Jannelle So is a Filipino-American media pioneer, who made a name for herself as the creator, original host, and producer of America’s first and only daily talks show for and about the Filipinos, “Kababayan TODAY” on KSCI-TV LA18. The show that ran for 8.5 years under Jannelle’s leadership, was also the longest-running Filipino daily talk show outside of the Philippines.
Jannelle is now CEO/ Executive Producer of her own company, Jannelle So Productions, Inc. In July 2017, she launched her new weekly magazine/lifestyle show, “SO Jannelle” which airs on the US-wide cable channel The Filipino Channel, the premier Global Filipino Channel, with replays on ANC; and with over-the-air distribution on KSCITV-LA18 in Southern CA.
Jannelle’s hard work and accomplishments as a media practitioner have been recognized by mainstream and Filipino organizations. This year, 2020 – Jannelle was included in the prestigious list of 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL FILIPINOS, to celebrate the 10th year of TOFA, The Outstanding Filipinos in America, at the Carnegie Hall in New York City, to which Jannelle was first inducted in 2018.
Can you tell us about yourself? What do you do?
I am the Founder and current CEO of a production company, Jannelle So Productions, Inc. – www.sojannelle.com. Prior to this, I was a print and broadcast journalist. I started my career as a sportscaster and public affairs show host in the Philippines.
In 2003, when I first moved to the United States, it was to be with my family (parents and siblings) who’d migrated in 2000. I wanted to take a print and broadcast journalism course at UCLA, Extension in Southern CA.
By 2005, I decided to stay for good. I got my break when I started/ built/ hosted and produced America’s first and only locally-produced daily talk show for Filipinos. It aired on the Southern CA local channel KSCITV-LA18 from 2006 until I left in 2014.
The reason I left in 2014 was to start a family. Even then, I knew I couldn’t run away from my purpose, so in 2015 I started a production company. In 2017, I launched a weekly lifestyle show, So Janelle, which currently airs five times a week. It’s on 3 channels – USA-wide cable channels The Filipino Channel, ANC, and OTA local channel KSCITV-LA18 in Southern CA.
In addition to running my business, producing, and hosting my program, I’m very active in my AAPI community. I held roles as Director of Strategic Partnerships for the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations (NaFFAA); and board member of NaFFAA- Greater Los Angeles region.
I’m also very hands-on when it comes to raising my children. I have a 5-year-old daughter named Lilly, and a 2-year-old son named Leo.
When it comes to social media, people think I should be more visible, and while I can understand and agree at times, it’s not the right decision for me. While I may have a fear of missing out, I’m a mother first. My children need me while they’re young.
They need me to talk to them while in the car (and not talking in Clubhouse); they need me to listen to their stories, singing, observations, (and not listening to strangers in Clubhouse).
At this point, I prefer the companionship and love of my children (which is built on spending quality time); over the follows and likes on social media. This will undoubtedly change as they get older; but for now, I want to be present and invested in their day-to-day.
And this is me and this is my brand as a mompreneur.
How did you create your brand? What inspired you?
I started a production company and self-finance a weekly show. What I do is negotiate airtime with networks and get advertisers to support our program. I’m thankful to have/ have had the support of renowned brands such as Toyota, McDonald’s, Walmart, Moneygram Remittance, Pechanga, Jollibee, and others through the years.
A second division of the business is for producing corporate videos for internal training, along with living corporate events, which we do for select clients.
In the beginning, I thought I was simply creating something to keep me busy on the side, while I raise my children. But I quickly realized that it led me back to a specific purpose – – –
The Filipino-American community is the 2nd largest immigrant community in CA, second only to Hispanics; and the 3rd largest in the US, next to Hispanics and Chinese. Unfortunately, our media landscape does not reflect this number. Our community only has 2 premium paid cable channels, and most of the programming comes from the Philippines. We don’t have a radio station, either. I believe there is this lack of media outlets that can deliver accurate news, culturally relevant stories, and helpful tools – specific to my Filipino community in the United States.
When I realized this, I started treating my company as another baby – in fact even older than my youngest child! I was back filming in the studio only one week after I gave birth to him.
My program is gearing up to celebrate its 4th anniversary in July 2021. We crawled through a pandemic year; and continue to do so by making pivots that are necessary to adjust to the times.
My team and I are negotiating with outlets to syndicate our current program in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. I’m also in talks with networks from the Philippines, to produce new shows for them.
A proud moment I’d love to share is that we opened Women’s History Month with the announcement of our partnership. We’ve got a new partnership with Rappler- a Philippine-based news and information platform. It was founded by Time Person of the Year and Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Maria Ressa.
