Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Michelle Cook and Katie Wilkes.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
We both met at a memorable retreat here in Chicago in the fall of 2015 through a good friend and coach of ours at the time. During a yoga dance party, we became instant friends and took a liking to each others’ careers, interests and all-around badassness.
Coming from vastly different backgrounds, we were also both looking for the next steps in our careers. And quickly, we saw we had the same goal to create meaningful content that would impact women around the globe through powerful, true stories.
I, Dana, have spent more than 12 years in the world of production. As a former reality television producer, I’ve certainly seen my fair share of moments witnessing how mainstream media was failing women both in front of and behind the camera. Since then, I’ve been devoted to creating content that inspires and uplifts future generations of women to believe in the power of their voice and pursue their wildest dreams.
And I, Katie, have spent the past eight years deployed to disaster sites around the country. I’ve served as a national spokesperson and public affairs specialist, but more important than those “titles,” over and over again I saw the power of people coming together to heal and support each other in the most challenging times. Not many people get to see that on repeat. But somehow those stories rarely made it to the mainstream news where the rest of us could see the positive impact happening. What I kept witnessing on the ground was a strong contrast to the headlines in our own newsfeeds.
Over the course of a few months, we decided to test the waters and put our skills and passions together to create a project that would highlight the efforts of brave women creating incredible impact in communities around the world. That project has since turned into full-fledged documentary series and business.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Starting a business truly takes commitment, courage, and a whole lot of willingness to face some deep fears. But we signed up for this! And knew it wasn’t always going to be rainbows (despite whoever you follow on Instagram these days).
We’ve learned the challenges that come with fundraising – namely how hard it can be for women to ask for money to support their own creations. We face Imposter Syndrome on other days, too, and have to remind each other that often WE are the ones standing in our own way. One of the most steadfast things we have is our partnership.
When one of us is really having a tough time, the other is in a space of support and encouragement and able to give the gift of true listening. When you have the right team, anything is possible.
Side note: self-planning and navigating a 16-day film shoot in East Africa with four crew members also wasn’t entirely intuitive. But we did it. And we’ll always have that to look back on as one of our “proof points” of what we are capable of creating!
Freeheart Creative – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Freeheart Creative shares the brave stories of female trailblazers to inspire the next generation of leaders to make an impact on the world.
Our documentary series, Seeing Brave, is composed of three short-form episodes featuring courageous women who are transforming lives around the globe through their own brave initiatives. It’s an incredible honor to shine a light on these women through the power of cinema!
We’re excited to bring a robust curriculum of educational experiences to over 100 schools starting here in Chicago. We love our hometown!
Beyond that, we have opportunities on the horizon to bring the series to women’s groups, organizations, and corporations around the U.S. If you’d like to help us bring this series and curriculum to young leaders all over the country, please visit https://www.gofundme.com/freeheartcreative.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
To us, success means living a life that we’re proud of. It’s choosing to spend our days filled with purpose. We’ve been building Freeheart brick by brick for the last two years, and while we certainly have days where we want to crawl under the covers and hide from the world, our belief that we’re ultimately creating something so much bigger than ourselves is the best kind of motivation to keep going.
We’re thrilled to be nearing completion on the documentary series now and introducing it into the world. In our next phase of work, we’ll be bringing it to schools and organizations all around the country to screen the series and spark powerful conversations with young men and women to be brave in their own lives.
If you’d like to follow our journey, please visit freeheartcreative.com!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.freeheartcreative.com/
- Email: hello@freeheartcreative.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freeheartcreative
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freeheartcreative
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/freeheartctv
- Other: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2017/07/24/documenting-real-life-stories-of-womens-triumphs-helps-us-see-the-world-differently
Image Credit:
Cory Dewald, Rudy Rubio, Travis Schoening
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