I’m 57 years old.  Yet having close friendships with people much younger than me (AKA millennials) is not new to me.  Some of my closest friends are millennials, and it’s because we have more in common than we do differences.   I seek friendships with like-minded people.  People who inspire me, support me, have common goals and interests.  And that’s what the Bridging the Gap campaign is all about.  Bringing together two generations of women who have more in common than they do differences. 

Through this process I have been lucky enough to get to know Amber Social, @ambersocialla.  Talk about inspiration.  I don’t think I have ever met anyone with more drive and determination.  I admire people who have a clear vision, set a goal and don’t let anything stand in their way.  That is Amber Social.  Amber grew up in Orange County and was always surrounded by the Hollywood lifestyle.  She took acting classes but found herself observing, taking notes and becoming an expert on the “secret society” that is Hollywood.

Amber was enrolled in John Robert Powers and trained with Jeremy Jackson’s mother.  She partied with Dennis Rodman and frequented Club 17 at the Kodak Theatre where she met many of the Disney kids, including Shia Labeouf.  She rocked her unique personal style which got her noticed and invited back as a VIP.  Eventually she graduated to other clubs like Ivar, where she hung out with Nick Carter.

Amber became very comfortable with the Hollywood crowd and continued to explore the luxurious lifestyle of the Hollywood elite.  She frequented hotspot clubs, restaurants and hotels, and learned a lot about who the real movers and shakers were in this elite and exclusive world.  As a keen observer, she also understood their distinctive likes and dislikes and the best ways to get on their radar.  It was this insight that eventually got her into MOOD, one of the hottest night clubs in Hollywood.

And here is where Amber’s persistence, drive, and determination paid off.  Where most people would give up, Amber drove an hour to Hollywood every Monday night for a year and stood in line patiently waiting and waiting to finally be invited in.  Dressed in her favorite DVF dress she stood in that line until she was finally noticed.

On her 23rd birthday, she decided it was time to really invest in herself so she splurged and bought a table.  Not an easy fete.  Tables were generally reserved for celebrities and socialites.  But the year she invested to get herself noticed finally paid off and she got her table.  Pulling up to the club with 15 of her closest friends and cash in hand, Amber and her entourage were shown to Nick Lachey’s table.

That night they hung out with Andy Dick and established Amber in the Hollywood club scene going from MOOD, to Les Deux, Social, Teddy’s, Goa and so on.  During this time Amber learned a lot about the ugly side of the L.A. club scene as well.  Including how important image was and the harsh reality of racial discrimination.  But Amber was able to navigate through the ups and downs and continue building relationships with the movers and shakers, although with a much more jaded eye.

Those years were formative for Amber, in both a good and a bad way.  She built lasting friendships and met her first love.  It was before the social media explosion, so this world was still a little secretive, but Amber was in on the secret.  It was during this time that she picked up her name…….she was referred to as Miss Socialite—later shortened to Social.

However, faced with the importance of creating an image in this world, Amber went through a two year depression.  Struggling with the harsh reality of having to keep up her image, sometimes at the expense of her friendships. And living in this world where the values did not always reflect Amber’s own was one of the most difficult times for her.  Not to mention the changing landscape of social media.  Social media completely changed the rules requiring Amber to find new ways to navigate through and challenging her to maintain her relevance in this community.  It was not an easy time, but she persisted.  She considered writing a tell all book--multi-volumes, given how much information she had to share—but knowing this could get her black-listed, she resisted.  And that was when she decided instead to start documenting it all in a blog.

Amber started documenting it all in 2013, when she started her Blog, AmberSocialLA.  Amber is committed to sharing this incredible world with authenticity, value and realness.  Her ambition and determination are what ultimately will make her blog a huge success.  To get more of a glimpse into this secret society, be sure to follow @ambersocialla.  The glimpse she gives us of this fascinating world has no age limit.  Millennial or mid-lifer, aren’t we all curious about how our Hollywood idols live?  Absolutely!  What really stands out to me about what Amber is doing with her blog is that there is no bridge to gap.  Her content is for anyone at any stage in life.  Her experiences show us all how perseverance, determination, and drive can open doors and lead you to where you want to go.  Age is not a variable.