About Sebastian: Sebastian is an LA native with a long standing passion for entertainment, especially music. Before Anderson, he worked in public relations and communications for a healthcare union and later moved into project management at a law firm. These roles helped him discover how much he enjoys communication and storytelling, but they also showed him the value of developing stronger analytical and quantitative skills to pursue a marketing career. At Anderson, Sebastian serves as the Director of Social for ALMA and the Director of Marketing for AAC, and he is also involved in EMA, the Soccer Club, and AnderTech. He came to Anderson to pursue a career in entertainment marketing.

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Coming into Anderson, I knew I wanted to transition into entertainment, but I didn’t have industry experience. I also didn’t understand how the business side of entertainment worked or what roles existed. I was both excited and nervous about starting from scratch. What quickly became clear is that being in LA and being part of the Anderson community means you are surrounded by people and resources that make this kind of pivot feel realistic. The location, the network, and the culture of giving back have all played major roles in helping me get started.

The Entertainment Summer Series was the first step. It was a two day program run by the Entertainment Management Association (EMA), designed to give anyone interested in the industry a clear outlay as classes began. It felt like a crash course that broke down how the business is structured and what roles MBA students tend to pursue. For someone with no background, it made everything feel more understandable and far less intimidating. It gave me a solid foundation and helped me figure out where to focus once the quarter started. What stood out most was how many alumni participated and how willing they were to answer questions and share their own experiences. It was the first moment when I realized how strong and engaged the Anderson entertainment network is.

EMA’s Networking 101 event really helped break the ice when it came to networking in entertainment. It offered a guided and comfortable way to begin connecting with people in the industry, which made the process feel far less intimidating. We met with recent alums whole were working at companies like Disney, Hulu, and Netflix, which made their advice feel especially relevant. They were open about what worked for them and what they wished they had done differently. Being able to talk with people who were in our position not long ago made the process feel more manageable and reinforced my inkling that Anderson students and alumni genuinely want to help others succeed.

In October, Anderson students have the opportunity to participate in Days on the Job (DOJ) week, where we visit company headquarters to meet with recent alums. Being in LA, my classmates and I were able visit Hulu, Roku, Amazon, NBCUniversal, WET Design, and Fox Entertainment. These visits showed us what different companies focus on and how teams operate, but the most valuable part was meeting alumni at each location. They shared their career paths, gave us honest advice, and encouraged us to reach out beyond the visit. Several followed up afterward and offered to stay connected. The proximity to the industry makes experiences like this part of everyday student life.

As internship applications started opening up, Anderson Career Teams (ACT) became a major resource. ACT is a program where second years teach first years about recruiting in the industry, covering topics such as applications, resumes/cover letters, and interview preparation. We did deeper dives into different career paths, learned how recruiting timelines work for entertainment, and received practical tips on outreach, interviews, and storytelling. The coaches helped us understand what different teams actually do, what skills matter most, and how to position ourselves. I loved my ACT coaches because their advice felt personal, honest, and relevant because they had just gone through the process themselves. The willingness of second years to spend time helping us succeed, even while managing their own commitments, speaks to the culture of Shared Success at Anderson.

My fall elective course, Studios to Streamers, has been the most immersive classroom experience so far. It’s taught by Professors Mali Kinberg and Susanne Daniels, who have both worked in the industry for years. Since entertainment moves so fast, they adjust the topics and speakers each year to make sure we are learning what’s relevant right now. We heard from executives at companies such as Netflix, Hulu, HBO, FX, Paramount, Amazon, WME, and CAA. Sitting in a classroom and listening to executives from these major studios and agencies talk about their work was honestly one of those moments where I thought, this is so cool. It really hit me that we are in LA and have access to opportunities that would be much harder to find anywhere else. We also visited the Creative Artists Agency office to learn how agencies are handling user generated content and the growing creator industry.

I still have a lot to learn, but I already feel more confident and excited about my path into entertainment. It feels like I have a team behind me, and that makes all the difference. This is only the beginning, and I am genuinely grateful that I get to start this journey at Anderson.

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Student Blogger: Sebastian Velazquez ‘27

Undergrad: University of California, Los Angeles ’20

Pre-MBA: Project Assistant at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP

Leadership@Anderson: Director of Marketing, Admissions Ambassador Corps; Director of Social, Alliance for Latinx Management at Anderson; Mentor, Riordan Scholars Program