of work, which has helped to refill my creative cup.

COVID was a really difficult time for me on both sides of my “double life” – but I have fought to overcome those challenges, and managed to come back stronger than ever!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
After my own recent visit to Atlanta I have a few great recommendations!

A walk through the Centennial Olympic Park is a must! Lots to explore in that area like the ferris wheel, the aquarium, and the Coca-Cola museum.

For hotels, I highly recommend the Glenn Hotel, Autograph Collection. Located downtown, they have a beautiful interior design, a superb rooftop bar, and an incredible staff.

I also had a blast at Terminus 330, a fabulous event space with a cool speakeasy located in the cellar.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Truly, I don’t know where I’d be without my incredible support system lifting me up and empowering me throughout my life and career. There are so many people to shout out!

When I think about mentors who’ve had a huge impact on my life, the first that comes to mind is my choir teach from high school, Dr. Robyn Gangi. He made our choir so much more than a class or a school activity, but an artistic passion project. He went out of his way to push us to a level of excellence from the choir that made everyone pour their heart into every song and every concert. It was so empowering to not be treated like “kids” but like professionals in his rehearsals. That sparked a creative passion and a drive in me, to give 100% of myself to every performance or project.

Another important example to share is my life changing experience working on the Broadway musical Come From Away from 2017 through 2020 during my time at ArtHouse. As a fresh college grad learning the ropes in the digital marketing and theatre industries, this show left such a huge impact on me. The musical tells a story about human kindness bringing people together in times of tragedy, and every single member of the team approached our work with that empathy-first mentality. I learned early on that it didn’t matter if you were a Broadway star or a 22 year old Account Assistant, every member of the Come From Away family led with compassion and understanding for each other as inspired by the show, and a positive energy that was truly contagious.

That energy started at the top, from the inspiring leadership of our producers at Junkyard Dog Productions embodying this empathetic mindset to the fullest, as well as my brilliant boss Sara Fitzpatrick, and so many others. The remarkable kindness I was shown from every member of that team has stayed with me to this day, and is something I strive to carry forward in all the work that I do.

Instagram: @jamescanal36

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-canal-6396b067/

Other: TikTok: @jamescanal36

Image Credits
Mark A. Hermann

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