At 18, I produced my first fashion show as part of my self-selected high school senior project. I designed 18 formal dresses, which were auctioned off to benefit the American Cancer Society. This project earned me an award and a small grant.​

That fall, just three months after graduating high school, I moved from my small hometown of Redding, California (population 88k), to Long Beach, CA. I lived in a garage and sustained myself on canned chili beans and rice cakes during those first few months.​

I secured a job at a men's retail suit shop and became one of the youngest managers in the company.

By complete happenstance, while fitting a customer for a tuxedo I struck up a conversation with his wife. Turns out she worked in the fashion industry had just launched her own fashion showroom in downtown Los Angeles.

I begged her for an unpaid internship (she obliged).

I began my internship at a fashion showroom in downtown Los Angeles Fashion District, which eventually led to a part-time paid position.

In this role, I assisted in selling collections from independent designers (Eva Franco) and large national brands (Penguin) to retailers across the country. I went to multiple fashion weeks and immersed myself in the industry.

I was 19 years old and it was unheard of to be working in fashion at this age — I got lucky! My boss instructed me to tell everyone I was 21 (I looked like I was 12).

Inspired to get started on my own line, I launched an innovative collection of basics featuring interchangeable trims for young girls—a simple yet creative line that allowed tweens and young adults to customize the trim on their necklines, hoodies, or even track pants. I named the collection EveryWear Clothing.

I sold EveryWear Clothing at swap meets and any venue that would allow me to set up a booth.

To dedicate more time to my new clothing line, I left my retail job but continued working at the showroom. To make ends meet, I also took on two additional jobs as a cocktail server and an on-call maid. Simultaneously, I began pursuing a degree in Merchandise Product Development at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM).

Very little sleep and never ending lists of things to-do had me daydreaming about a better way to market and sell my line direct to customers

After feeling quite lost and defeated trying to sell my clothing line in the wrong places to the wrong customers, I spoke with several creative friends who shared similar sentiments. This inspired me to create my own showcase where independent fashion, music, and art could be seen and heard.

In the summer of 2005, I launched what I thought would be a one-time event—Project Ethos—at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles (I was 20, and had a fake ID — I wouldn’t have otherwise been allowed in the venue). The show featured a pop-up art gallery, fashion shows, and live music from local bands. I showcased EveryWear Clothing and directed the entire production from start to finish.

750 people attended (and I had no idea how that happened).

The “one-time event” got real organic traction, as people approached me to participate in the “next one”.

As Project Ethos grew beyond my expectations, it attracted over 2,500 attendees, including celebrity guests and performers like Colbie Caillat, Andy Grammer, and OneRepublic.

Through this platform, I had the privilege of working with numerous designers, artists, and musicians in achieving their personal career goals, establishing their brands, and taking the next steps in their creative journeys.

I felt compelled to support artists and cultivate a space for them to shine, I decided to set aside my own clothing line to focus entirely on nurturing this vibrant community

After three years of refining the Project Ethos showcase, I transitioned into the corporate world and launched my own production company, Heidi Luerra Productions (HLP). Project Ethos continued for six more years under the leadership of my former partner (I’ll say it, it was a bad breakup).

HLP gained recognition for crafting unique and innovative creative experiences.

I orchestrated a fashion show that involved shutting down a street off Melrose Avenue, hosted a 100% eco-friendly Battle of the DJs, coordinated talent for the official Grammy after-party, and organized an Art & Design walk in an upscale West Hollywood neighborhood. These events, among many other private and public engagements, were executed while I maintained a corporate position at a national radio station.​

While client work was immensely enjoyable, I deeply missed collaborating with artists and engaging with the independent creative community.

Enter the recession of 2008…I got my chance to go back to my roots!

After being laid off from the radio station alongside hundreds of others. I decided it was time to reignite my dream of giving artists a space to be seen, heard, and loved.

I dusted off some old plans I’d drawn up for a worldwide arts platform I thought to call RAW: natural born artists.

In March 2009, the first RAW showcase was held on a swanky restaurant pool deck in downtown Los Angeles.​

Within its first year, RAW expanded to host showcases in Orange County, Santa Monica, Long Beach, San Francisco, and San Diego.

In 2010, my executive team and I embarked on a journey we called RAWcross America. Over 3.5 weeks, we drove more than 2,000 miles across the United States, collaborating with new RAW showcase directors in 17 cities to finalize event details and ensure the successful launch of each local platform.

​By 2011, I had established RAW showcase platforms in 20 cities across the United States, offering monthly opportunities for independent creatives—including filmmakers, fashion designers, musicians, visual artists, performers, hair and makeup artists, accessory designers, and photographers—to present and sell their work.​

In 2012, my childhood friend, Kristen Wehlow reached out with the idea of bringing RAW to Australia. (I lived in Australia for a year in 7th grade).

