Lindsey Cunanan

How did you start building your network?

When building your network, the best thing you can do is to reach out to your peers, your colleagues, and even your professors or mentors. Maintaining positive, professional relationships with those around me helped me immensely, and made it very easy to start growing my connections on sites such as LinkedIn. I even began reaching out to people I did not know personally, or worked very briefly with, as sometimes the first step to that connection begins with you. Take any opportunity you can to apply and put yourself out there. People will appreciate your effort and drive.

Did anyone ever oppose your career plans when you were young or push you in a direction you did not want to go?

When I first decided I wanted to go into the arts as a professional, I got a lot of mixed reactions from those closest to me. I was advised several times to think of a backup plan, such as writing, that would keep my creative interests in mind, but safely ensure a job at the end of the road. Animation as a paid, profitable occupation is hard to conceptualize, even when you’re surrounded by industry professionals, and I can’t deny that I was a little scared myself. But sticking to my guns in what I wanted to do in life, and backing it up with hard work, is something I have not regretted.