Fame and fortune are tempting, but they hardly come easy. There is always a formidable story and lessons to be learned. There are struggles that no one sees and mental blocks that no one ever notices. Same is the story of the entertainment mogul Rafael Peña, who had to brave a fair share of challenges and setbacks before rising as the brightest star on the New York entertainment scene.
The business consultant wears many hats and entertains many passions. He is someone who one feels good talking to, and his tales never fail to rake up a nostalgic pull for nature, beauty, life, and food. Rafael is the CEO of Levels Management, a business management and consulting firm, and Brunchxgods, an event management company. He is a travel writer and food critic who pens his adventures and experiences at TravelNoire.com.
With a splendid business profile, you would think Rafael has been churning gold since the very beginning, but the truth is far from it. There have been many hurdles on this journey to success. His positive nature, unique personality traits, and an unwavering trust in God helped him stay afloat on bad days and soar high on good ones.
There are two characteristics that Rafael explicitly attributes his success to:
- An eye for details
- Duality – he is on the streets and in the boardrooms for all industries.
An eye for details
In order to excel in a field, it’s crucial to know it inside out. If you do not, there are very thin chances of making a mark; it will be a fluke if anyone ever succeeded with a bird’s eye view of an occupational field. Rafael was set to rise high on the entertainment sky of New York because he was well versed in the culture and demographics of the city as well as the entertainment industry.
On top, he had an eye for the tiniest details that others would easily miss. This helped him find unique, out-of-the-box marketing solutions for his clients.
Duality
Most people are good in one department; they are either street smart or highly organized and professional. Both characteristics serve the owner in one way or the other. Those who have both enjoy an innate ability to get past any hurdles that come their way.
The best thing about Rafael is that he is not the one to abide by the textbook version of marketing; he takes marketing to boardrooms and to the streets with his valuable social connections. This is what sets him apart from his competitors. He is aware of the official red tape and ways around them. At the same time, he is well acquainted with what people want; what’s happening in the streets. This unique mixture helps him curate fool-proof marketing strategies.
Rafael is a man of many talents and is highly driven. There is always something creative and productive that he is doing because sitting idle and doing the ordinary are not for a doer like him. More on him here.

Gerilyn grew up in Snoqualmie; a small town in Washington DC where she completed her education and obtained a degree in Global and International Journalism. She works as a columnist for many top tier publications including The Daily Mail, The Washington Post etc. When Gerilyn Thrasher isn’t busy writing, she spends most of her time volunteering in animal shelters and orphanages.