Eugenia Primis left her Broadway bound theater career to find more stability. A decade later, she's letting go of her career for a second time.
NEW YORK, NY. - Have you ever been forced to move on from your career? Ever had to make that tough decision to step down, whether it was on your own accord or not?
Imagine having to let go of a career you loved, not once in a lifetime, but twice.
For Eugenia Primis of New York City this is all too familiar, as it became her reality in late March. After walking away from her Broadway bound career, she found more stability in hospitality and event management. Little did she know that her once stable career in hotels would lead her to a major career change for the second time.
Born and raised in Alaska, the youngest of six children, Eugenia and her siblings grew up appreciating the arts. Her parents owned a ballet school and taught Eugenia and her siblings about dance and music.
“I loved theater from a young age, and while I obtained a bachelors in business, marketing I always knew I wanted to move to New York City to pursue a career in musical theater,” Eugenia explained. “Shortly after graduation, I followed my dream and moved to New York.”
Her career in the arts took off and allowed her the opportunity to travel the world performing in popular productions such as Wicked and Evita. The path she chose provided an outlet for her to be creative and become the musician, dancer and artist she’s always wanted to be. Yet, Eugenia felt some reservations about continuing on Broadway and ultimately made her final curtain call on that stage of her life.
“I left the world of theater because I was afraid to fail and afraid of what would happen to me if it didn’t work out,” she said. “This was challenging and it took many years to be certain I was in the right place creatively.”
To channel her feelings, in 2019, Eugenia started a blog, What Now NYC, which ultimately appealed to other artists going through similar situations.
“I wanted to offer an authentic dialogue of how I was feeling in hopes that others would read it and know they were not alone,” she said. “It has also been a very therapeutic approach to my own life, one that has helped my heart find peace. After I started my blog, I received amazing response(s) from readers and especially other performers who have felt exactly the way I have at some point in their lives.”
Switching gears from performing, to something more seemingly stable, yet still allowing her to be creative, Eugenia found herself pursuing a career in hospitality and event management. She eventually got a job as a senior event manager for one of the iconic Hilton Hotels in New York City. She assisted with varying groups and events including tour groups and affiliates for large conventions.
Then in March, as news of the coronavirus started to make its way to the States, Eugenia learned that she would be furloughed and ultimately her job would be eliminated. What was once considered a “safe” career choice is now basically non-existent and Eugenia finds herself at a crossroad, once again.
“The hospitality industry has had a setback never before imagined. The home that I found in Hilton was suddenly taken away from me in one minute when Governor Cuomo shut down NYC,” she shared. “The resilience that I have seen, and the compassion from the hospitality industry as a whole has inspired me to keep trying harder to once again find my place.”
While thinking about other people in similar situations, Eugenia grabbed her laptop and started to put her thoughts down on paper. Now, with a fresh perspective on life and so much new material to write about, Eugenia is focused on growing her blog What Now NYC.
What was originally a blog meant to help dreamers find peace in moving on from Broadway, developed into a secondary mission to now inspire people who are feeling even
more torn because they were forced into another career due to the pandemic.
“My blog is a true honest testament to the fears I feel most people face every day and has developed into a place for inspiration and hope to grow,” she said.
Shortly after being furloughed she pushed her business further and found herself expanding into freelance writing.
“The compelling way I tell my story is the same way that I write blog posts and advertisement copy for my clients. I write from the heart and have the natural ability to captivate my readers and evoke honesty and emotion,” she said.
Eugenia's copywriting business has given her the opporunity to write for various companies and help small business get started.
“My target markets are travel and hospitality, personal growth and development, music and the arts, as well as, physical fitness,” Eugenia explained. “I aim to write for companies whose values align with my own and I am focusing on small and medium sized businesses who might not have the funds to hire a writer and marketer full time.”
Now eight months after being furloughed, Eugenia still finds solace in sharing her thoughts and relating to people going through the same thing.
“I want to help people. I want people to know that we all struggle, we all have doubts and it is one-hundred percent ok to not know where you are going next. That is what growth is all about. Taking life in stride.”
With her eyes always on the finish line, Eugenia is optimistic about the future of hospitality.
"I know the industry will return, and when it does it will be even more spectacular than
before. Until then we will all stick together in support of one another because this is what will get us through."
Follow Eugenia’s blog at http://www.whatnow.nyc/ for more inspiring stories and to learn more about freelance opportunities.
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