Latest / Chatting with The Experts with Paula Okonneh / How Perseverance Fuels Vision

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How Perseverance Fuels Vision · Chatting with The Experts with Paula Okonneh

0:03
Welcome, welcome, welcome again to another episode of Chatting with the Experts
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where I speak with women from Africa, from the Caribbean, and in the diaspora.
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And these women are professionals and successful entrepreneurs,
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and today will be no exception.
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One thing is they share with me my passion, which is
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to educate women globally.
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And of course, included in my passion, we inspire, educate,
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and empower women globally.
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I've had a few men join me, but for the most part, it's always women.
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Our title today is How Perseverance Has To Be Your Visions Foundation, and my
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guest who will be joining me soon is an Atlanta based entrepreneur with two
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decades of experience in the marketing, entertainment, and finance spaces.
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That's really special.
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Her name is Sabrina Guice and she brings a wealth of diverse experience
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holding a bachelor's degree from the HBCU Fisk University, where the late
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John Lewis and the poet who passed away recently, Nikki Giovanni attended.
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She specialized training from Temple University's early entrepreneurial
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incubator and she also holds a certificate from NYU's Tisch School of Arts'
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" Business of Entertainment" Program.
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She also completed the 2024 Inaugural Goodie Nations Angel Wings Cohort
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program for angel investing.
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In 2023, she demonstrated her strategic vision by acquiring a digital
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marketing franchise from global leader WSI, underscoring her commitment
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to cutting edge client solution.
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I can go on and on about her, but there's one thing I don't wanna leave
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all, which is that coming back to 2024, she founded the Create Georgia
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Entertainment Alliance to support creatives in Georgia's expanding film,
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television, music, and gaming industries.
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And she is in pre-development for film and television projects for clients.
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Wow.
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Wow, wow.
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I'm always Impressed with my guests and so why don't I welcome to Chatting
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with the Experts, Sabrina Guice.
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Sabrina.
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Wow.
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I could have kept reading your bio, but you know, I said, you know what?
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Why don't I let her complete whatever it is I left out that you would
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like to share with the audience.
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Oh, Paula, first of all, I want to thank you so much for having me on your show.
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What you're doing is phenomenal.
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You're giving a platform from women like myself and others who have, you know,
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we're in the trenches and we're doing a lot of work, but with your platform,
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we can... our voices and our stories can be heard throughout the world.
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So, I wanna really thank you and much continued success
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to you and what you're doing.
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In regards to myself, I'm pretty eclectic and you know, as, as you were
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reading my bio, I'm like phew I'm tired.
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Oh, I've done a lot.
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Oh my goodness.
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My story is an interesting story.
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Started out in the finance industry coming outta college.
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Worked for a company called Prudential Insurance.
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Worked with them in sales and then as an underwriter, transitioned from there
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worked in ministry actually for a number of years in the communications area.
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That's how I ended up in Georgia.
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I was a communications manager for a very well known global minister,
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traveled the world with him.
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And , one thing he would always preach over the pulpit is.
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You know, you're not really if you really wanna walk in and all that God has for
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you, try to create something that you own.
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And I took that to heart.
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So I only stayed with him for two years and I said, I'm
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gonna start my own business.
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I literally worked myself out of a job and I went into PR and that started
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me on the road for entertainment.
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And that's really where I am right now, film and television consulting.
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We also consult with people in gaming and music as well.
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And last summer started the Create Georgia Entertainment Alliance me
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and two other women here in Atlanta.
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I had lunch with them and they say, Hey, whatever you decide to
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do we are here to support you.
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Both these women are in film and tv.
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I've known 'em for a while and a year later, we started
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last August, a year later.
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We're now in pre-development for 10 film and television projects on
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behalf of other creators, whether they're writers, directors or their
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producers we're consulting with those, and two of those projects
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were getting close to getting funded.
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So I'm really glad to see that all that I've gone through is now really
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paying off and I can pour that into others and help them fulfill
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their dreams and their visions.
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Wow.
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You know, the thing is well, we are gonna be talking about how
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perseverance has been your vision's foundations and that's the theme.
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But, you know, I always say to people, you see people's success, but
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you don't know the story behind it.
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And there's so many ups and downs that people go through.
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And finally, a breakthrough or a series of breakthroughs and people
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get to know them, but they don't know.
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So, you know, I love it that, you know, we are talking about perseverance
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has to be one's vision foundation.
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Why do you say that though?
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I mean, I know we just said that it's necessary, but you, when I
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spoke with you, you were like, yeah, that's what you wanna talk on
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. It's your persevere.
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And you know what, Paula, if you're an entrepreneur, first of all,
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if no one else believes in you, you have to believe in yourself.
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Mm-hmm.
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You have to believe in yourself.
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You have to know that you're called to do what you're doing.
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And no matter what, you're going to continue on that path to fulfill
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your dreams and your vision.
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When I left ministry, it was truly a walk of faith.
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I live in a state where if you're fired for, I wasn't fired from my job.
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I walked off from working in ministry.
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But if you're fired from your job and if you lose you, it is a hard probability
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that you may get unemployment insurance.
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So you gotta really, if you're gonna leave that job, you gotta really know that okay,
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God is your provider and your resource.
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So when I left out of ministry, I remember my last check from the ministry.
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I remember I had taken a week off.
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I didn't get paid for that week because I had, lemme back up.
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I had started getting clients while I was still working there, and I
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needed to take a week off to begin the transition out while my last
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check was under a hundred dollars.
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So I walked out.
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I remember coming into my place.
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First thing I did was I hit my knees and said, God, it's me and you.
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I am believing God for this.
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I believe in you for my provision, and I am not going to go off this path.
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That was in 2003.
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Hmm.
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20 years later.
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22 years ago.
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Now I'm starting to walk in the harvest of that.
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Paula, when I tell you it ain't been easy, it has not been easy.
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All the economic up and downs that you have to go through all of the,
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you know, you're chasing checks from clients that owe you money, those type
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of things, you're doubting yourself.
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Mm-hmm.
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You're like, huh, damn, I really supposed to be doing this.
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So I was able to do that for 15 years.
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I didn't have any outside work.
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I was in public relations.
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My first film project, I was introduced to an old Hollywood producer.
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He's 87 now.
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I had a conversation with him last week.
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His health is in decline, but he still adores me.
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Mm-hmm.
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He's done about 70 film and TV projects, and the first project he put me on was
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a huge film, Passion of the Christ, that was produced by Mel Gibson.
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So he really,
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that's a huge one.
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That's a huge one to get your feet wet, right?
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Mm-hmm.
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He was on the PR team for that.
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So I had to facilitate interviews.
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I did some interviews had to talk with some of these huge pastors that you see
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on television and that you hear about work with them and help get them on
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the radio and TV and things like that.
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So.
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I didn't get paid a dime for that, but I got the experience for it.
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Yeah.
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'cause I knew that experience was going to come in handy for me one day, and it did.
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And that's launched me into the film and TV arena.
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Wow.
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Yeah.
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That's big.
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Yeah.
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That's huge.
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That was huge.
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Yeah.
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And that was back in early two thousands.
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And let me tell you one thing about, and this quote ties into perseverance.
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As a business owner, as an entrepreneur, and as a visionary, you
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have to know when to pivot as well.
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Yes.
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And you understand this as a business woman, you gotta know when to pivot.
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You gotta know when to tap into another gift that you may have.
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So here I was doing well, had contracts, then in around 2008, 2009, just before
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Barack Obama came in the office.
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The housing market crash.
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Yes.
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And it hit every nation.
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It wasn't just an American problem, then it hit Wall Street.
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It was just global,
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which reverberated everywhere.
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It was a global crisis.
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So I end up losing three corporate contract, one after boom, boom, boom.
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That's not fun.
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Did I give up?
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No.
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I said, okay, I gotta pivot.
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So I went, I moved back up north.
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I got a freelance contract with the literary PR firm, and I had a contract for
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two years, and that's when I got exposed to the literary community as a publicist.
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And I said, you know, and I started seeing more and more people trying
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to self publishing, not have to deal with the publishing houses because
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people were losing their jobs and so they had to learn to pivot.
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They said, well, let me write a book and sell my books.
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So we were marketing those books.
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We were promoting those books.
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We did work with some clients for major publishing analysis, but the independent
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writers were primarily our clients.
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And I said, you know what?
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I can do this again, going back to pivoting, perseverance.
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So I'm a good writer.
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I could do this.
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I'm gonna start my own publishing company.
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And I did that and I ended up ghostwriting 35 books for clients
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over an eight year period.
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While it, yeah.
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When that was happening, meanwhile, in the background, the TV and film industry
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in Georgia was building up, building up.
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I said, okay, and I'm gonna get back and film, economy's stable.
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Okay.
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I'm doing great.
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I wanna now transition back into film and tv.
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'cause I was just getting my start in it when the whole housing market crashed.
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So I came back to Atlanta.
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I mean there were some movies being made.
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All over the city of Atlanta and with the TV and film industry is
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a a matter of you have to know people to get through some doors.
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You have to persevere to get through some doors and that's what I did.
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Yeah, I knew people but unfortunately didn't help me get
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through some doors, but myself,
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I'm not laughing at you.
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I'm just thinking that can be a big reality.
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You may know people.
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That doesn't mean you're getting through the doors.
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Honey, and in this industry you may know 'em, but they see you as competition and
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then that gonna make that introduction.
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So again, it goes back to your faith and your perseverance.
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So, I saw the barriers right of entry for me.
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I said, so I started studying the industry again as a business owner.
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Know your industry, know every element of your industry.
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I knew I didn't wanna be in front of a camera.
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I had no interest being an actress.
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I knew I didn't wanna be necessarily right behind the camera as a producer, director.
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I wanted to get into the business side of it.
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That's when decisions are made, the finance side of it.
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So me being the analytical woman that I am, I said, Hmm.
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As a black woman.
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This is not controlled by black women or even black men, that side of the industry.
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I said, what can help me get through that door and get a seat at the table?
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I know what I'll do.
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Let me go back and finance the industry I first went into when I came outta college.
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Mm-hmm.
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This time I'm gonna get my broker license as a stockbroker and I wanna learn how
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wealth is produced, how the mind of the investor works, how investments work.
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So now you're gonna laugh at this.
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One day I got in my car, I went down the street to a broker's office as he was
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with the investment firm, Edward Jones.
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I just looked him up.
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I said, let me go here, walk up in there.
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I'm sitting in the lobby.
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And then he had just finished with a client.
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He came outta the secretary, said, you can go back and see him now.
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And I walked in his office.
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I said, sir, I'm not here to invest with you.
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I wanna know how I could get in your seat and become a broker just like you.
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He sat back in his chair.
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He said, Hmm, people don't come in my office and say this kind of stuff.
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Tell me a little bit more about yourself.
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Honey, I had confidence.
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I just thinking, you walked in there, you walked in there confident, you
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walked in there, but you are a Christian.
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So you walked in there knowing you're not alone.
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Yeah.
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That's a purpose.
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Yeah.
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I knew my purpose, right?
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So, I start telling him about myself.
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He was very impressed.
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He said, okay, so you were you ran your own business.
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You endured the economic crisis.
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You knew how to reinvent yourself.
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I said, yeah, but see, he did what he didn't know at the time.
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I knew I wanted to get the experience for what I'm gonna do in film and tv, right?
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So I went through the whole process with Edward Jones.
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I sent him my resume.
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He sent it up the channels.
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So I got into their training program.
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It was very stressful.
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You have to, even to be interviewed, you gotta go through a 10 step process.
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And the last process, you're on the phone and in front of a computer and they
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call a day in the life of a broker.
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So you have people on the other end who are pretending they're customers,
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and you got emails, fake, you know, pretend emails coming through.
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Yes.
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And you gotta know how to handle all of that going on at once.
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Paula, I didn't know at the time until afterwards, and I pass it with
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flying colors and that's when they...
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Wow!
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In a position.
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But the people who were on the phone were and I don't know the
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formal name of it, but they were like vocational psychiatrists.
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They were analyzing us or psychologists.
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They were analyzing us.
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How do we handle pressure?
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Or how do we communicate?
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They were scoring us on that.
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And if you didn't score high, they wasn't gonna offer you, they weren't
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gonna give you an opportunity to study for the broker license.
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So I passed it and they offered me opportunity.
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So then that was just this beginning.
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Then I went through intensive studies for my series seven.
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I was literally studying from Monday through Saturday.
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They gave you a schedule, eight day hours a day.
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Just study and study and study.
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You have to sit for this test.
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I sat for what they call the top off test.
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Passed that.
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Okay, now you can go to the Series seven Study.
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Study.
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Study.
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Series seven is a four hour test.
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You can't have any notes or anything.
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It's monitored.
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You're in a room, they're watching you, and you gotta memorize about 20
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formulas, financial formulas, how to figure things out, how to figure out how
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do they price stocks and things like that.
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So I had that, was writing that stuff, boom.
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Passed.
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Then I had to sit for my series 66, which is the law.
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They call it the blue sky law.
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So you have to learn the laws of the industry.
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Passed that.
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Became a broker, exceeded my goals for two years with Edward Jones,
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me being the competitive woman, and I am, I said, okay, Edward.
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Remember my goal was going back in entertainment.
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They didn't know that though.
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So you had a plan.
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Right.
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That wasn't, I knew what I was gonna do.
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Two years, I said, okay, that's enough.
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Let me go to a bigger company.
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So I went to JP Morgan Chase, got hired.
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Stop right there because one thing you haven't shared with my audience is that
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you were a former VP of Investments.
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Yes.
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And private client advisor at JP Morgan.
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At JP Morgan Chase.
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Got the job at JP Morgan Chase.
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So once you get in that position, you have the designation of being
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the vice president of investments.
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So I work with, at Edward Jones, I had a client base about 250 people.
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JP Morgan, I had a client base a little bit over 300.
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So I have sat down and had communication and talk and conversations with close
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to 500 investors anywhere from the small investor who has just a couple
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of hundred to maybe open up an IRA for retirement to those with tens of
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millions of dollars are looking for some estate planning and other strategies.
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So it gave me a good glimpse into the world and a mind the investor, again,
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I know when I go back in entertainment, I wanna go on the business side.
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Did that for two years.
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I said, okay, bye JP Morgan Chase, I'm out.
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Now I'm ready to go back into the film and TV industry.
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But now I got my designation, my experience, and I can work
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with people and filmmakers.
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'cause the biggest hurdle that they have is funding their projects.
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They don't know how to talk to the investor.
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They don't know how to package their projects.
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That's what we do now.
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That's what I'm doing now is working with those filmmakers to help them with that.
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Where we get paid is if I secure funding for them, I get a commission on that.
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Plus there is a consulting fee.
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A lot of them don't have the money to pay us the full consulting fee upfront,
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so we may get it on the backend.
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With some of the, well, the bigger projects, I get a, about
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on average, between three to five films pitched to me every week.
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I may select maybe one out of those maybe one.
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A lot of times people come to us, I know we can't do anything for
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them, but I will give them guidance and say, well, you need to do this.
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You need to do this, you need to do this and give you some guidance.
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So you said something a few seconds ago, not minutes ago.
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About three.
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You get at least three to five people coming to pitch the ideas
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to you, but you choose one.
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So what's the criteria you're looking for?
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We're looking for, there's a list, but I'll tell you right now.
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We would love to see a script.
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Most people do have a script, how well written it is.
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Also has the script and what we call in the industry covered.
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That means it has gone through this or a, a company that has read, reviewed
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the script, and they do they make grading and some recommendations.
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You make the corrections and then they will grade the script for you.
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Typically we look for grade 90 and above.
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Okay.
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So those are pretty good.
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So it tells you the probability that this is a good script, it should do well, or
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when you film it or when you tape it.
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And then, you should do pretty well.
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The audience would react pretty well to that particular script.
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Mm-hmm.
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So we wanna look at the script.
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Do you already have a distribution agreement in place?
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If not, what is your plans for distribution?
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'cause you remember any investor, if they wanna invest in a anything,
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how am I gonna get my money back?
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Money back.
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When am I gonna get my money back?
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So show me, Mr. Producer, how do you plan to pay me my money back?
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A smart producer or director has that in black and white.
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Oh, we are going to do this.
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We're gonna have we're gonna go to this network of this streaming service.
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We have this door open at this streaming service, or we're gonna
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pitch the streaming service.
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We wanna see that because before we go to any investor, that's the
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first thing they're gonna ask us.
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Is there a plan of action, a marketing plan, distribution plan.
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So they wanna see that.
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Also, if you have any attachments, and what I mean by attachments,
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what actors are attached.
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What producers are attached?
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You may not have a well-known actor right now, but you may have a really sharp
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producer who has some great credits, and then we know that they can get to
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some of those actors and bring them on.
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'cause they may know some casting directors to help them bring that on.
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So it's just not a matter of, oh, I got a great story.
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I need a million dollars to make this story.
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You gotta have a criteria for us.
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And there's a list of about 10 items that we have, but those
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are probably, and the budget.
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That's very, very important.
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The budget.
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Yes.
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You gotta have the budget we want.
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'cause an investor wanna say, okay, you need this money.
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Where's it going to?
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Is it realistic?
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Is your budget really realistic?
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Are you underpricing your project?
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Or are you overpricing it?
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Where's my money going to?
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So we wanna see some of those things.
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You know, this is an not an eyeopener, but this is good to know because, you
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know, you see, I always have wondered how did this, you know, movie or TV
21:02
show, how did it get to where it is?
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Mm-hmm.
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And how, what was the criteria for the investors?
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So this has been an eyeopener for me.
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Mm-hmm.
21:11
In a lot of ways it is.
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It's you look at something on TV and you're like, oh, that's a great series.
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Mm-hmm.
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I tell you, there's a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to get it there
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to that
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' cause The majority of projects that are pitched to these
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streaming networks are rejected.
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They don't make it
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majority.
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Probably about 90% of them get rejected.
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Wow.
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Wow, Sabrina, we've been talking for 30 minutes.
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I can't believe that.
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But what I wanted to, you've told us about the importance of perseverance
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because you definitely persevered and you always had a plan in mind.
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You didn't just, it wasn't just, you know, impulsive.
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You always knew what the next steps were and you prepared towards that.
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Right.
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My ultimate goal is to build a film fund.
21:58
To build a what, sorry?
22:00
Film fund.
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A fund for films and build a film fund.
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That is my ultimate goal.
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It takes a lot to do it.
22:09
But the first step that we are going to be doing in 2026 is we creating
22:13
an angel investing syndicate.
22:15
That's why I went through that angel investing training
22:18
program for six weeks last year.
22:20
To build a syndicate.
22:22
So we will have other accredited investors around the world.
22:25
It's not just American base, even though I'm here in America, but
22:29
global base accredited investors.
22:32
Who are interested in looking at alternative vehicles to put
22:35
their money for investment.
22:37
And one of those alternative investments would be film and television projects.
22:41
It is high risk, that's why they have to be an accredited investor.
22:46
So we'll have the films presented to them if they wanna be a part
22:49
of it, whether it is a development stage, pre-development stage, a
22:54
production stage, or post-production.
22:57
What we can make the introduction between the investor and the filmmaker that way.
23:02
But we'll have a community of investors that we can now send our films through
23:06
and that would lay a foundation for that plan to launch that next year.
23:11
Because I know we always have a very interactive audience.
23:14
Yeah.
23:15
But not everybody can, of course, is in our audience.
23:18
What is one tip, one parting tip you can leave so that whoever looks at this
23:25
episode later on will say, I learned.
23:29
Well, of course there's was a, you said a lot, but just one parting tip.
23:33
One important tip is to me is keep your eye on your goal and write it down.
23:42
Ooh.
23:42
Don't just have it in your head.
23:45
I had a mentor tell me this about 25 years ago.
23:47
He said, Sabrina he had an MBA from Harvard.
23:50
Very smart man.
23:51
He says, I don't take an idea serious unless it's written down.
23:56
Mm-hmm.
23:58
If you haven't written your vision down and you have seen it on
24:01
paper and you haven't written out, okay, well these are my vision.
24:06
How am I gonna get to the vi?
24:07
How am I gonna allow this vision to unfold?
24:10
This is a milestone.
24:11
My milestone may be getting my LLC.
24:14
My milestone may be getting a mentor, a business coach.
24:18
My milestone may be getting funding.
24:22
Put realistic milestones for your vision, a couple of milestones, and as you
24:27
reach your milestone, okay, I did that.
24:29
Check that off.
24:29
Check that off.
24:30
But unless you write it down, it's just an idea.
24:34
I have written so many business plans.
24:36
I have revised so many business plans.
24:38
You have to do that.
24:40
Write your business plan out.
24:41
Or even if you can't, even if you don't know how to write a
24:44
business plan out, at the very least, write the executive summary.
24:50
The executive summary will help you.
24:52
And for those women who are listening to this who are American based,
24:56
I'm gonna give you a resource which is free, that can help you from A
24:59
to Z to get your business going.
25:01
It's a small business development center.
25:05
Every major city has these, they go through the different
25:09
state university systems here.
25:12
Georgia State has one.
25:14
It is a uni, it is a government backed entity.
25:18
These are retired entrepreneurs who work through these entities
25:22
and serve as mentors and coaches for these business leaders.
25:27
And they can help you with marketing research, helping you get your two to
25:31
three year financial projections in place.
25:33
You don't have to pay anything.
25:35
So look for that.
25:37
Look for whatever country you are.
25:39
Look for free resources, especially from the local universities.
25:43
They may have resources for entrepreneurs.
25:47
Look for women organizations.
25:49
Call them, contact them.
25:51
Even if they can't help you.
25:53
Say, well ask them.
25:54
Hey, well, do you know who can a mentorship program in this program?
25:57
Oh yeah, I do.
25:58
We do have a program we can refer you to.
26:01
Closed mouths don't get fed.
26:03
That's the saying that we like to say here in the south, closed
26:05
mouths don't get fed better.
26:06
Open mouth.
26:06
It's the truth.
26:08
You better open mouth.
26:09
It's the truth.
26:10
Even literally.
26:11
Yeah.
26:12
Resources are out there.
26:13
I know it's a hard time for women right now.
26:16
Mm-hmm.
26:16
But there are resources out there for us.
26:18
Do your research and with AI, AI can help you to find those resources.
26:22
You go into AI, chatGPT or whatever tool you use, tell it.
26:26
Tell it.
26:27
Write a prompt of what you're looking for.
26:29
Okay.
26:30
It'll spread out all this information.
26:31
Mm-hmm.
26:32
Then you could ask it more.
26:34
Well narrow it down for black women, it will do that.
26:38
Those kind of things.
26:40
And as a gift to your guest, any woman that reaches out to me, if
26:44
they're interested, I have a database of private equity funders and VC
26:49
funds that fund women-led companies.
26:54
You gotta have your stuff together to approach them, but at least
26:56
it is something that you know you can use and start with.
27:00
That's absolutely fabulous.
27:03
And a good note to end on.
27:05
Yes.
27:06
I was gonna ask you where you can, well, you said they can
27:08
reach out to you personally.
27:09
Yes.
27:10
And ask you for those resources.
27:11
Yes.
27:12
So just can you just tell us where you
27:14
Yes, ma'am.
27:14
They can find you.
27:15
Do you have a website?
27:16
Are you on I no, IG?
27:18
Well, what, are you on social media or can they get in touch with you?
27:21
My LinkedIn is Sabrina Guice.
27:23
My name is S-A-B-R-I-N-A, first name.
27:27
Last name Guice, G-U-I-C as in cat, E. My email address is, and I prefer
27:34
email is sabrina@creategeorgia.com.
27:40
I have two websites, but I'm gonna give you the one that we really,
27:43
the company we talked about today.
27:44
Mm-hmm.
27:44
creategeorgia.com.
27:47
That is our website.
27:49
You can go on there and you can take a look at some of the projects
27:51
we're working on, and we have a little promo video on there as well.
27:56
So those are the three ways that you can reach out to me
27:58
and I'll be more than happy.
28:00
Just let me know that you heard me on the program.
28:02
On Chatting with the Experts.
28:03
And that way I can give Paula a shout out and email her back.
28:07
Say, Hey, I, everybody's from somebody.
28:09
This is to reach out to me and I want to thank you.
28:11
So I'll be more than happy anybody that reaches out to me through my
28:15
email or through LinkedIn, just make sure you gimme your email address
28:18
if you want that list of those VC and those private equity firms.
28:21
But why not?
28:23
That's phenomenal.
28:23
I'll drop it in the chat too for those who have joined us, and as I say, every week,
28:28
if you were I get to speak to phenomenal women and Sabrina is one of them.
28:33
And if you are a woman and I also speak with a few fabulous men, if
28:39
you'd like to be a guest on the show, please reach out to me on my website,
28:43
which is chattingwiththeexperts.com.
28:46
You can also contact me on LinkedIn.
28:49
I am on Instagram.
28:50
My handle there is at chat_experts_podcast.
28:56
I'm also on Facebook these days and I say these days because I wasn't
28:59
much of a Facebook person in the past, and we have a YouTube channel.
29:04
So there are various ways to get in touch with me, and for those
29:08
of you who are in the audience.
29:11
This is now a great opportunity to ask all the questions or comments on what I
29:18
learned and you have learned from Sabrina.
29:21
And one last word from Sabrina is that closed mouths never get fed.
29:27
Okay?
29:29
That's true.
29:29
That's the truth.
29:30
Those ladies, you have what it takes.
29:33
Don't be silent.
29:35
Don't be silent.
29:36
Mm-hmm.
29:37
Thank you so much, Sabrina.
29:39
And we'll open up the floor now to those who have joined us.
29:42
Woo.
29:43
This is good.
29:45
Thank you.
29:46
Thank you.
29:46
Thank you.