That summer, she launched RAW Australia, which quickly expanded to host events in 10 cities nationwide. Building on this momentum, we introduced RAW Canada in 2013 and expanded to the United Kingdom in 2014, furthering our mission to support artists globally. ​

To further celebrate and elevate the incredible talent within the RAW community, I created RAWards, an annual awards show that ran from 2009 to 2014. This event highlighted standout RAW artists and provided them with career-building opportunities, including meetings with record labels, gallery and boutique placements, and cash grants. Producing RAWards at some of Los Angeles' most iconic venues, such as Grauman's Chinese Theatre (pre the TGL theatre). It was a truly rewarding experience ​

In addition to RAWards, I launched RAWketeers, a collaborative project with the Boys & Girls Club that operated from 2010 to 2014. This initiative paired professional RAW artists with a younger generation of creatives, teaching them new skills like dance, guitar, painting, or photography. Each year, the kids had the opportunity to perform and showcase what they learned at the RAWards Show.

As RAW continued to grow, reaching the milestone of 50 city showcases in 2013, our team needed to grow with it. We moved into a new office in downtown Los Angeles, bringing on 10 new employees to support our mission.

​In 2015, I expanded the RAW mission by developing a subsidiary called FOUND Agency. This initiative connected RAW artists with corporate clients seeking creative projects, providing opportunities for independent artists to work on commissioned pieces and projects.

FOUND successfully completed murals, photoshoots, custom artworks, and competitions for various clients, including boutique hotels, national retail stores, and even the NFL’s Denver Broncos.

​In 2017, RAW's offerings expanded by launching the RAW Film Festival, a concept developed by our talented videographer and artist, Nick Night.

This innovative short film festival took place at the Bootleg Theater in Echo Park, Los Angeles, and ran for two consecutive years before pausing in 2019. The festival showcased a diverse array of short films, emphasizing fresh, edgy, and subversive programming from emerging independent filmmakers.

The fest included immersive experiences, live performances and installations that were featured or included in the films selected for screening.

As the Founder & CEO of RAW, I led and nurtured a dedicated team of 65 employees from our headquarters in downtown Los Angeles.

Together, we worked tirelessly to fulfill RAW's mission: providing tools, resources, education, and exposure to independent artists across various disciplines.​

Our artist community grew exponentially, and by 2019, RAW had showcased over 200,000 artists through showcase events in more than 70 cities worldwide. Over 1M attendees had supported our events.

In celebration of RAW turning 10, I self-published my first book, The Work of Art: A No-Nonsense Field Guide for Creative Entrepreneurs. It quickly became an Amazon Bestseller and held the title of #1 Hottest New Release in the Business of Art category for over a month. Readers called it their “creative bible” and “required reading.” It was even adopted by several art colleges as part of their creative business curriculum.

The book earned endorsements from LA Weekly’s Art Editor, Shana Nys Dambrot, and fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff.

That same year, I was honored by LA Biz as a Woman of Influence, and RAW Artists, Inc. was recognized as one of the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America.

On March 12, 2020—RAW’s 11th birthday—the global pandemic brought our showcases and operations to an abrupt halt. With the future of the company in limbo, we pivoted quickly: launching mask-making initiatives, livestreams focused on finance, mental health, and wellness, and community giveaways to support our artists during lockdown.

In June, our team came together to produce The National Arts Drive, a socially-distanced, offline art experience and fundraiser spanning the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Artists displayed their work from front yards, balconies, and alleyways, while neighbors drove through local streets to engage, discover, and donate directly. We built an interactive map, secured media coverage, and partnered across North America—all with our last remaining resources.

That same year, I used my newfound spare time to launch Hatch Planning & Strategy, a boutique consultancy helping creative entrepreneurs plan and pivot their businesses toward profitability.

On December 1, 2020, with vaccine news on the horizon, we officially announced that RAW would survive the pandemic—and return to market in 2021, reimagined.

On September 1, 2021, our (much smaller) team at RAW Artists announced the company’s return in a renewed form: a licensing model called PLATFORM by RAW Artists™. This next chapter empowered entrepreneurs to purchase a license to operate RAW showcases in their own local communities.

With that, I handed the torch to the creative community. Each license includes the right to use the RAW trademark, access to our proprietary technology, and the full suite of RAW’s intellectual property—our “secret sauce”—baked into the PLATFORM proprietary software.

Licenses have since been sold across the U.S., with most territories hosting re-grand openings in 2022. The first was led by a RAW alum in Tampa Bay, Florida, just three months after launch.

In March 2025, on RAW’s 16th birthday, I officially stepped down as CEO of RAW Artists to focus my energy on what I’ve come to love in this chapter of life: educating, advising, and investing in new founders and seasoned small business owners.

In tandem with RAW’s pivot over the past 5 years, I’ve double-dutched my schedule to launch, streamline, and scale businesses across a wide range of industries, written angel investment checks, and celebrated a few modest but meaningful exits.

I focus my time on working with startups and small businesses. I help founders start, scale and streamline and sometimes turnaround their companies with a focus on first-principles profit & sustainability.

I also contribute my time to writing a newsletter: Building Bold: A No-Nonsense Newsletter for Bootstrappers.

I’m also teaching myself how to build AI agents, and use no-code AI to build tools for my clients.

In addition, I educate new founders in my local community through a 6-Week Small Business Bootcamp.

The future is bright and unknown — and I’m fine with that for now.

Let’s see where this goes, shall we?