Nazarian College Prepares Student Entrepreneur for Career in Entertainment Marketing

For Alexander Flores, an entertainment media management major and marketing minor at California State University, Northridge, building a career in entertainment meant combining creativity with business.

Flores added a marketing minor through the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics during his final two years at CSUN, a decision he said helped him connect his creative background with practical, career-ready skills.

Through his coursework and hands-on experience, Flores has developed skills in social media strategy, branding and business development — all of which he now applies across multiple roles.

Flores currently balances a student assistant position, two internships and his own business, XL Coffee Co., which he co-founded in March 2026.

“I always wanted to start a business, and with my love for coffee and matcha, it was the perfect route,” Flores said.

He launched the company alongside co-founder Guadalupe Garcia, whose experience as a barista complemented their shared marketing and business knowledge.

“Both of our marketing and business skills allowed us to curate this business carefully,” he said.

Flores said his experience at Nazarian College played a direct role in preparing him to launch and grow the business. Marketing coursework, particularly in business-to-business strategies, helped him connect with other businesses for guidance and collaboration.

“It allowed me to communicate with other businesses for advice,” Flores said.

At the same time, his film production courses supported the creative side of the business, including content creation and promotion.

“Production courses assisted in visual, dynamic filming for advertisement and promotion,” he said.

In addition to running XL Coffee Co., Flores has gained industry experience through internships with jazz musician Glenn Zottola and Private Hills Agency, where he markets regional Mexican artists through social media campaigns.

As part of his work with the agency, Flores contributed to a campaign for artist Saul Villarreal, whose album surpassed 1 million streams.

Flores said balancing academics, internships and entrepreneurship has strengthened his time management and ability to take initiative — skills he credits to his time at CSUN.

While XL Coffee Co. serves as an additional source of income, Flores said it also supports his long-term goals.

Flores credits Nazarian College with helping him become career-ready by encouraging him to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings and take advantage of opportunities.

For students interested in starting a business or pursuing marketing, Flores emphasizes the importance of taking action early.

“Go to networking events, reach out to people and build your portfolio,” he said. “Just start — and be comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

After graduation, Flores hopes to expand XL Coffee Co. into a brick-and-mortar business while continuing to build a career in entertainment marketing.

As a first-generation college student, he said his goal is to break into the industry and create opportunities for himself and others.