Meet Rebs Rollolazo

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

Hi Rebs, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
When I think about risk taking, it ultimately boils down to wanting to answer the existential question of “who am I?” Taking risks is how we get to know ourselves. You’re not going to get to know yourself by playing it safe 24/7.

In February I quit my corporate job of 10 years with no job lined up. Many may say what a horrible decision given the state of the job market. I had found myself incredibly unhappy and undervalued in my career, even with the financial security it provided. I took a calculated risk to take some time off and figure out what I want. I was a dancer in a performing company for 15 years, and therefore grew up very quickly in a mature, creative space. In my recent time off, I’ve come to realize my happiness comes from creating, sharing, teaching, and learning.

Quitting a job without a job lined up is objectively risky. But not taking a chance on yourself when you know you should is even more risky. During this time, my fiancee and I have been able to invest more money & time into my podcast, “Scream of Consciousness” that we started together back in March 2022. There is so much more I want to create & share with the world. The exciting thing about risk taking is the absolute freedom of it. You can do or be anything you want to (legally lol)!

No matter how small the risk, a risk is a still a risk. If there’s anything you do, just don’t be boring.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My creative endeavors started back in 2015 when I created my lifestyle & fashion blog. I was working my way up the corporate ladder at the time, but I still wasn’t fulfilled in my day job. I found huge passion for writing, modeling, editing, interviewing, etc. and did that very consistently on the side for about 2 years. I’m so proud of my fearlessness at that time in my life, which led me to interview some major entrepreneurial women including Lauryn Bosstick of The Skinny Confidential, Mireille Guiliano, former CEO of Clicquot Inc., Cameron Diaz, and many more. Podcasts were starting to make waves in the industry and I had a serious interest in starting my own. I do not like to half-ass things. I knew investing in equipment and learning a new form of media would be an immense undertaking. At age 25 I had hit a crossroads, and ultimately let the blog die out to prioritize my personal relationships.

When I met my fiancee, Anders, back in summer of 2021, he had his own podcast with a few friends that he produced. It took less than a year after we met for us to get my podcast, “Scream of Consciousness,” off the ground. We both knew it could be something special that we wanted to put real effort into. 48 episodes later and we’re still having a blast. My goal is to expand into more long-form video content, creative directing, and styling in some capacity.

What I’ve learned throughout my journey so far is only you can take care of you the best. If you are consistently unhappy in a situation, make the changes. I promise you it really is as simple a concept as that. I’m not a superhero for quitting my 9-to-5 job to pursue a more creative path. Every single person holds the power to create happiness in their lives. You have to be merciless in putting yourself first because no one else if going to do that for you other than you.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Summer is approaching, and who wants to be boring and stay inside the whole time? POV: we’re having a cool girl summer weekend. Personally I like to do a little bit of everything. It’s Saturday, which means we’re grabbing the most delicious deli sandwiches and iced lattes from Henri’s. From there we have to pop over to Little 5 Points to grab a record from Criminal Records – something fun like Fat Boy Slim or Charli XCX’s “Brat” to get ready to later. There’s a few vintage shops like Catalogue and The Clothing Warehouse that are a must. Before we grab a quick Guinness at Euclid Yacht Club, we have to go into Bellows for a roll of film for the night. We have a late lunch, and then relax before the night begins. We’ll throw on our new record at home, have a snack, and get ready for the night! Dinner with girls on the Westside at Eight for sushi and a show in my backyard at Terminal West. If there’s a late night house dj at Palo Santo, I don’t think we can say no…

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate this shoutout to everyone who has always believed in me, no matter how bizarre my dreams. You all have pushed me to begin sharing the more raw version of myself. I’m here to rep all the weird girls!!!! And a shoutout to my fiancee, Anders – thank you for your support and love every single day. I couldn’t have taken this risk without you believing and trusting in the process. I love you!!!!

Website: https://linktr.ee/thesocpodcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/screamofconsciousness_/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSkkoEioMxJkaGCAMuGUsGA

Other: you can find my podcast on spotify, apple podcasts, and youtube!

Image Credits
photography by: anj photographs