"I've realized that engaging in deep conversations with someone about their story is the most gratifying gift you can give them and the perspective you gain from their storytelling is the most meaningful gift you can receive. Interestingly enough, I get to initiate conversations and experience perspectives, daily, thanks to the career path I carved out for myself."
For Boston, Massachusetts native Anna G. Martins née Goncalves, the concept of 'storytelling' came in the form of writing stories as a middle school student while in the Boston Public School system where going the distance with imagination and creativity were very much part of Mrs. Kennedy's grading system. A decade or so later, She became a full-time student at Bentley University while also working two part-time jobs — an administrative office position and a hospitality, customer service position. It was at Bentley, and during the last year of her studies that she started to learn more about herself and what she wanted to pursue as a career. But what drove her to think outside of what she "thought" she should pursue was a conversation with a stranger inside an airplane — an honest, no-holds-barred conversation that challenged her. That much older and much wiser human being randomly, yet divinely, came into her life and encouraged her to tap into skills he saw in her during a simple, yet insightful, conversation. A conversation that lead to a connection with a bigger purpose.
That same year, Anna concluded her studies a semester earlier than her class and during the infamous 2008-2009 recession. During this time, she was very fortunate to have a job lined up. From a part-time Administrative Assistant at a private practice to the practice's very first PR and Marketing Director; Anna held that position for the next year making it her own. Looking back, she believes her entrepreneurial spirit was birthed while holding this position. She would willingly be at work two hours before everyone else in order to leave earlier so she could use the remainder of the day to explore her interests. We can even call it: a time of self discovery. And somehow, history repeated itself — it was like middle school all over again. But this time, not as someone who wrote stories, but someone that helped promote stories at Film Festivals. It was volunteering across New England during the Boston Film Festival, Boston International Film Festival, New Hampshire Film Festival, and Martha's Vineyard Film Festival to name a few, that Anna began exploring some hidden passions.
Being exposed to independent films for the first time and in that capacity by putting her PR skills to work towards the arts led her to become drawn to what art, people, and creativity were able to accomplish when done so strategically. It was then, after watching stories come to life, speaking with talent, directors, and audience members from different backgrounds and cultures that Anna began to understand that art could only come alive in its truest form and have the greatest impact when the writing was exceptional and the most appropriate talent represented the stories being told. To this day, it's how she examines everything she watches: the writing (story) and the casting (storytellers). This new fascination ultimately led her to leave her role as Marketing & PR Director and move to New York City to take on a non-paid internship at a Talent PR agency that assisted world renowned-supermodels like Alessandra Ambrosio, Jessica White, and Irina Shayk, among others, in their efforts to expand into their other passions outside of the modelling industry. In some way, she could relate.
Following this internship, she was offered three roles within the agency; however, she decided to start her freelance journey 'branding talent' on her own. Anna embarked on the career mission to make a correlation between how art moves people and how their stories and their God given talent makes that possible. She began working with local talent and assisting with their brand direction. It began with actors and musicians and quickly grew into talent in other industries.
In 2012, Anna launched her Branding and PR business in Boston to continue doing what she loved. She even tapped into bridging talent and brands (partnerships) in order to combine two stories with similar goals. Two years later, she moves to Los Angeles to expand her network and while there, rebranded her business to combine all of the services she loves to offer. This included Talent Casting on a bigger scale, under the wings of a respected Los Angeles Casting Director. Anna would live in Los Angeles for the next 4.5 years, growing personally and professionally.
Moving back to the East Coast with her business restructured and under a new name, Projects by AG became a combination of Anna's diverse interests in how stories are, and can be, told. She began offering — what she called — storytelling services with one objective: helping clients communicate their stories, effectively, in such a way that resonates with the right people, the right way. With a global mindset, there was no cultural barrier or challenge too big that could keep Anna from helping her clients, in and outside the US, succeed in their initiatives.
Today, she remains loyal her passion of providing 'storytelling services' to her clients. But now, it's in the form pillars under the Projects by AG umbrella. Each focusing on one expertise...
GET TO KNOW THE FOUR PILLARS THAT MAKEUP PROJECTS BY AG:
