CIO TIMES, I am honored to have been chosen for your ‘Inspiring Businesswomen’ piece. People often do not conceptualize the level of “business” the Entertainment Industry or a creative business requires. I launched my production company, Philly Chick Pictures, when I moved to Hollywood almost 20 years ago. After making a living acting in New York City just out of college, I did not even realize I had, in some ways, been producing when I would be brought onto a project as an actress. Although I love acting more than anything, I had been inspired to produce in order to create more roles for myself as an actress. I have always been a leader of sorts and have had a keen sense of managing personalities. I was not born into the entertainment business and there was no nepotism in my world, so I felt compelled to build something for myself. I took producing courses and workshops, then dove in as a producer to be able to do what I love the most, and that is to act.
- What motivates and inspires you as an entrepreneur?
Passion, Purpose, Inspiration, Love, Philanthropy, Goals, and Challenges all motivate me as an entrepreneur, actress, producer, and woman. I feel it is so important to follow your heart, feed your soul, and do what you love, in whatever way possible! Helping and inspiring others is also a huge motivating factor for me. I am a committed philanthropist and motivated to use my notoriety for good in some way. I have performed on Broadway at the August Wilson Theatre and the Palace Theatre to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS as an AIDS Activist, have been an active force in several charities supporting Breast Cancer Awareness for the Busted Foundation and The Lynn Sage Foundation, Women Empowerment as a Board Certified Life Coach, and I am a Celebrity Ambassador for the Breaking The Chains Foundation. I only hope my work spreads love in some way! And my greatest motivation in anything I do, is to do it with INTEGRITY! Professionally or personally, at the end of the day, integrity is everything to me!
- How does your company uphold its uniqueness and individuality?
Philly Chick Pictures encourages “Entertainment with an attitude”. From Philadelphia to New York to Los Angeles, Philly Chick Pictures was created to develop independent TV and films, while thinking outside the “Hollywood” box. Again, we are drawn toward projects and partnerships that Empower Women and maintain Integrity!!!
- Kindly mention some of the notable recognitions and accreditations received by your organisation.
After over 20 years as an actress and producer, I can humbly share that I have received over 100 awards and recognitions. I cherish each one of them, but some of the notable are:
2010- ‘B-Movie Award for Scream Queen of The Year’
2016- ‘Mary Pickford Award’ to “Highlight Women in The Film Arts” Zed Fest
2017- Actors Awards ‘Best Actress In A Drama Award’; ‘Stella Adler Acting Award’ Action On Film International Film Festival; ‘Grace Kelly Gold Actor Award’ West Coast International Film Festival; Los Angeles Film Awards ‘Inspiring Woman in a Film’ Award
2018- Actors Awards ‘Best Actress In An Indie Film Award’; West Coast International Film Festival ‘Legendary Actress’ Jury Award
2019- Inducted into The Carney Board for the Carney Awards Character Actor Hall Of Fame created in honor of character actor icon Art Carney
2020- Honored in the best-selling historical commemorative coffee table book ‘1000 Women In Horror, 1895-2018’; NOVA Fest ‘Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series Award’
2021- Inducted into the Phillytainment ‘PA Celebrity Hall Of Fame’; The Telly Awards TV Award
- The pandemic turned the tables for every sector of the economy, tell us something about your market and its scope for growth.
I feel like I became an early visionary with Philly Chick Pictures and production. I was one of the first producers to create a model to film an entire streaming web series 100% virtually, and with a seasoned, talented team and cast, I would like to add! I have been acting and producing virtually from my home office ever since.
- Where do you see your career and organisation in the years to come?
I always aspire to be and do better, but I also work to be in gratitude for where I am now. I hope to see more investors and larger financial investments in Philly Chick Pictures and our projects, as we experienced prior to the financial crisis back in 2008. As a producer, I would like to focus on more inspiring content with a purpose. As an actress, I would love to land another TV series in Hollywood, but also work in New York City a few months out of the year. Last on my professional vision list is to win an Emmy Award!
- Entrepreneurship is an art, what is your take on that?
I feel we are in a culture where entrepreneurship is more challenging than ever. With technology, the internet, and social media, there is more content coming our way… and a lot of it is free! This requires entrepreneurs to reinvent and get more creative, which is an art form. That said, I cannot emphasize enough what I stated earlier… Art and Entertainment is a serious Business! I believe many creatives fail at making a living, or sustaining, through their artistic endeavours, because while we were all studying acting, writing, etc… we never bothered to learn show “business”!