There are also plans to launch the third division of my company. We’re very excited about this. We will make the announcements on our social media channels, soon.
How does your brand work?
I strive to provide a platform that shares stories and personalities within my community, which are all too often overlooked by mainstream media. There are stories of grit, grace, trials, and successes within my Asian community that deserve attention. My team and I make it a point to recognize and share that.
If we don’t preserve our stories; if we don’t invest in our own communities; if we don’t edify the heroes and sheroes in our community – who will?
I’ve always kept my door open – providing a platform for different advocacies and issues. Even when it was considered “taboo” to talk about things like domestic violence, sexual assault, and other hard topics, I have always discussed it openly on my former show, and now in my new program.
I also push for women’s empowerment by highlighting stories of women’s struggles and success. I hope in doing so, others draw inspiration and wisdom.
I just recently featured a woman who spoke about being raped twice, at 2 different times in her life, and by two different men. None of the perpetrators were arrested. Before that, I interviewed a woman who spoke up against being sexually molested by her father. She has since been speaking about this issue and has even become a TEDx speaker.
It is very encouraging helping women, especially women of color, find their voice, and consequently harness their power.
I also posted this story on my Instagram:
I met with a woman who drove 3 hours from Camarillo, to meet me in Manhattan Beach. She had just completed an MBA program and is starting her own bookkeeping business while taking classes toward her CPA license.
Before this, she was a battered wife, living and coping with domestic violence for 10 years, in the hands of a physically, mentally, financially, and psychologically abusive husband who beat their son up, since the child was 2yo. He would also beat her up whenever she tried to stop him. That’s what drew me to her story – her experiences with #domesticviolence, her courage, her perseverance. So I agreed to meet with her.
BUT I ALMOST CRIED WHEN SHE FINISHED HER STORY WITH: “You kept me sane all those years, Jannelle. Your show (Kababayan) was my window to the world. I would be sore from the beatings, sad and depressed. But every day at 4:30 pm, and for 30minutes, I will forget my situation. I will be engaged by your stories and discussions. You helped me survive. Thank you. You didn’t know me then, but I owe you a lot… I think I owe you my life! I’m so glad you’re back!” 
⠀
At the end of the day, I believe that’s what women’s power is all about, being able to find our voices; muster the courage to use them and speak up; and with our collective narratives, inspire others to do the same. It’s a circle of empowering each other.
Is there something else you’d like to share with our readers, something they may be interested in?
I have interviewed a lot of people who have faced challenges and overcame a lot. I have had my share of trials and tribulations, as well. It is my hope that my story serves as encouragement to those who find themselves hopeless, helpless, overwhelmed, and unsure of the next steps – in immigration, entrepreneurship, and motherhood.
When I first moved to the U.S., I’ve struggled with self-doubt. I was turning my back on a promising broadcasting career in my homeland; uprooting myself from everything comfortable; and starting from scratch in a foreign land – without guarantees of success. I cried every day/night for almost 9 months. I was crying for what could’ve been; my friends back home, my career, my life. But hey, “risk big win big,” right?! And here I am now, an entrepreneur in America – with a business that not only aims to make a profit; but more importantly to celebrate my community and preserve our stories, traditions, and culture!
My advice: Anchor yourself in what’s authentic. In my case, I knew I had to stick to my family. I turned my back on my career in the Philippines to be with my family in America. And then again, I left my former show, to start my own family. If you are anchored on something, through your sails, the winds will pull and push you into different directions, you will always go back to your center. My anchors are my family and my faith.
I didn’t think I’d be an entrepreneur. When I was growing up, I saw my parents run our family business almost 24/7 and I did not like it. I thought being employed or working for someone would give me more time and freedom to pursue other things. But it’s funny because these are the very same reasons I started my own business – to have more control over my time. And the other perks are following my vision; making a difference in the lives of others, in my way.
My advice: Entrepreneurship is the way to go. Even if it’s small, believe in it. Even if it’s not perfect, start it. Invest in yourself.
Here’s a salute to all fellow mompreneurs – It is not easy. Both demand time and attention, almost 24/7. There are no days off. There is always overtime. It may be the most difficult thing you may embark on; but if you do it right, it will also be the most rewarding.
My advice: If faced with choices between work and children – please choose your children. Your work will replace you. Even CEOs get fired. But children will never be able to replace their parents. Maybe even if they want to, they cannot fire us. We are all they have, especially when they are little.
Finally, can women have it all – a successful business that helps the community; a career that’s aligned with one’s passion and purpose; and a satisfying family life? I’d say yes. It’s not easy to achieve, but it is possible. And having it is very empowering.
