Meet Valeria Isabel Conde | Emmy Award Winning Journalist and Product Manager for Ryan Castro

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

Hi Valeria Isabel, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. I came to the United States 7 years ago as a college student full of many, many dreams. I always had my north very clear: I wanted to work in the Latin media industry and move precisely to Miami, the home of Latin America in the U.S., after graduation to pursue it.

I studied journalism because I thought that TV was the closest thing to the Hispanic media industry in the US that I could get into, taking into consideration that as an international student, you only have 3 months to find a job; if not, you are out… And since I see journalism as a way to contribute to society, I knew it would be a great route. I am a very curious person who likes to know the who, why, and what of EVERYTHING and also a person who grew up in – basically – a dictatorship and through deep political turmoil, so I cannot stand injustices, and with journalism, you can do that: You can speak up what others have to silence.

I also thought studying journalism and applying for TV jobs would be the closest thing to getting my foot in the door to meeting many influential people who could help my career move forward. I have always loved music, but I always thought that those who made it in the music industry, on the business side, had all the connections I did not have when I moved to this country.

I dreamed of working on Univision’s morning show, Despierta America, and I had the privilege of making this dream a reality. I was first an intern back in 2019 for Univision’s English News Network and for Despierta America.

A few years later, after finishing my Master’s Degree, I applied to a job opening on Univision that did not say it was for Despierta, but I got a call, and to my surprise, it was!

I did about 6-7 other internships throughout my undergraduate and graduate studies because I knew how important networking and learning many skills were when applying for jobs… Considering the tiny time frame offered to find a job if I wanted to stay here, and the media industry is very, very competitive.

I come from what was a very wealthy country that was brought to pieces by a corrupt regime, and sadly, opportunities within Venezuela were – and still are – very limiting… So the majority of people that migrate can say the same: if you want to make it you have to do the work, nothing in this country is given… If I want to stand out, I have to put in the effort, make my work noticeable, do everything the best way possible, and always have a positive attitude. I will take the courage to say that many opportunities have emerged for me because I try to be a nice, detail-oriented, and hard-working person.

So, apart from the wish to succeed when coming to a new country, my Latin roots have also brought me here and made me who I am today. I now work with one of the world’s most prominent reggaeton artists, Ryan Castro, and his amazing producer, SOG – I could not be happier with the route I have taken because I love the television industry, but within the music realm, I feel that in the future I might have many more opportunities to grow (and travel the world… a perk!)

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I currently work as a Product Manager at WK Records. My main project is renowned Latin artist Ryan Castro and his music producer SOG, who also produces for other top Latin artists.

I came to the United States seven years ago full of dreams. I am proud to say that throughout this journey, many professional doors have opened for me from relationships I have made from scratch in a different country than the one I came from. I am now working with Ryan and his team. Still, before this, I was fortunate enough to be a part of Despierta America, one of the top morning shows in the country and the number one show for Hispanic viewers nationwide.

It has not been easy at all… When you come to the U.S. as an international student, you have very strict guidelines and limitations to follow. I was a scared 21-year-old who, if I did not find a job in 3 months, would have to leave the country and throw out all the hard work and money put into my degrees.

I tried to open myself as many doors as possible during my time in college. I have always been very willing to put in the work, but how do you show that? I worked for free; I sent emails, DMs, and letters to as many people I admired as possible… Many who did not respond, but that’s OK… I was not ashamed to do so, and one of the first to reply to my DMs was Luz Maria Doria, whom I admire SO, SO much.

Luz Maria is the Vice-President and Executive Producer of Despierta America. As a young 19/20-year-old, I bought her first book and could not relate more to herself and her journey… Reading her was like speaking to my younger, scared, and timid self. If she, who was also an immigrant, could become one of the most influential executives in the Latin media industry, what is stopping me from becoming someone to admire as well? She is (literally) an open book, and reading her thoughts, vulnerability, and fears has given me the push throughout my whole journey in this country. (Luzma, gracias… Sabes que te quiero mucho!)

I think that my career is just getting started, but the opportunities I’ve had are like no other and I am very grateful for all of it… One lesson that I know I have to learn (but STILL have not) is to be patient and focus on the good… Patient with myself, patient with my journey, patient with my body… And as a life coach I work with always tells me, “When you focus on everything being perfect, you are only seeing what you are missing in life… And that’s the opposite of happiness. Be patient with yourself, focus on getting better at what you’re ALREADY good at, and be happy. When you see what you have instead of what you don’t, life changes.”

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am sort of a ‘boring’ person… I usually go to the same places and repeat restaurants over and over again or hang out a lot in my house or at other friends’ houses! Haha… But if my best friend were to visit Miami today, we would definitely be going to the beach, maybe on a boat ride, to the Aventura Mall (Guilty Pleasure), get some cafecito, and eat out a lot!

Some of the restaurants I love and repeat at least once a month are Bartaco (Lovely Mexican restaurant) CVI.CHE 105, Thai House II (LOVE the Thai there!!) Houston’s or Hillstone, Taikin, some Argentinian empanadas or anything Asian, and Venezuelan, of course!

I live right by the beach, so I take lots of beach walks by Bal Harbour and Surfside; and if I had to choose a night life activity, it would definitely be La Victoria with friends or walk through Bal Harbour or Coral Gables and see some shops!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My family… My mom and dad… Who have always told me to do whatever makes me happy. My grandparents, my ‘Abuela Isabel,’ who to this day continues to be a tremendous business and boss lady at 86 years old!! When I grow up, I want to be as dedicated and hard-working as her…

To Juanchi, who has also stood by my side throughout seven years in all my crazy life and professional adventures and who was the first to support me when I said I wanted to change fields and work managing ‘reguetoneros’

Instagram: @valconde

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriacondealcocer/