Meredith Burkholder didn’t just move abroad—she built a life and a business from the ground up in a city where she didn’t speak the language and didn’t know a soul. As the CEO, Founder, and Director of Webfest Berlin, she’s championing short-form storytelling and creating a platform where creators from around the world connect, collaborate, and get their work seen. In this conversation, we talk about her journey from Texas to Switzerland to Berlin, the leap of faith it takes to start over, and the mindset that makes it possible to keep chasing possibilities even when fear is loud. Meredith’s story is proof that trusting yourself, building community, and taking bold action can transform not just your career—but your life.
“It’s always going to be fine. That’s my biggest mantra over the years. You freak out about something. How is this ever going to happen and I stress out in my head. But it’s all going to be fine.”
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Webfest Berlin
Short-Form Series
Amazon
Hulu
Netflix
Art History
Switzerland
Berlin
NYC
Melbourne
Marseille
LA
Bodem Cafe & Home Store
Reality TV
Zurich
Christmas Markets
Sound of Music
Italy
Lugano, Italy
Beijing
Monique
Supra
Osmosis - Ann SantaMaria
Queery
Yo This Is Racist
Special (Netflix)
Armchair Expert by Dax Shepard
Joe Rogan
Nextdoor App
Adeline’s Episode
Kentucky -
Follow along using the Transcript
Chapters
00:00 Taking the leap: Moving abroad without a plan
02:10 From Texas to New York to Europe
04:25 Discovering the world of short-form series
07:40 Launching Webfest Berlin
10:15 Building a creative community from scratch
13:00 Navigating cultural differences and language barriers
15:30 Lessons from producing around the world
18:15 Gender parity in the festival world
21:00 How Webfest Berlin impacts creators’ careers
24:20 The mindset that keeps her moving forward
27:00 Balancing vision and adaptability
30:15 Life lessons from risk-taking
33:45 What’s next for Meredith and Webfest Berlin
36:10 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and creators
It is always gonna be fine. I think that's like my biggest mantra over the years. And you freak out about something or like, what is gonna happen? How is this ever going to, to survive? Or, I get super stressed out in my head, but it's like, it's all fine. Like it is all going to be fine in one way or the other.
We maybe have no idea how, but it's gonna be fine.
That's Meredith Burkholder and this is The Powerful Ladies podcast.
Hey guys, I'm your host, Kara Duffy, and this is The Powerful Ladies Podcast where I invite my favorite humans, the awesome, the up to something, and the extraordinary to come and share their story. I hope that you'll be left, entertained, inspired, and moved, and take action towards living your most powerful life.
Meredith is the CEO founder and the director of Web Fest Berlin, a short form series festival. On this episode, she tells us how she went from Texas to starting her own business halfway around the world in a city. She didn't speak the language and didn't know anyone. We talk about diverse and opportunity in the web series and podcast space, why?
It's always a great idea to move abroad and however, expanding networks allow you to find the various keys to your dream life. All that and so much more coming up. But first, hey guys. I'm so excited that you are here today to listen to another episode of The Powerful Ladies podcast. It's because of you guys that we are able to exist and survive and make this great content, have these great conversations.
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All right, well, welcome to The Powerful Ladies podcast, all the way from Berlin. Woo. Woo. Let's start. We thank you for having me. Of course. My pleasure. Would you please introduce yourself and tell people like who you are and what you're up to?
Sure. Uh, my name is Meredith Burkholder and, um, primarily I am the CEO and founder and director of Web Fest Berlin, which is a short form series festival happening here in Berlin.
Um, the fifth edition coming up this September. Um, in addition to that, I do a lot of consulting about short form series. I am, uh, writing a book about short form series. I'm working on starting a second web fest. I am also working on producing my first, uh, or producing a a half hour series with, um, some creators from the web series world as well.
So just kind of, uh, moving and a shaken and, uh, making and making as many opportunities for short form series as I can.
And we should announce that Powerful Ladies is a partner for this upcoming Web Fest, Berlin, which I am super excited about in September.
Super, super exciting. I I'm really like you guys are.
I, I'm so happy to have you guys. It's gonna be, um, a historic moment. It's gonna be the first web fest in the world, which in complete gender parity, on its on its stages and its organization. And we'll have some awesome workshops from you guys, the powerful ladies, helping to empower the ladies at the web fest, um, and hopefully some podcasting and, um, everything that we can get in there to really shine a light on our female creators.
Because as much as we push for this, and the web series is a place where you can do anything and anyone can make what they want, you still see a huge gap in the number of, um, female creators that, um, are making web series. We wanna push that and show people what they can do.
For people who don't know what short form series are, or a web series is like, what are you showcasing at Web Fest Berlin?
Yes, exactly. So this is, this is the basis of it all. It's everyone's first question, what do you mean? Um, because we've gone through several names of what it is that we call this. So, um, at first everyone was referred to as a web series or web series, festivals and web series kind of got, um, a derogatory kind of association with it because people started to think of these like really amateur kind of productions slapped up on YouTube that are not really great quality or interesting narratives or anything along those lines.
Um, but what we've seen in the last years is a huge rise in the quality of productions and a place that's opening up in the market for them with mobile apps and even alongside, um, longer format shows on, on Netflix and Hulu and Amazon. Um, so really when we're talking about. So we've shifted talking more about short form series, and so it's anything that we say is, um, we say shorter than 20 minutes per episode.
Um, and that's primarily to distinguish between like a 22 minute television format. Mm-hmm. Um, but I'll be the first to say that in essence, putting limitations on what a web series is, time or otherwise is, um, a bit counterintuitive, but we kind of had to make a, a point somewhere to say, okay, what is it that we're doing and how does this fit into the market?
And so short is definitely, um, the characteristic that by and large, uh, covers most web series out on the web today.
So for people, everyone listening, you guys are showcasing. Uh, TV series, for lack of a better word, that people are making that are going direct to the internet. So whether it's on YouTube or Amazon or on Netflix, it's TV series that are going directly to the inter, to the internet and are less than 20 minutes in full length.
Exactly. Or the 20 minutes per episode. The full length of the season can range all over the place. Um, and we can get into that more and how the market is responding to that. Mm-hmm. But, um, these are all meant as, as shorter than 20 minute episodes for the most part. And they're narrative, they're nonfiction.
They're animation, they're every different genre, but just kind of shorter than what you're used to generally consuming on linear television.
Mm-hmm. And you guys, you know, web Fest got created kind of at the same time that I feel everyone was getting their multi subscriptions to Netflix and Amazon and Hulu and whoever else is out there.
How did you get in on it so quickly?
Um, it was a weird kind of, um, situation of events like for me personally. Um. I just a bit of background on myself. I was in New York for 10 years. Um, after I graduated from school, I studied art history and went to New York thinking I work in a gallery. Um, and then when I was in, very glamorous yes, of course, until I got there.
I was like, wait, no one's gonna pay me to work in a gallery for a while. Okay, what else can I do? Um, so then I kind of stumbled into a, a commercial photography studio as a studio manager and got a job there. Um, and from there I learned how to produce. Um, commercial photo shoots. Um, and then moved into video and producing commercials, and then reality TV for a couple of years in New York, um, which turned into a bit of a soul sucking exercise in the end.
Um, and I was really ready to get away and, and just kind of find something new. And so I had moved away. I moved away to Switzerland for a year. I fell in love and moved away, and then it was like, nothing's happening in Switzerland. What am I doing here? Um, and so then I moved to Berlin where there's a lot more media going on.
Um, and I was kind of looking around to see who was shooting what and what was going on around the city. And, um. Found a web series that was looking for crew. Um, and I kind of helped out with their productions, just, um, making call sheets, finding some crew, just a bit of production management sort of things.
Um, and then that show ended up winning the grand jury prize at the Melbourne Web Fest, which meant that it got into the Marse Web Fest and the LA Web Fest. And I started to learn about this whole kind of circuit of web series festivals around the world. Um, and the creator of that show, which is called Mission Backup Worth, there's a guy named Alex Vander.
And so he went to the LA Web Fest, um, which was the first web fest ever in the world. And, um, met the director of that festival, Michael Jacque Way, and Michael said, Hey, you know, Berlin maybe is a cool place to do something like this. Would you wanna do something or do you know anyone around that would, you know, be interested in doing that?
And so Alex came back from LA and he was like, I don't have time for this, but this seems like something that you might be interested. And I was like. Yes, I'm indeed. I am crazy enough to do that.
Well, I would love to go back 'cause you skipped over a lot of awesome stuff in your New York, um, decade. Um, you know, a lot of people do start in, you know, with one career path in mind and end up switching, and I think people get really nervous about it.
But it is so common once you realize that working in an art gallery wasn't going to pay, at least not in the near future. Was it easy for you to switch? Like how did you know where to jump to next?
Yeah, I mean in that particular instance it was kind of a no brainer just because like, you know, when you're kind of in any job search and I'm going like door to door in my little, you know, j crew suit in Chelsea through every gallery handing out resumes and realizing like, this is, you know, unless you know something, someone, or you have a way in, this is a little bit crazy.
So I kind of was realizing that I needed to broaden my job search. I was working at the time at a, a coffee shop at the Bodom Cafe and Home store on 14th Street. Um, and, um, so I started to broaden my, my search a little bit and photography was always kind of my favorite medium. Um, and so I kind of started looking more into photo focus things here and there.
And then, um, yeah, ended up at this, uh, commercial photography studio and just kind of like it all fit together. I think. Um, I had made another big switch when I was in school. When I went to college, I was told I was good at math and science in, in col in high school rather. And so everyone said, oh, well you need to go be an engineer.
And so I said, okay, I'm gonna do that. And I went to engineering skill school for a year and a half and I was like. This is not fun. Like I can't really, I don't picture myself, I can't imagine like solving equations for the rest of my life, or I just wasn't quite like the creative excitement side of like, you know, building something or a system around something wasn't really there.
I wasn't maybe patient enough to get to that point. Um, but then I always had this, this art history class stuck in my head from high school and I was like, you know what? I'd kind of like to get back to that. Maybe now's the time. And so when I was, during my sophomore year, I was like, you know what, I'm switching.
And that meant I lost my scholarship because I was engineering and it was kind of a big switch to pull, but I just knew that it wasn't, I wasn't on a path that. I saw myself living for the rest of my life. Mm-hmm. Um, and so then similarly, like when I got to New York, I thought it was one thing and then I saw this studio and I was, you know, just even in the interview and talking with them for a few hours that day, it was like realizing that there was this option out there called production.
And it was like, oh, well this is what my engineering mind is made to do. To kind of then meld with a creative atmosphere and the kind of, um, analytical eye that I had built and the rest of my time in college, it was like, okay, this is how things can all work together. And um, yeah, I learned that that was, uh, a way to go even that I hadn't considered before.
Mm-hmm. And you mentioned the reality TV shows that you were working on. Yeah. Can you share with us which ones you worked on?
Sure. I mean, they were real blockbusters.
No, it was, um, it was a lot of things we did, uh, I did a show called, uh, running with Russell Simmons for the Oxygen Network that was about Russell Simmons. Um, primarily about his assistants and also him use these two women that kind of like run his world. Mm-hmm. Um, so it was about them and their life.
One summer we did, um, a show called Have Cake Will Travel, which was kind of like, um, for the Food Network and it was kind of like, uh, Anna Nicole Smith lookalike that travels around and makes crazy fancy cakes for different, um, events. I did, um, uh, styled by June, which is an MTV series. I worked some on Chopped, um, from the Food Network.
Mm-hmm. Some on, um. Uh, some pilots, uh, some fashion, 24 hour fashion pilot competition shows all kinds of just random kind of, um, d-list celebrity competition centric or very, very produced reality shows. Mm-hmm.
The, the, the fake reality shifts.
Exactly. So
it was like
working with really awful budgets. At the time I was working in production management and it was like hiring people and making deals for them on their contracts that were making them work ridiculous hours for really little pay and making something that in the end you weren't particularly.
Excited about having your name on in the first place. It was just kind of like, okay, this is, this is not something that I feel good about necessarily for my career.
And is because of how you felt about working on those shows and like it not aligning to your values, is that what made you open to, to going to Europe for a while
a bit?
Yeah. I mean, it was, I was just kind of looking to, to break out of it because it, I was in a situation where the company I was working for, they were lovely because they were keeping me on in between productions even though there was not a production happening. And so, I mean, there was really just absolutely nothing I could do all day.
I just went in and sat there and like chatted on. You know, Google Chat with the other people in the office, uh, for eight hours and went home. Like there was nothing I could even make up to do. Like it was just doing nothing. And then another show would come on and I was still kind of stuck in the same position where they were like, no, we love you in the office.
Our accountant loves you and we can't find anyone that she likes. And so, um, you have to just stay here. And I was like, but how do I ever, you know, like I would approach them about new shows coming up. Hey, can I go out and field produce on this? Or can I, you know, try something, something different here?
Can I look at the post world? And it was like, Nope, nope, nope. Not definitely not. You're, you're good where you are. And it was kind of like, okay. I don't really see where this is leading me. I'm not feeling challenged. I'm not excited about it. You know, it was like, maybe now is the time something needs to happen.
And coincidentally, I fell in love with an old friend and it was like, oh, okay, great. You happen to live in Switzerland. I'm looking for a way to get out. This sounds like a fun adventure. I was just kind of like in a place where I was ready to, to move. It was 10 years in New York also kind of can get a bit long after a while, and I was just kind of like, okay.
What else is there? What else can I see? And so I packed up and headed to Switzerland.
I think anytime that there's an opportunity to escape to an amazing, you know, exotic in the sense that it's exotic from, from you place, like it gets, I just get so excited just thinking about it. Like a friend of mine, I just found out this past week is moving to Zurich and I instantly went through my head.
I'm like, Chris's markets and sound of music and like all the things that get you, you know, driving to Italy whenever you want to. Mm-hmm. And it made me so miss living in Europe that I was kind of of like, well, can I come and just take care of you? Like,
yeah, exactly. That would
work for me. Like, um, so yeah, everyone listening, if you have the chance to live in Europe or anywhere, that's not your home country, do it.
Do it, do it. Do it. Totally. Um, totally. Because you've now been in Europe for how long? Um,
now seven years. Seven years. I was in Switzerland for one year, and now I've been in Berlin for six.
Would you ever have guessed that when you first got on the airplane to go to Switzerland?
I have no idea. I don't think I had any idea what the hell I was doing.
I was just like, this sounds like fun. This is gonna be exciting. Let's go. Who knows what's gonna happen, how it's gonna work out, what am I gonna do? What does this look like in 10 years? I'm not entirely sure, but right now, like this is the first move that I'm making. I'm, you know, to, to just kind of get my life moving in a way that I was more excited about.
Not that I didn't love my life in New York. I had the greatest bunch of friends. I mean, really, like, that's where I feel like my adult home is, you know? Mm-hmm. I was there for majority of my twenties, like into my thirties a little bit. Like that was where I kind of like, became an adult, I think. But it just kind of, I was just ready to move and, and yeah, I didn't, I don't think that I ever really seriously considered moving abroad until it was like, oh.
This, I wanna be with this person. Mm-hmm. And they're there and I can go do that. And why not? There's not, nothing's stopping me at the moment. I'm, you know, let's try it and see what happens. Um, which was, yeah, I've absolutely, I can second that a million times over. If you have any opportunity, if you have any thought about it, just do it.
Like, worst case you don't like it and you move back, you know?
Right, right. So now that you've been in Berlin for six years, um, you know, you show up in Europe, you don't have, you didn't move for a job, so there's not like a job waiting for you when you get there. You, did you speak the language before you got there?
No, not at all. I mean, this is a lot of why, um, Switzerland, I was in Luo and a lot why Luo was difficult for me is that I didn't have a job. I didn't speak the language. I didn't know anyone except for my partner that I was going to be with. Um, and it was just kind of, uh. It's one of the most beautiful place in the world, Liano.
I highly recommend to visit if you're ever around, but it was just like, what do I do here? I'm living in a postcard and it's lovely, but it's not working, you know?
Um, so yeah, that was when, um, we, my partner at the time, we decided, okay, we're gonna, we're, let's start our own business. He quit his job also, and we were like, let's gonna move to Berlin and there's more media happening in there and we can do more for ourselves and just kind of get out of this like, corporate world and just figure out what it is that, that we're gonna do in this, in this crazy city they call Berlin, where apparently everything goes and there aren't rules and you can, you know, be crazy and opportunities around every corner, or that's what, um, that's what they say.
Um, so yeah. So it was like, let's, let's do that. And before we even. Moved our relationship had fallen apart. We broken up and then decided that both in our own ways that we would move to Berlin and we wanted to start this company together anyway. And so then under that companies and how the web Fest was born eventually,
so to, to catch everybody up who's listening.
'cause there's so much good stuff. Every five seconds you move halfway around the world for someone that you fall in love with. You get there and you realize you're living in a beautiful postcard, but not really having much else going on. And then you guys decide to move to Berlin, but realize it's not working out, but you still wanna start a company together.
Anyway. That sounds like a lot of growth moments in that one sentence. Yeah. Like how, how do you, how do you resolve moving around the world for someone and then it, not working out, but still being like, Nope, I wanna see you every day still.
Sure. And I mean, I think over the subsequent few years that was amended for sure.
Um, but at the, at the time, I think it was like when we broke up and, you know, we had, we had these plans to move to Berlin and start a business, but that hadn't been like enacted yet at that point. Um, and we broke up and I was just kind of like, okay, I have to get out. I'm not gonna stay here in Logano and be broken up.
And the next plan was just to, was that we were gonna move to Berlin at some point. So I thought, Hey, I'm just gonna go ahead and go. I had never visited Berlin. I knew, no, not a single person there, nothing. I really c sight unseen. I was like, well, here I go. Um, what, hold on. Is everyone, sorry,
I have to stop you again.
You, um, are ending a relationship and decide the best thing to do is move to a place you've never been to before by yourself.
Yeah,
I would like to give you a hundred gold stars for the kaons. You have? Like, what, what, where did that come from? And you were like, that's it, I'm just gonna go and do it.
I think I was just, um, I wasn't done with being abroad yet.
Mm-hmm. Like, I didn't wanna go back to New York. I didn't wanna go to Texas where I'm from. I didn't go, wanna go to maybe LA or Miami where I have more business connections or something that would've been different from New York. And I just, I wasn't quite done with my adventure and the challenge that was before me in kind of like making it somewhere else.
Mm-hmm. Um, I think that's kind of like a, a hallmark of my, my decision making history is that it's like, uh, if it's too easy, nope. I need to make it the most difficult. Like when I was in New York, I started as a commercial studio. Uh, photo studio manager. But then after like a year, I went freelance to produce photos, freelance.
And 'cause the girl that produced for the photographers I was working for said, Hey, I have too much work. If you wanna come, I can give you what I don't have what or what I can't handle. And I was like, okay. So I went freelancing, like, just to make it that much more difficult. Then it was like, okay, let's start over and start, try and do this again.
But in a place where you don't speak a language, you don't know anyone, you haven't, like, every kind of step is like, okay, now let's start a business somewhere. You don't speak a language in Germany, you don't know Seoul, you don't know anything. Now try and make a, a festival that you've never made a festival.
Like you've never, you have no idea how this works. You've been to relatively few film festivals. You know, it was kind of, I think once I see something that's like, um, I have a feeling about, or I can imagine what it could be. Um, I just kind of like, I, I dig in and it's like, you know what, no, this is what's, let's, let's figure it out.
And not in a way that's like, I'm holding onto this dear life and like, I'm gonna go down with the ship no matter what. But like, hey, I, I, I'm, I'm, I'm not ready to be done with it. I'm, I'm not ready to stop. And so let's just go. What's, again, what's the worst that can happen? Do you I fail, I have no money. I need to figure out how to get a plane ticket back to the US and like hunker down with a relative for a while.
You
know? Do you come from a family of risk takers or frontiersmen or like people who are doing things like you, like is this common in your family?
Um, I mean, as far as having your own business? Yes. I mean, my, my family, my, um, my dad, his great-grandfather started insurance company and so he's been selling.
Uh, life and health insurance my whole life. Uh, we've had an insurance agency since, yeah, my great grandfather had it, and then my grandfather took it over, and then my, my father. Um, but I guess, you know, by the time that it's in my generation, it's not particularly like, you know, we're breaking out there and doing something crazy.
But it is, you know, a, a mentality of making your own way and solving your own problems and finding, finding the next route to kind of keep your business alive through the challenges and over the years. Um, but yeah, I mean, I have two sisters that are half sisters, but one's a lawyer and one's a veterinarian, and they have two kids and four kids and live in lovely little, little houses in the suburbs and have pretty stable lives.
I'm definitely kind of like the, the freak child in the family from the. Non stability direction.
Well, Allie, I know growing up I was always so inspired and excited by people who are doing what, what you've done, who are just being curious about like, what's over there? I can do this. Let's figure it out.
And those are the people that like, get me excited to still read about today or listen to, which is, you know, a part of why I'm doing this because there's something so freeing in my mind when someone just goes like that. There's trust that there's always a way one back home and that it's gonna work out.
It might not look like what you expected, but it's fine.
Yeah. Something, I mean, it's, it's always gonna be fine. I think that's like my biggest mantra over the years. And you freak out about something or like, what is gonna happen? How is this ever going to, to survive? Or, I get super stressed out in my head, but it's like.
It's all fine. Like it is all going to be fine in one way or the other. Like we maybe have no idea how, but it's gonna be fine. You know? And I think also, you know, I mean my, my parents were definitely like, they really pushed into me that like, you can do anything. You can be everything and we want you to have fun while you do it.
And so when I would, you know, I've always been really close to them and so when we call them and you know, okay, I don't know, maybe I'm gonna go freelance, maybe I wanna move. And they're always like, yeah, go for it. Does that sound like what you wanna do? Is that, does that sound like fun for you? Then, then do it and know that, you know, we've got your back if you, if you need something or if you wanna talk about it or whatever, we'll do what we can.
But they were always so, so supportive and so, um, encouraging to kind of try anything that I thought of, um, which was a really, you know, I know, I'm sure that it wasn't always the easiest thing for them to do. I'm sure that my parents weren't like, yes, go move thousands and miles away into a different country and be, you know, out of our reach.
I'm sure that's not easy for, for parents to do, but they were really, you know, any idea that I ever came with, I, I can't even remember ever a time where they were said, Hmm, I don't think that's a good idea. You, you probably shouldn't do that. Or you should wait, or you should. Uh, think about it or stay still similar.
I mean, they were always really like, yeah, go for it. If I sounded excited about it, they were, they were on board.
So once you landed in Berlin, how did you start? Like what was the first couple of things that you did? I'm assuming you found a place to sleep, but like Yeah. Then what?
Um, yeah, so that was, I, I found a place to live and I immediately enrolled in German classes, um, because that was the one thing that I knew, okay, then I can put myself on a schedule.
Like I will at least be going somewhere every, every day having something to do. And this was before like we had decided to definitely continue with the business in Berlin. Um, but it was just kind of like day one breakup, ground zero. Like, okay, here I am. Mm-hmm. Um. So it was make, um, making, getting into the German classes, and so taking into intensive German courses every day for like three hours a day.
Um, and doing my, my little homeworks for that. And then other than that, just kind of exploring the city. Like I would just walk and walk and walk. I moved February 1st, which is not an ideal time of year in Berlin. Very tropical. Um, yeah, exactly. So basically I would, I would walk and walk and walk. I would pick a different neighborhood or different streets or something.
Um, and I would just go and walk, um, until I was too cold and had to stop in for a coffee or a beer depending on the time of day. And, um, just got to know the city and, and, and myself also, and to kind of, you know, really kind of be one-on-one with myself to say, okay, what is it? What are you doing? What do you wanna do?
Mm-hmm. What. What's, what, what could you do? You know, and doing a lot of like brainstorming and writing about just what kinds of futures I could envision or what, what kind of possibilities there might be. Um,
I'm definitely a wanderlust romantic, um, whether it's a road trip or an escape, like whenever I'm feeling lost or unsure or need a reset, like.
Any of those things to me are like the best remedy. Like there's nothing driving in a car where you don't know where you're gonna stop. You're just kind of going and like, I'll even be the weirdo that will drive in silence for like hours. Um, but there's something totally so magical about like just not talking and not having to consider anyone else for whatever amount of time it is.
Um, yeah. Yeah. So I'm following right along with you with the story in my head of like you wandering the streets and having a coffee or a beer, both of which are available 24 7 in Ruland. So yeah, no one's, no one's judging when either being consumed.
Yeah. But it was just kind of, it was just a time to, I don't know, like, uh, I had been in this really intense relationship and that was kind of like all of my energy was pushing towards that and.
It was just kind of like stepping back for the first time and, and, you know, since pretty much I had arrived in Switzerland and thinking about me as an individual and like, not in relation to me, me as an individual, but not necessarily me in relation to another person. Mm-hmm. Um, so I'd been really living in that direction and I have a tendency to, to go down that direction in general with relationships and things like that.
And so it's been kind of a long term on, again, off again, something that I work on myself to really like put myself first and question what I wanna do and ask myself the tough questions and not just kind of be, get along to go along and happy to be very malleable and keep peace and do what's gonna make everyone happy.
So, um, that I feel I've made a lot of strides in over this entire. European adventure. Mm-hmm. For sure. For sure. Which is, uh, hugely, I mean, at that time, some, and now way more than ever. Um, uh, because yeah, we ended up starting this business and having this business together in Berlin for, um, four years, four and a half years, five years, something like that.
Mm-hmm. Um, and. Yeah, as you're saying, it's like, so let's break up and now go see each other every day, all day long and try and work together. We, we tried for a really long, long time, but it's just, you know, we, we didn't get along that way. Like, it was just got to the point where it was really miserable to try and work together.
Mm-hmm. Um, and so then last year I went out on my own. Um, so I wanted to focus on the web fest and I felt like I was just, it was just kind of an side project that I was having to deal with that felt more like a burden than anything else. But I was like, no, that's actually what I wanna be focusing on and seeing if I can make something out of, um, so yeah, so I, I started my own company last year and so this last year has been really kind of a gut check and like a real, I.
Test for any kind of, um, confidence in myself that I built up, or, or trusting myself or feeling that I was really connected to my true self and really trusting in that, um, and trusting myself to move forward. That's, that's been a big, huge learning growing year that I feel really, really proud of and really good.
Now I feel like it's, um, it was super scary, but it's happening. It's working
well, and I think that's, like, that's what, when people talk about confidence, they talk about having it and like, and that people need it, but no one really talks about how you get it and you only get confidence by doing things and maybe doing things that scare you and like getting through it.
Like there's so many like points you give yourself when you look back and see what you've overcome and what you survived and you're like, damn, like I did that. Like, that's awesome.
Yeah. Yeah. It's like, Hey, this is, I, I mean, it's the same 'cause also the web fest is basically something that starts over every year.
And so we get better and better every year just, um, with sponsorships and funding and just being able to, to pay for the festival. Um, but when I left the rest of my company, I knew that there wasn't, um, I wasn't working on something else that was, that was, you know, that I could fall back on that was making money.
You know, any of the projects that I'm working on now are more creative and they're not kind of like baseline, just like bringing in income things. Um, it was definitely, definitely scary and to know that, you know, okay, I did it the first time. I did it last year. We got in more sponsorships than ever. Got in more funding, you know, more submissions.
Everything went great and, but then. The day after it, it's like, okay, let's start over again. 'cause you don't make, or it's not so common to make these multi-year deals with sponsors and definitely with the funding in Berlin, you only know about on a year by year basis. So it's like back to zero. You know?
I mean, you, you built a lot and a lot of a name for yourself and a reputation and things like this and you know, hopefully made a great event, but you really are in essence, back to zero of like, okay. Time to build it back up again. How do we, how do we do this one more time? So, having one under my belt right now really feels, I could be freaking out right now, but it's like, you know, one step at a time.
It's all gonna work out somehow, some way, you know, it'll, it'll happen. Just kind of being patient and, and knowing that if I freak out, uh, it's not going to benefit any part of the situation.
And I would imagine similar to the company and to Web Berlin, that your own finances are a similar rollercoaster.
How, how do you balance that and how do you plan for anything when it's always, um, this game of like, just where are we at in this cycle?
Exactly. And that's what's super, super tricky about this whole thing that I'm still navigating now. Um, 'cause I'm, I'm, um, you know, for the moment in, in the off season, it's just me.
So I bring in a team, um, a few months before the festival and I have, uh, two festival advisors that are always kind of around that are helping to work on it because they're unpaid advisors. But as far as paid staff is, I can't bring them in until June or July. So it's, or no before that, probably June. Um, but, um, yeah, I mean it's frightening.
I, I myself can be super thrifty. Um, I can live on quite little and I'm just very careful. And so I've over the years saved and saved and saved and saved and saved. So there's always a little bit of, of cushion in the, uh, in the event that, you know, something doesn't come through. Mm-hmm. Um, but like this year specifically is kind of like, okay, everything to the test.
We used savings last year to get through it. Now this is the first year where it's the entire year where there's not another income source. This book I'm working out is just working on, is just about to release. That'll help a little bit. The, um, the series that I'm trying to produce, I can find some development funding money for that, that will move on if I can start trying to start a web fest in Beijing also, that I should hear about in a couple weeks.
If that happens, it moves on. So this has really been the first year where it's like, okay, I'm really out on a limb here. Um, what am I gonna do? I knew that from the beginning of the year since the festival ended last year. Um, and these things that these projects that I'm working on have really all just kind of.
Come at me. You know, I mean, none of them, it's, it's, it is a time of unknown. Like none of it's, I don't know when these things are gonna pay off. If they're gonna pay off what's gonna happen. But there were interesting projects that people approached me with and said, Hey, what do you think? Do you wanna produce this?
Hey, will you write this book with me? Hey, would you wanna do this in Beijing? And it's kind of like, okay, well this is what I've worked for, to kind of attract these things to come at me and then to choose which of those feel like good options. And hopefully I've chosen the ones that, um, that are, you know, most satisfying for me.
And that also can help me pay my rent in the end. Mm-hmm. But it is like, um, specifically this first quarter and now this year is just, um, I don't know what's gonna happen. I know it's gonna work out. I know that somehow it's all gonna come together, but it is in the next few weeks, I'll find out about some funding and some kind of bigger topics that will drive the rest of the year.
But yeah, at, at the moment it's still getting up in its own two feet. Two feet. And it's a lot of just like deep breaths and really believing in knowing and trusting myself and my vision that it's all gonna be fine. And I, I find that when I'm able to do that and have that mentality, things kind of just start to fall into place.
And you're like, ah, see, it does work. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Well, I know that of the women I've shared with. Web Fest Berlin prior to announcing it. Um, this past week on our, our Instagram, everyone I've talked to about it, they had, they've never heard of it before and they don't know that world. So I've been doing my best.
You'll have to forgive me and you'll correct them all later, but doing my best to explain what it is. And I love that they are all, um, their response is, oh, well it's in Berlin and it's with another powerful lady that you believe in. Like, yeah, we'll go, just tell us when to be there. And, and so it, it, um, I think anyone who's going out on a limb and taking a risk and following what they think is the right thing to do, regardless of financial.
Uh, opportunities. So much of what we survive day to day on is the support and the excitement that other people have about what we're creating or what we're causing to happen. So for me, like, I mean like me knowing that other women are excited about what you're up to, who haven't even met you yet, just because you're part of the Powerful Lady Circle, like that makes me excited because it's not just about supporting me, it's about you guys supporting each other.
Um, and just, I love that we're in a time and space when we're, you know, just there to create good things in the world. Like who can we help, who can we support? Like, yes, if everyone does a little bit, we're gonna get somewhere. And it makes me excited, like, I mean. I'm sure that that is something that helps you get through the, you know, the valleys, you know, the peaks are easier to do by ourselves.
Yeah, for sure. For sure. Because it's also, it was funny, um, I was listening to your podcast the other day with Monique and Supra and you guys talking about the, um, the skate world. Mm-hmm. And, and how in the skate world it's like, it, it's not super competitive and corporate and everyone's just in it to get the job done because they believe in what they're doing and, you know, putting in a hand here they are, even though it's not your job title or things like that.
Um, and that's a lot of what I love about the world of Web series also. Mm-hmm. So I think there's a lot of commonalities just between. Powerful ladies, which, you know, obviously I saw the initiative come out and we talked about it and it was like, oh my gosh, this is, this is what we need in the web fest.
We need a powerful ladies section of our web fest for sure. This year. Um, not only because our, our, our theme already happened to be WP Power Up. Like, are you kidding? This is just like a, a match made in, in heaven. Um, and it was so cool to see everybody come out on Women's Day when you guys were launching and see.
So many people do so many cool things. And now, I mean, I, I'm listening to podcast regularly. Like, it's like, okay, this is in my lineup now for sure. Awesome. Um, so it's so cool to see, but in the same way, that's kind of how web series are, you know, they're, um. It's not like when you go to a traditional film festival and there's a lot of kind of competition and who's better than who and kind of attitudes around filmmakers and directors like it is a community.
I think that was the thing when I first, the first web fest that I went to was the Marse Web Fest. And once I heard the discussions that were going on and saw the work that was happening and saw, you know, how independent and driven these creators were to tell these stories and to see these stories that up until that point, I mean, you, you would never have found, you know, a story like Transparent women winning an Emmy.
There just wasn't a place for it on broadcast television, you know? Mm-hmm. And so to be able to really expand those options to play with the medium, to play with what we think of as entertainment and what we think of with television and among this community that was so supportive of one another. And so, um.
You know, there, there's so many collaborations that come out of every, every web fest, I think, and so many new friendships. And, and it really, it, it's a community more than anything that happens to now be pushing into the industry and really making a part and taking hold of a, of a small corner of what is a massive, you know, global entertainment industry.
But it, it comes, you know, from the right place, it comes from something that I wanna align with and that I wanna be part of, and that I'm happy to. Um, be able to provide visibility and opportunity for these people that are so incredibly talented and the stories that they have to tell that, you know, how can we, how can we make them more visible, you know, in a very similar way as the, the Powerful Ladies initiative, you know?
Well, I had met you at the LA Web Fest when you guys were out here for it, I think the first time you guys went. Um, mm-hmm. And we had, we had met, because at the time we, you, I saw a few people who were creating content that might have benefited through a Hello Possibility partnership.
Yeah.
And it reminds me of the same culture that is in podcasting, I think, because it is, there's so much democracy happening in, like, anyone can start if they want to, and anyone could find resources if they want to.
And because everyone's creating from a. Uh, place of self versus competition or, um, you know, you think about regular TV or movies, it's very competitive. Everybody wants to win. And I feel like both in web series and in podcasting, like people are creating 'cause they wanna create. So there's a lot of camaraderie about, oh, like what tech, what equipment are you using and how, how are you marketing this?
And like, oh, like I know someone who can help you. And it, there's a sense of like, the more the merrier and the more that people that are involved, the more exposure we're all gonna get. Like the all boats rise and I'm sure just as podcasting and web series starts to evolve and become more mainstream, like that will probably change a little bit.
But there's a beautiful time right now where. People are supportive, and I hope it stays this way because it's so much more fun that way. Hmm,
totally. Absolutely. And podcasting in general, I mean, I'm a huge podcast fan just for, have been for many, many years. Just about every time I have time for it. My weekend mornings are dedicated to my long list of podcasts, but, um, but it is really like, um, I, I've often wanted to put a podcast section in the festival because it connects so, so uniquely to what web series are doing as well.
Mm-hmm. Like the industry in a similar space. And it's a similar quest of, you know, how to make people pay for content or not pay for content or how to get a sponsorship or things like this. Um, but um, yeah, I'm still working on how to figure out an international solution so that people can tell their own podcasts and their own languages and not have to make everybody.
Only in German or only in English, or you know, how to kind of really fit in with the international vibe of the Web Fest. But it's something that really, for me, I, I would love to somehow include because the, the, the mentality is just so, so, so similar. Mm-hmm. And then now you start to see, you know, the Homecoming that's produced in a series that's on Amazon, the same way that you're seeing shows from the short form World series that we had, you know, like, uh.
Osmosis, which is the first French series that just recently released in an adaptation for a long form on Netflix. It was, um, the original was produced by one of my festival advisors and Santa Maria. And so it's, it's all kind of at the same time making the same jump into the mainstream and to kind of get a bit more respect and, um, attention.
Um, but it's, it's, I think it, I, in my opinion, I think that it will push to a better environment and, and entertainment industry as a whole. You know, I mean, I think sure there's bound to be a bit of competitive, uh, behavior that that pushes in here and there, but by and large, when people come from this environment, I think that it will have a lot of impact on the kind of content that's produced and also the way that the industry is dealt with moving forward.
Well, I love it too because both avenues are really allowing. Everyone to have a voice. There is so much diversity in who is creating a web series and podcasts, um, what they're talking about, what the topics are. I mean, just looking at the podcast that Jordan works on for her, you know, regular job between Query and Yo's racist, um mm-hmm.
And like last night I was watching on Netflix the, uh, special series that just released Mm mm-hmm. Mean it's about a gay man with disabilities. Like what? Like totally. Like, it's so charming. And again, like, I don't know if it would've made it on, you know, traditional television before. And I just love that we really, the diversity is so high for, um, like the percentage is so much higher than traditional media.
That it really is allowing people to be authentic and be themselves, and you know, that's true for, you know, armchair expert and Dak Shepherd, as Joe Rogan as it is for the people that are taking on, you know, more serious like news oriented podcasts as well. So, um mm-hmm. That to me is the cool part because there really is so few barriers to entry that anyone who has something to say, gets to say what they want.
Yeah, exactly. It's the best. I mean, it's really that, that's, I mean, that's what moved me into the whole thing to start with. I mean, I think now it's like, okay, it's a bit of a face the music time. Okay. Yes. But, and this is also, you know, one of the reasons why the festival exists is to then how can we make this a, a sustainable, you know, profession?
How can we make income for creators? How can this not just be a loss for creators? How do you find an audience and really digging into those other topics that urgently need to be kind of, um, remedied, um, or, you know, finding business models that really will work. Is it through branded series? Is it, uh, is it the next big platform that's coming up?
Is it, uh, who knows what I mean there, there's so many different innovative ways to monetize your series. Um. And so it's, it's tricky because to I look at that and I think, oh my gosh, no, this is, this is the big topic then, great. We already know there's all this amazing content out there. Let's do what we can to get it out there.
But really, like, also focus in on how to like solve the big problem. Um, but then I take a step back and I look at the festival and it's like, wait, but what about all these cool shows? We're not highlighting the shows in it. You know, I, I, I find a tricky balance between wanting to like solve the business problem and get everyone in the same room and get the distributors, and get the broadcasters and the creators and filmmakers and everybody in one place and say, okay, figure out how to do it.
Um, but then you forget that like, oh, I'm, I, not everyone knows how great all of this content is. Like, you know, what can I do to get this content out and, and make sure that people see it? You know, it's shocking to me that, you know, my best friends and family members and whatever, you know, do you know how hard it is to get someone to watch.
Even just five episodes of five minutes, you know? Yeah. It's really difficult, but it's, um, it's out there. It's just a matter of getting it seen.
I've been surprised by the number of people who have asked me how you listen to a podcast. Granted, these people are, um, all over the age of 50 and my adorable landlord, who's in his eighties, um, wants to listen.
He's such a supporter, he's adorable. And so I now have to teach him not just like how to listen to a podcast, but like how to download apps and how to like, do all of it. So, um, it's been really interesting 'cause I just assumed everyone was listening to at least one. Yeah. And I think a lot, a lot of people are Of course.
Um, but yeah, there's a, there's an education part, but I really relate to what you're saying in regards to, you know, being the fairy godmother of these web series because it's similar to how I'm. You know, coaching, uh, people and businesses in the sense that. Like once, there's like the structure part, there's the money part, and there's the marketing.
Those are really the three things that come into mm-hmm. Whatever you're up to in life, whether it's yourself or your business. And it's where most people need the most help and connecting the right people. Um, it's, it's every business is struggle. I mean, you know, even if you and I are both people who are helping people find money and helping people market themselves, like we still need extra help there with our businesses.
Um, like it's a never ending battle of, um, needing more financial resources and just like wanting to like scream at the rooftops. So like, so more people hear about it because, um, like my mother shared this adorable story the other day. She's very cute and she's been very, um, she's been doing marketing in her own way of powerful ladies, one of which has been posting a note about every episode she listens to on her next door app.
Aw, right. And it would not have been in my, um, top 20 marketing plans, but she, she, um, has been doing it diligently and she's also doing it elsewhere, like on Facebook and Instagram. So thank you, mom. Um, but she got a note back from a woman in her neighborhood the other day who listened to Adeline's episode, and I was like, no way.
So of course, I to forward it to Adeline and um, you know, it was just cool to think that, you know, some suburban woman living in, you know, middle of nowhere, Kentucky is touched by Adeline's story and so much so that she had to go back on the app to tell a woman she's never met. Thank you for sharing.
Oh, that's amazing.
Right. It gives me chills that so weeds, right?
Like there are people out there, they wanna hear this stuff like
Yeah, exactly. And that's, you know, that's, that's the excitement of it. It's just, you know, cutting through the noise and, and matching people. I mean, not the noise, it's not that it's all noise, but just noise can be good people.
Yeah, exactly. I mean, there's so much out there. It's just finding the right audience for the right content. And there, the, the audience exists from nearly everything that's out there, but how to, you know, connect them and, you know, which algorithm do you use? And then do you complain about the algorithm that's now recommending you only one kind of thing.
And you know, like it's a constant struggle for sure, but it's, um, it's amazing when it works. It really, really is just mind boggling, you know, to think about even just things like. The, the, the festival that work is working, that the, that, you know, is, it's a relatively small gathering of, of industry professionals mean it's not, it's not super small, it's like 200 or so industry focused people that are there working in short form, which is, you know, hard to get that many people in one group that even know what a short form series is.
But they're, um, but they're all coming together and. Making deals, shows are getting sold that way. Shows are getting distributed that way. Last year, we were able to find the right pitch and the right sponsor to then have a, a pitch win 20,000 euros to develop their project. You know, like never would I have thought that this was possible.
But somehow all of these networks through social media newsletters and all of your partners and media partners, the right connections get made those right matches if you put them all in the same room, start to kind of, um, move or, I mean obviously in this world today, it doesn't have to be in any way in the same room, but, um, but just to, to bring people together that way, it's just really, I don't know.
It, it sounds so kind of like, um, basic level internet, but it's like, wow, you know, connections around the world just like that.
No, but like, it's, it's so true though. Like there's when people that you didn't know before you started. Connect and make some other magic happen, like as an offshoot of what you're creating.
It's so magical like that, that is what magic looks like. And to see it happen in real life in front of you and be like, oh shit. Like I created this, that created that, that created that. Like, that's amazing.
Absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, I, I just. There really is nothing better in this whole thing than watching a show get sold from Web Berlin, watching a collaboration come out of that, watching, uh, a distribution deal get signed and another sale made, or a show commission that was found at the PEs.
It's just like, holy crap. Like this is, this is working. Even if it was just for those, you know, 20 people of everyone that's come through, but now they're, they're living a different life because of this. They are living a, a, a better version of their professional life where they're telling their own stories now and not, you know, working for someone else, doing something that they're not particularly excited about.
You know, it's, um, even if it's just a few people here or there, I mean, uh, more, it's more and more people every year, but to look back and start to add up those numbers, it's like, okay, wow. We are having like an actual. Impact on the short form market, you know? Mm-hmm. Like this is, this is happening. And it's, it's really just kind of like, okay, that's exciting.
It's also a lot of pressure. Now we gotta keep doing this. We gotta, you know, figure out how to keep making it bigger and better. But it's, um, yeah, again, it's a, it's a deep breath and like a connection to no, this is going on the right path and here we go. You know?
Yeah. And, and like in my mind, I'm already thinking about like, well one, when is the reality show about you gonna come out?
And then I jumped to, we need a web series about all the powerful ladies, because I mean, for crying out loud, like the hero's journey is what it's all about. And. You know, that to me is the juicy stuff. Like just seeing what people dealing with real stuff like, uh mm-hmm.
I'm also
biased where I'm not a huge fan of fiction because I think there's so many amazing stories that we're not telling.
Mm-hmm. Um, I mean, granted, there are a few favorites of mine in book form, but it's like, there's just, why do we have to make anything up when there's so much great things happening?
Yeah, yeah. Exactly. And that's why, I mean, there really are, there's a, a huge push. Um, in the last couple of years, the numbers of non-fiction series produced globally have been on the rise.
Um, there's so many great stories about that, and especially in a, a short form series, it's kind of the perfect format to make beautiful nonfiction portraits. Mm-hmm. Like an anthology sort of series, and to learn about some amazing, amazing people. Every year we have at least one or two in, in the festival that are, that are, you know, still being innovative in this, in this kind of, um, preferred format of, uh, personal portraits.
Uh, but it's really, really, I mean, the people that I've learned about from it, there was that we had a series, I think it was two years ago, um, it was sponsored by the Zoo deu, um, in Lake Con, lake Constance, but it was, so it was on the newspaper's website there. But they basically had little portraits. I think they were maximum like three, four minutes, no, maybe even short of that.
I think it was two to three minutes of the different people in the town. So it was, you know, the guy that runs the nursery, the guy that's up at 4:00 AM delivering the papers every day that has been doing that for the last 40 years. Just kind of these local heroes that all from the town and featured on and funded by the town's newspaper.
It was such a beautiful concept and it was so well made and so done, so well told really, and the story so well chosen that it just, it made for the perfect kind of marriage of all these things together. And I see a lot of those, a lot of branded series actually these days. I think last year a lot, majority of our branded series were.
Um, nonfiction. Mm-hmm. So I think it's an easy way for brands also to connect and, and make that jump from the commercial to, you know, these are real people dealing with real issues surrounding our product. So it's kind of like the next easiest step for a brand to take. Um, and then, yeah, I mean it's obviously there are fewer of them, but more and more seeing brands really start to get it and start to even make scripted narrative series that touch on the world that they're operating in, which is really interesting.
Mm-hmm. Yeah, there's just, um, and podcasting as well. There's a lot of interesting, um, branded podcasts that way that are similarly like, uh, portraits of people and the people that work for these companies, right?
Yeah.
Or am I making this up?
No, you're, you're not making up. Yeah. And, and we will list some in the show, in the show notes, um, on the website, the powerful ladies.com.
Um. There's just, I mean, telling, it's so, um, I guess species egotistical, but we love nothing more than learning about our own humanity amongst each other.
Totally. Because I think it's constantly surprising, you know, I mean, there's, there's just, we all, the world is so big and we can all be so easily kind of caught in our own bubbles and it's, it's somehow some way still surprising, still interesting to learn about new kinds of people.
Like you'll never run out. No. Never run out of stories that are interesting to hear of just, of lives that you didn't imagine before, or realities that you never even considered. You know, it's just, um. It's endless.
It makes me think of the idea of countries, right? Like, 'cause I'm, uh, chasing to go to every country possible, but the, it's actually not possible.
It may never be possible for anybody because the number of countries we have change. And like Yugoslavia used to count on the country. Challenge doesn't anymore, right? Like Yeah. Do you get like a gold star for like a bonus that you went to that country that doesn't exist anymore? There's a Oh, for
sure.
That's like a bonus for sure.
I, I think so. There's, um, a, a great book, the, I think it's called Vanishing Kingdoms. And it's all about all of the, the map of Europe and how much it's changed. And all the kingdoms and countries that were amazing that don't exist anymore, they were either absorbed or, um, have transformed into something else.
And I had never thought previously about how much the map changes and that you're constantly, it's new, it's new all the time. And I think to your point of, of people, yes. We all go through the same journey in life and we really are so much more alike than we are different. Um, but it's about where you're at in your life and what you're interested in hearing and you want to hear, and how all of that keeps evolving in regards to the culture around us and what's happening that it's so, um, I think Precious to think about how like each moment really is so unique and just, you know, appreciating that.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. There's actually, um, another, or I have a, a lot of ideas out there that, you know, someday will happen, but, um, a good friend of mine is a, um, and also is last year's web fest, Berlin, um, festival coordinator at the miss, uh, Susan Kent. And she is a fantastic, um, storyteller and she started a few showing storytelling shows in New York and is regularly a contributor on podcasts and stage shows.
And we talked a lot about making a, um, a storytelling festival here in Berlin. You know, I mean, I think, again, you get into, um, perhaps, you know, a, a language situation here or there when you have a melting pot like Berlin where everyone is from somewhere else. And you want someone to be able to tell their story in their native language and for everyone to understand it.
But I think this medium is so, so. Uh, effective and impactful. I mean, it's, it's obviously again, kind of blurs into podcasting as well, into, into web series or nonfiction series at the very least. Um, but this movement towards like real humanity and, and knowing other people. And I think in the times we're living with, especially, you know, in the US where there's so much anger and division and I mean everywhere, but it, it's, um, it's really refreshing to kind of see this push and this movement towards humanity and understanding other people as humans and not just aside or a nationality or a gender, but as their own story.
I, it's, um, an exciting time that we're living with to kind of be able to hear those stories and connect with one another and focus on those things.
I totally agree. How did you guys land on power up for your 2019, uh, theme?
Um, well, we were trying to think about, okay, what, um, what does Web Fest Berlin really do?
You know, what kind of feedback do we do? What is the real issue? You know, maybe for the community this year, every year it's kind of a different challenge or as things evolve so, so quickly with platforms constantly opening and closing and, and trends changing and business models tweaking. Um, and we are thinking that one thing, no matter what, since the very first year and since now, this is kind of a fifth year is an anniversary of sorts.
Um, but that every year people leave the festival with. Just this, this energy, this brightness, this excitement, this um, you know, they, they've spent two days intensively connecting with other people that shockingly know what the hell they're talking about and understand what's going on. And it's the same issues that they're dealing with.
And they leave, I think, with a lot more confidence and connections and with clients and collaborators. And it's at the very beginning of the, the last quarter in September. And so it kind of kicks you out of the summer and into the fall and like, yeah, let's, let's push through this last quarter and let's make something.
And I think it really kind of, um, yeah, it's an energy there that you don't find anywhere else. So we, in, in words that ended up as, um, as power up. Um, there was a lot of, this year, the, the wording took a while, but we ended up on power Up. There's a lot about, uh, energy and, and you know, having people. Feel differently when they leave, basically, is that, um, we, we kind of kickstart things into the, for the rest of the year and it was, um, this is kind of silly, but I, every, it stuck in my mind ever since the last web fest at the very end of the festival were, you know, thinking everyone for coming.
The Grand Jury award winner is on the stage. You know, everyone's applauding them. It's very exciting about to say goodbye standing ovation, and then this one balloon. Out of nowhere from an event that was in the space maybe two days before that, before we were ever there. This wonder balloon starts deflating and falling so slowly right down the center of the stage onto the very center of the stage.
I was like, are you kidding? What is going on here? But it was like, I really believe that it was like all of the energy and excitement like pushed those last few molecules of helium out of that balloon, and it was, it's time to shine in our like mini balloon drop at the end of the pistol.
It gave you the, uh, sound of music.
So long farewell. Totally.
Well, it was funny because in the, the, the weeks before that we had, um, officially, you know, we knew we were gonna have this 20,000 year prize to give. And I was like, okay, what does that look like on a stage? I have no idea. How do we make that big enough or look exciting enough?
And I was like, I don't know. Is it balloons? And that idea kept passing my mind, but I was like, no, it doesn't work in the space. We'd have to build so much, you know, like, uh, skirting and covering and whatever. It would just be a mess. Um, but then in the end, this one little balloon was there anyway. Mm-hmm.
But I think it speaks to just the, the sheer energy of the room and the, the excitement and the, the power that was there that really, you can feel like it's electric. So that was the best we could do to put it into words was, was power.
Is it wrong that every time I hear it's electric, I instantly hear
like, I can't help it. It's electric. Yeah. It instantly happens. I couldn't control it. Totally. American weddings. Hmm.
For people. For people who aren't going to the festival, is there a way for them to check out the submissions to learn more about who's participating?
Um, you can, we will have all of the shows that are official selections listed on the website, which is Web fest.berlin. Um, and so from there you can find that, you can find, uh, the program also, and so you can see all of the panel discussions and you can see bios of all the speakers and kind of have an idea of really the conversations that are happening.
Um, and then the shows are linked as well, so that you can, or the ones that are publicly available. I think that's kind of the only thing is that people think, oh, it's web series. I can watch it on the web, but a lot of these are not released yet and looking for sales opportunities and they're still in development.
And so those, um. Or difficult to see if you're not at the festival. Um, but in the meantime, right now, you can look on the website and you can see all of the FIC official selections from years past. You can, um, they're, they're all linked there on the website, and so you can, um, check out what there is to say as well.
The book that I'm releasing, it's called Short Narrative and Serialized, and that will be, I'm writing that with, um, Joel Beja. Um, who's, uh, my chief festival advisor. We do a lot of, make a lot of trouble together in the web series world. Um, but, uh, that is going to be releasing in the next couple of weeks.
And, um, there are over 500 series linked in the book. It gives a real kind of background and in depth analysis of what's been made, what's happening in the market, what's, what's the situation in different countries, what genres, which episode links. It kind of goes really in depth, but you can get a great, great, great overview of, of that without coming all the way to Berlin.
And is that being released as an ebook? Is it being published traditionally?
No, it's an ebook. It's an ebook. There's far too many links. We didn't even consider trying to publish it. Um, I mean, we have a, a publisher in a couple of different countries, but, um, it only in an ebook format so we can get it on Amazon is what you're saying?
Not on Amazon. Um, it will be, we're still sorting out exactly where it should be. Probably on the Web Fest, Berlin site, and possibly on the sites of, um, distributors locally. Mm-hmm. Um, but yeah, Amazon takes a shocking amount of your, um, book price. Yes. It's like not even sustainable. Um, so we're trying to find a, another way to do it so that, um, we can keep this show running.
I like your style. Why, why, um, hurt trees if you don't have to.
Exactly. And it's also, it's just, there's so many links. It's really doesn't make sense to like. Get it physically and then be like, oh, let me type into my browser now. You know? I think that's one of the big marketing tips we always tell web series creators.
Like, give someone a direct link. If you tell them the name and what platform, the chances they're gonna go see it are so slim. It's like, send the actual link, one click, one click. How many keeps the fewest amount of clicks to, to see something? So, mm-hmm. I think if we had the, um, the printed version, the chances that anyone actually watch the series in the book are a little bit slim.
When you look at your path this far, have there been people who have been key influences in you feeling confident and powerful to take risks and inspiring you along the way?
For sure. I mean, absolutely. I think, um. To start with just the, the producer that first, you know, suggested that I go freelance to when I was working in print photography in New York.
Um, Jay Murdoch, she was my business partner and mentor, and like, who I learned everything from the beginning. Huge, huge, huge. Love to Jay. She is amazing. Amazing. Um, caught me, really just got me moving at all. And kind of thinking about any, any kind of non, uh, salaried job or freelancing in general or, or producing anything.
Um, and Jay for sure has been, she's an amazing, amazing woman who's, who's been out there on her own, own fighting it, doing her own thing for years. Um, my parents for sure, as we mentioned earlier, they're huge supporters and very encouraging to kind of just go out there and do it. Um, and then in the web series world, I mean, really every single creator who's out there making an independent series, when you look at how much goes into this, I mean, it's just, um, it's mind boggling to see the quality of some of these shows with the really zero budget and just so much heart and so much talent.
It's like, you know, how, how can I not do something to try and get more eyes on this or to make more opportunities for these people? You know, I think every single day, every now that submissions are, are coming in. I'm watching a lot of submissions, um, in these weeks and months, and it's just like, there is so much out there with so much heart in it.
You know, how, how can, how can I. Be discouraged or stop pushing at what I'm trying to do when it's for this work that, that's, that needs to be seen, that needs to be given opportunity. That, that it is just astounding in multiple, multiple ways. And it just, it really does keep me, keep me moving and keep me exciting, exciting, keep me excited and, um, and, and, and pushing for, for better, for the whole thing.
As someone who is an entrepreneur and having a self-motivate, what do you put in practice in your daily routine to stay on track and to stay focused? And also what do you do when you find yourself in a slump and you eat out of it?
Hmm. Um, so daily, um. My mornings are very important. Um, I try and get up with another time, enough time that I can move really slowly in the morning.
So if I, I get up and I really like, I take my time to have my coffee at home, to do my shower, to, you know, clean things up a bit, to um, to meditate sometimes to do yoga, sometimes to really take my morning time from me. Um, and also, this isn't so much a routine thing, but I think also feeding into to how to keep myself moving and not burning out and keeping motivated is that I've really gotten to know where my limits are and understanding, you know, once I start to think in a certain pattern or look at things in a certain way, I realize, okay.
You have to stop for this is you're not getting anywhere. You're gonna be doing this a hundred times faster if you stop and you pick it up tomorrow. Um, I think that is a big thing that I've learned also in being in Germany rather than in New York. Um, and learning from the way people are working here as well as even, you know, with my team during the festival, we're making an event.
I mean, event planning is, is notoriously, you know, stressful and, and soul sucking and, and you know, long hours health sucking and yeah. It's not good for any part of you. I think a lot of people think, um, but it is really like, okay guys, it, it's, it's eight o'clock. It's way too late. You know, seven o'clock is when I start bugging people.
Okay, we have to, we're going home now. This is it. It's, it's, it can happen tomorrow. You know? And I think this understanding that like. There's only so many hours in the day. This is how much each person can do. This is how much we can do and be able to sustain this, sustain this over a year, over months, after however long, is really, really important to keep in the front of your mind and you don't burn out.
Because I find myself, when I just, yeah, sometimes you get to a point where it's like, there's nothing I can do. This has to get done. I'm the only one here to do it. And you work ridiculous hours for an extended period of time, and then you come out the other side just like flattened, you know? Yeah. And you don't have much more to give.
And I think it's important to really pay attention to your pacing that way and, and also, you know, being understanding that. Yeah, this is, this is how much I can give. And I know that I'm giving the most that I can and I'm doing, you know, I, I feel good in myself with, with how much I'm putting out there and how much I'm working.
And at some point that has to be good enough. I know I have a, a, a tendency definitely to kind of beat myself up over. I'm not doing enough. I'm not working hard enough. I'm not, I'm not getting enough done. But it's also like, you're one person. There's this many hours in the day. You have to have time for you also in order to kind of like sustain a normal life, you know?
And just kind of being easy and kind with myself about, um, about getting to things that, you know, I'm, I'm, I'm doing it, I'm getting there. I'll get there. Mm-hmm. Maybe not today the way I thought I would, but, you know, by the end of the week, I think that's one thing I need to work on for sure is, um, is, um.
As things get more and more busy, I, I, you know, underestimate the time it takes to do something or something like that, that I've worked on for years. I know a lot of people struggle with this, but, um, yeah, understanding that, okay, I thought I would have it done by Tuesday. I didn't. It's okay. I'll have it done by Friday.
And just trying to like be, be, uh, kind with myself and give myself, uh, the space for my brain and my body to kind of recover, uh, makes everything a lot, a lot, a lot more manageable in the end.
Do you work out of your home or do you have a separate space for the business?
I always said
it's separate
space for the business.
Um, I, I have a coworking space that I have a desk in. Um, and that's nice 'cause I can add on more desks, uh, when the rest of my team comes in around the festival. But that is really key for me just to get out and be moving. I've gone through phases of my life where I'm working from home, and then you realize that like, okay, it's been a week and I haven't spoken face to face with someone that I actually know that wasn't on a Skype.
Chat, you know? Yeah. Um, and that, um, definitely will eat me away. So it's nice to just have an office to go to where there's, there's other people that ended up being, you know, have been relevant and that I'm working with on different things now. Um, but really just to, you know, see people have lunch with some people.
We play a kicker foosball every day after lunch. It's a religion. It's, uh, you know, but that keeps, um, that keeps me moving for sure better than it would, I think I would get really beat down when I'm just by myself alone, just kind of trying to keep motivated with zero happening outside of that. 'cause I'll get really deep into it and then I, I just, I'll stop calling my friends or trying to go and do something social or doing something, you know, that's just for fun.
Um, and I get a bit too, too much tunnel vision alone.
Um, yes, I can be the same way. And
do you do work from home by yourself or?
Yeah, I work from home right now mostly from a position of finances and, um, I'm also totally addicted to my large monitor that I have and, uh, it allows me to work a lot faster.
So I do think I need to start scheduling some just time where I'm working on stuff. Anywhere else. Even a coffee shop? Yeah. Um, it's been great. Most of my client meetings I do outside of the home. I try and meet with as many people in person as I can if they're local. Um, but my rule of thumb is that I have to talk to somebody, whether it's a client or a future powerful lady or existing one at least once a day.
Otherwise, um, if I go a whole day not talking to a human during work hours, um, I start to lose my shit.
Yeah. Yeah,
it's,
sure.
Yeah. And like going to yoga doesn't count because there's no talking or like almost no talking.
Mm-hmm.
Um, so it's great for other reasons, but it really doesn't, um, create the intellectual human, um, interaction that I need.
It's much more of a, a spiritual, physical, uh, personally like going internal relaxing space versus, um, engaging with people. And I'm definitely a 50 50 introvert extrovert. So, um, if I, like, I need to make sure I use both dials and like right now I'm definitely needing to create the, the extrovert part.
'cause the introvert part is like real covered. We're all full up
on that part right now. Totally. I feel very much in that space as well. It's very, like, I get really, I'm so, I get so exhausted and so tired just from like, working, working, working, working, working that. It's like the idea of going out to a networking event or something just sounds so exhausting.
But I know that if I go, I'll enjoy it. I'll feel much better the day after, you know, just meeting whatever other entrepreneurs or filmmakers or whatever it is, but like
mm-hmm.
Motivating to actually get there. It's like. I'm so tired. There's no way I've given all of my energy internally, you know? But it's definitely so, um, soothing to the soul to get, to just be social and out and speaking and hearing from new people
and yeah, even just to just go out and be silly.
Like, like I think a networking event gets you halfway there, but then you just go out and not have to talk to anyone about anything.
Yeah. Like
to just be able to, you know, bullshit and, you know, have some drinks or go for a coffee and like, just not like, remember that there's so much fun to be had. Um, I think that's, that's the, that's where you really get to
relax.
Hmm.
Totally. Totally. I had, and I've been pushing this so hard recently, I just, for the first time, I've lived in this flat for two years now, and for the first time last Sunday, I had. Actually, it would've been a great powerful lady's day. I had eight women over for Easter Sunday, and it was like the first time I've had more than three people in my apartment ever.
It was like, yay, look at this. All my girls in the house we're having fun and bloody Mary's and pancakes and, but it was like, it took me two years and really like getting to, it's like, okay, Meredith focus, like not just going out to meet your friends, whatever, but like bring everyone over, make a meal.
Like make a bit more effort into the fun times in your life rather than just like what you can barely squeeze out after the end of the week.
Yeah. And um, and I think to your point earlier, that's what makes the European work life balance, I think so important. I wish we had it in the US more of. You know, I know it's different when you're an entrepreneur in Europe, but in corporate world, like you're forced to go home.
Like you can't work more than X amount of hours and you can't come back unless eight hours have gone by. And, you know, just the, the, the level of honoring and respecting your personal time, your family time, your recharging time, uh, it makes such a huge difference and has nothing to do with corporate output success, financial reward.
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, in, in Europe you can, you can be sick. Like, you know,
crazy idea.
I, I had never had a job, especially just mainly working in production and in these kind of like advertising and television worlds where sick is not an option. You know, like you, you just come and you get everyone else sick or you try not to, you know, it's been really refreshing to, even when we first started having employees with the old business, it was just like, wish she called in sick, but the events tomorrow, well that's okay.
And it's like, okay, okay. It's okay. She's sick, you know, understanding and then, but you know, then going to appreciate it and, and it's like, no, yeah, you are sick. Please. You know, don't come in. It, it, I'm so excited that that. That happens and that you're comfortable to do that and that you can do that and you should do that.
And like, yes, this is not, uh, this is not life or death to be, you know, making an event to sell headphones or whatever, you know? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
So we ask everyone, on a scale of zero to 10, zero being normal, human, 12 being powerful, 80, where do you place yourself today and where do you place yourself on average?
Um, I think today, let's see which one's first. I think on, I think actually today and on average, I'm about the same. I mean, I go actually maybe a little bit lower on average, just because right now I got through a bunch of. Deadlines and what have you. And so I'm feeling like hopeful and like it's all gonna be fine and it's all gonna work out.
There's some, um, there's some improvements that today I feel way up there. I'm like a, I'm like a nine or a 10 these days I feel like I'm making it happen. I don't know how. Uh, awesome. There's, uh, I think generally I do feel powerful. I don't know if I would say, you know, specifically as a powerful lady, I think by default obviously that's what I am.
Mm-hmm. Um, but yeah, I, I grew up going to, I went to an all-girl school for 14 years of my life. Like, it wasn't ever like a, an option that something was not a possibility because of my gender by any means. Mm-hmm. Um, but power powerful as a concept to start with is, is a definitely. A back and forth situ situation.
Um, no. But on average, like a, like a 7, 7, 8.
We've talked a lot about your, um, professional career. What are you doing this year to take on the rest of your life that isn't what serin?
Hmm, that is a really good question. That is a huge question, um, that I'm trying to work out what to do. But I think, um, there's a few things.
Um, I'm already planning to spend a week in Peru in July that I laugh when I say that because it sounds crazy to think I'm gonna take any time of holiday in July with the festival in September, but I have an opportunity to go to Peru and I'm going and I like it. I'm taking, uh, taking advantage of things.
I was invited to a festival there for like three days and was like, I can't go all the way to Peru for three days. It's just not. I've, I, I study, I spent a whole semester studying Aztec in the Inca architecture. Like, I need to, I need to see it in Peru. It wouldn't be fair to Peru if you only went for three days, right?
I mean, they've got a lot to learn also. Um, but, um, so I'm doing that. I'm really, really trying to make a point of focusing on strengthening my, I, this is something that I've been doing the last, uh, six, eight months year or something like that, is really focusing on my friends in Berlin. I think. I didn't, um, I, I had like a couple of people here and there that were, you know, I clicked with through work things or whatever, but really have been spending more time like fostering those friendships and letting them grow and.
Building my own little girl tribe here in Berlin. That is really, really nice. I've been through phases of your life. Obviously. Sometimes you have a bunch of guy friends, sometimes you have a bunch of girlfriends. And my, uh, my lady tribe here in Berlin is stark these days. Um, and so that's been really, really fun and really exciting and really, I don't know, I finally strained myself to, to get to the point where, no, I know that even when I'm tired, but I go see my friends, I'll feel so much better afterwards.
Mm-hmm. Um, so that's been a big kind of push of the last year as to to really build those relationships and then also to just, um, to have fun, to try and remember to have fun. It's something that I lose track of, you know, when things get really stressful and time goes by that I kind of catch myself.
After a few weeks, like, oh my gosh, why are my shoulders up to my ears and why can't I think straight and nothing's happening. I feel like I'm spinning my wheels. And then it's like, oh, let's go to a concert. Let's go for a drink. Let's just go get some dinner. Let's who knows what. But like, reality, check with my people and
mm-hmm.
Things are much better
for sure. But just go cause some trouble.
Yeah,
exactly. All the, all the good kinds, all the good kind of trouble. As we're wrapping up for today, what would you like the listeners to know?
Um, I think more than anything is. To connect with yourself, um, and to really know how to connect with yourself and be true to yourself and to be able to feel into your body and know when something's right or something's wrong.
Because I think only when you're moving genuinely from your genuine self and aligned with your own beliefs and your own energies, I think that's the only time when things are really going to materialize and, and move forward. And also when your own mind will be at rest and comfortable despite the situation.
You know, I, I work in a really stressful environment for, you know, not even just that, it's events and productions, but also just, yeah, being, uh, self-sufficient, being independent, having my own company, it could be a lot of stress in there that I could freeze up and just kind of fall over. Um, but I think it's, it's.
What I've really taken away is, is when I am true to myself, when I'm believing in in myself, and I'm confident in that, um, and also relaxed and not stressed out, and to know that it's all gonna be fine, then it's all gonna be fine. So I would just encourage everyone to take a breath, trust yourself, know that you're speaking from your, your truth, and, um, everything's gonna be fine.
I agree. Everything's gonna be great.
Yeah. Yeah. But that's, I think the big, the big thing I would say, everyone, don't be afraid. Go do it. As long as it's something that sounds good to you, try it. Go for it. What's the worst that happens? Mm-hmm.
Well, I will, um, I'm so thankful that we are partnering on Web Fest Berlin, uh, this September.
I am really excited to create, um, the powerful ladies like layered of activities that are gonna, um, hopefully come to fruition during that time, uh, to meet your Lady Gang of Berlin. Um, and just to, you know, to contribute to another area of media that, um, needs more attention, more support, and has amazing things coming out of it.
So thank you so much for that opportunity.
Absolutely. Thank you. I, I really could not be more excited to have powerful ladies in the house tear down. It's be awesome.
Yes. And as we close out this episode, what, um, is there anything else that you want to promote or tell people about Web Fest Berlin? Any messaging that you need to get out there?
Um, no. I, I mean, I'm not sure when this is due to come out, but if you have a web series, late submissions are open until June 17th. Um, the festival is September the 12th to the 14th in Berlin. So if you are a creator, if you have your own web series, we're interested in making your own web series. You might wanna mark those dates in your calendar.
Um, but yeah, otherwise check out the website, web best follow us on social media, and you'll get an idea of the kind of things that are out there and the conversations we're talking about and the kind of shows that, um, we're celebrating.
Yay. All right. Well, thank you so much for being on the podcast, and I can't wait to see you next in Berlin.
Woo. Yeah, thanks, Kira.
I'm blown away by the diligence and fearlessness that Meredith approaches life. As she shared, it certainly doesn't always feel as fearless to her yet she chases the possibility anyway. Where in your life could you be more fearless? Where could you follow possibility, wherever it may lead, especially if you don't know where the path ends at.
Powerful ladies, we're so honored to be a partner of Web PE Berlin 2019. At the event this year, we'll be moderating two panels, hosting two workshops, all introducing the Powerful Ladies approach to the conference. And with this year's theme of Power Up, buy your tickets to attend Web Fest berlin@webfest.berlin.
Come attend our events. Check out all the different short series screenings and more. The all Inclusive Festival path starts at 50 euros. That's it for three days of everything. We hope to see you there to learn more about Web Fest Berlin, and to connect with and support Meredith. You can follow her on Instagram at Meredith Michael.
Follow her on Twitter, MM Burkholder. Follow her on Facebook. Meredith Burkholder. You can follow Web Fest Berlin on Instagram and on Twitter at Web Fest Berlin. They also have their YouTube channel, web Fest, Berlin, and of course, you can go to Web Berlin. Any information about the Web Fest, go to info@webfest.berlin.
If you'd like to support the work that we're doing here at Powerful Ladies, there's a couple of ways you can do that. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcast, Stitcher, Google Play, or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Leave a review on any of these platforms. Share the show with all the powerful ladies and gentlemen in your life.
Join our Patreon account. Check out the website, the powerful ladies.com to hear more inspiring stories. Get practical tools to be your most powerful. Get 15% off your first order in The Powerful Ladies Shop, or donate to the Powerful Ladies one Day of Giving campaign. And of course, follow us on Instagram at Powerful Ladies for show notes and to get the links to the books, podcasts, and people we talk about.
Go to the powerful ladies.com. I'd like to thank our producer, composer, and audio engineer Jordan Duffy. She's one of the first female audio engineers in the podcasting world, if not the first. And she also happens to be the best. We're very lucky to have her. She's a powerful lady in her own right, in addition to taking over the podcasting world.
She's a singer songwriter working on our next album, and she's one of my sisters. So it's amazing to be creating this with her and I'm so thankful that she finds time. In her crazy busy schedule to make this happen. It's a testament to her belief in what we're creating through powerful Ladies, and I'm honored that she shares my vision.
Thank you all so much for listening. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode. I can't wait for you to hear it. Until then, I hope you're taking on being powerful in your life. Go be awesome and up to something you love.
Hey guys, I'm so excited that you are here today to listen to another episode of The Powerful Ladies podcast. It's because of you guys that we are able to exist and survive and make this great content and have these great conversations. One way that you can really help us out is to go to the powerful ladies.com and sign up for our newsletter.
You will get great information and tips about once a month to know when we're having an awesome sale, when there's a great new course coming out, and just to hear all the cool stuff we're doing. It's the first place to learn about all the events and the things that we're up to. So please subscribe today.
Related Episodes
Episode 261: She’s Redefining What It Means to Grow Older | Debra Granich | CEO of Red Hat Society
Episode 222: How to Be the One Who Makes It Happen | Monique Siaw | Events Producer & Creative Leader at Soho Works
Episode 126: How Living Your Truth Leads to an Extraordinary & Impactful Life | X.ARI | Musician, Writer, Mental Health Advocate
To connect with, support or collaborate with Meredith you can:
Follow her on Instagram @meredithmichael
Follow her on Twitter @m_m_burkholder
Follow her on Facebook @meredith.burkholder
Buy her book HERE.
To learn more about Webfest Berlin, the 2019 Submissions and buy Tickets to attend the festival September 12-14th you can:
Visit webfest.berlin
Follow Webfest Berlin on Instagram @webfestberlin
Follow Webfest Berlin on Twitter @webfestberlin
Subscribe to Webfest Berlin on YouTube
Email info@webfest.berlin
Created and hosted by Kara Duffy
Audio Engineering & Editing by Jordan Duffy
Production by Amanda Kass
Graphic design by Anna Olinova
Music by Joakim Karud
