What’s it like to lead global teams, speak five languages fluently, and navigate careers at companies like Sony Pictures, Huawei, BetaFilm, and Movistar?

In this episode of Unwritten+, I speak with Maria Valenzuela, now founder of Brisa Media, to talk about building a career across borders—both geographic and cultural.

We dig into what it really means to work internationally: the unspoken rules, the misalignments, and the magic that happens when you learn to "translate" not just language, but mindset. Maria shares what it was like stepping into a Chinese tech giant as a Western woman, why she feels “a little German” after over a decade there, and how storytelling styles from different cultures can be blended to create something fresh and powerful.

We also talk about streaming fatigue, the promise and risk of AI, and why women still tend to attribute success to luck and hard work—not potential.

🎧 Whether you work across cultures, lead international teams, or just love hearing what really happens behind the scenes—this conversation is full of insight, honesty, and sharp takeaways.