KPRC Morning News Anchor Courtney Zavala appears on "Make It Happen With David Lorms"

HOUSTON - Sept. 12, 2014 - PRLog -- Even thought from the South Side of Chicago, Courtney Zavala, of KPRC morning news, says “Houston has been so great to us, but I still love my home.  I miss Chinese Take-Out and Greek food from Chicago. Of course, I don’t miss the winters!”  With a Polish mother and a father who was half Greek and half Mexican, she grew up in quite an international family.  “My husband is Spanish so our household, which includes our 2 sons, is even more international than my childhood home!”

She chose to attend St. Xavier University in Chicago.  “I had to work for my grades and am glad I went to a smaller school.  I think I would have been lost in a really big school.”  When Lorms asked about her influences, Zavala said that her older brothers become her mentors by following their passions and having successful careers and lives.  One brother is a Rocket Scientist (astrophysicist) and the other, who is in commercial construction, was Mr. Illinois – a great body builder!  She began as a pre-med major, but switched to Journalism her junior year because that was where her heart was.

She began in television at a small independent station as a news producer where she learned some basic skills built a resume.  She also hosted and wrote a 30 minute magazine-feature type show.  Great experience!  Because her entry-level paycheck was tiny, she also worked retail. “I can still fold a mean sweater!” she laughs.  “Of course, most of those paychecks went to buy clothes from the store where I worked!”  She was also a server at Pizzaria Uno where she learned about all kinds of people.  On Friday nights, I worked there with my mother.  “We had a great time!  Obviously, I come from a very hard-working family. Retail and food-serving certainly shows you how to deal with people of all sorts!”

That hard work ethic has stayed with her and Zavala is also an entrepreneur with her own Arbonne business.  She first used the Arbonne baby products for her boys and now loves the entire line.  Lorms is especially fond of the foaming sea salt scrub!

When asked about advice she gives others who want to break into an especially tough industry like broadcasting, Zavala answered, “I advise anyone who is interested in a field – try it out!  Work as a non-paid intern and watch how all the pieces of that business come together.  If there are no internships available, see if you can shadow someone in the field.”

While working at that small independent station in Chicago, she realized her ultimate goal was to get with a network affiliate. “Without an agent, I sent out audition tapes to places where I wanted to live like Palm Springs and San Diego.  There was no response.  At all.”  After deciding to leave broadcasting and accepting a job with Nordstrom’s, she heard from her former television photographer who had accepted a job in Midland and said that station was interested in her as well!  She and her mother drove to Midland from Chicago, she accepted the job and was there for 2 years.  Rachael McNeil, who is also currently at Channel 2, was her roommate in Midland.  “Midland was never the same after we were there!”

Zavala’s next market was Salt Lake City in time for the Olympics.  She met her husband there (blind date) and they stayed in Utah for 5 years.  “We lived in the foothills and the place was amazing.  Hiking, skiing, snow-shoeing, biking became a big part of my life.”  And then on to Houston and KPRC.  “Houston has been good to us and we love living here,” she glows.

She loves her morning team at Channel 2 and is happy with her morning position there even if there are no make-up artists at the station!  Zavala’s favorite part of working at Channel 2 is meeting people and seeing how different folks live their lives on a daily basis. And then there are the “fun” stories.  One of her favorites was about the naked guy chained himself to a tree in Memorial Park!

Finally, Lorms asked her for her life philosophy.  Zavala proudly answered, “If something bad happens, enjoy your pity party and have a plate of brownies.  Then get over it and move on!”

David Lorms hostsMake It Happen With David Lorms, an internet radio show onwww.KBRZSports.comlive every Wednesday at noon about entrepreneurs, business owners, and successful people, their challenges and failures turned into success, and advise for people to better their lives and careers. Past episodes are available by pod cast on http://www.spreaker.com/user/7420120 or on Lorms's web site http://www.lormsinsuranceservices.com and on iHeartRadio. He is also an Award Winning Insurance Expert, Best-Selling Author having won numerous media awards, including the Quilly and the EXPY Awards for his shared industry knowledge. He's been featured in Forbes Magazine and USA Today and various other radio talk shows