Explain the challenges you went through while you were working on brand creation. What are the challenges you go through on an everyday basis?
Sharing my struggles, not just as a brand creator/ business owner; but also as an Asian immigrant to the U.S., in light of the anti-Asian hate my community is having to deal with these days – – –
In the beginning, my biggest challenge was immigration status. I never wanted to be out of status because I respected American laws so much. I spent a lot on lawyer’s fees, visa conversions, etc., to make sure I was always in status.
I received my green card through my parent’s family petition in 2010. And while the immigration status got settled, I struggled to fight for my voice. The station gave me full authority in running my former show. But I still had to justify a budget for story selection and other decisions. I had to manage station expectations versus the expectations from my community and viewers.
Now that I run my show, which is also my venture, I struggle with making sure that the business is making economic sense. While a lot of it is the passion for telling stories, I have to make sure that the production bills are paid and my staff is fair, if not generously compensated for their work. I know what it was like to be an employee and what I didn’t like in my situation before, I try to change now for the people working with me.
And finally, like with all working moms, I struggle with balancing motherhood and my business. I want to be as hands-on as possible with both of them. I did not work during my daughter’s first 18 months and it’s very important for me to be always present for their milestones and needs, especially during these formative years. These days, I arrange my schedule around theirs and when something goes wrong – call from school, emergency trips to the doctor, I drop everything so I can take care of my kids.
Also, the typical challenge of – So much to do, so little time. As a mom, I want to do everything for my kids. And I strive to do that. It is a 24-hour “job”, which can also be said of an “entrepreneur”, which I am – managing staff, managing clients and sponsors, conceptualizing shows, inviting guests, filming, managing editors, attending events, etc.
I try to overcome these challenges by surrounding myself with a good support group. I have a personal assistant who is amazing, my mom helps with the children, and my husband is also very supportive. I’m quite blessed. And I make sure I let them know how much I appreciate them. There’s also the challenge of being too exhausted – – – I overcome that with caffeine 🙂
How do you manage your finances or fundings you’ve received?
So far, up to this point, I have received no funding. But really, I also haven’t asked. I have been blessed that through the years, I was able to build relationships with brands – Toyota, McDonald’s, Jollibee, Xoom dot com, Walmart – to name a few. And they stepped up to support my new show through sponsorships, knowing my track record in building an audience and creating platforms that benefit our viewers/followers and in general, our community.
What is your future vision for your brand? How far do you want to take it? What is your dream about taking it to the next level?
My vision for the production side of my company is to be able to nurture and harness the talent of people in my community – to give them a platform, a voice. I want to be able to expand our products/show line up to include production of other shows – either for us to distribute as programmers (which is what I’m currently doing with my own show); or distributing to networks as a co-production.
For the second division which is producing corporate internal videos and events, my vision is to continue growing our roster of clients.
I am very excited about the third division of our company which will have a lot to do with SOcial Good. The model will help get funding for our non-profit organization partners while helping brands connect with consumers, and amplify what they are doing to support communities.
It’s so funny because when I first started my company, I did it with one of the objectives being I want to be able to spend time with my children. I strongly believe that one requirement of effective parenting is being present in our children’s lives. So I wanted something that will enable me to take care of my children, attend important school events, take them on playdates, etc. But as they get older, my company is also showing opportunities for growth and scaling. And I’d take that, why not?!
In a broader sense, I am also being an effective parent to my biracial children by producing/creating shows and platforms where they can see themselves and their stories represented; shows that can educate them about their culture. By building and raising my community, I am also ensuring that they, along with their generation, have a supportive, inclusive, thriving community that they can count on.
What message would you like to give to anybody who has a plan of creating something of their own and making a living through it?
Pursue your passion – There are several things one has to take into account when building a brand and/or company. Please expect struggles. But if you are pursuing your passion, you will find joy in the journey, even through these difficulties.
Be authentic – in crafting and presenting your message. I would rather be hated for my authentic self and message; than be loved and embraced for something I’m not. Pretending to be someone you’re not is one of the most exhausting things in the world. It’s not worth the time and effort.
Stick to your journey. Never compare. And especially with social media – don’t compare your insides to people’s outsides.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Ask for advice. Look for a mentor or mentors. Most entrepreneurial wisdom is developed by learning from your own mistakes; but if you can learn from others’ mistakes, that will save you money and time.
Surround yourself with the people you love and respect.
Company name: Jannelle So Productions, Inc.
Email Address: JSP@jannellesoproductions.com
Website :www.sojannelle.com
Instagram :@sojannelle