What Growing a Company Teaches Us About Self-Acceptance

Ever wondered if there's a secret formula to becoming a better leader, parent, or creative professional? In this candid conversation, hosts Indiana and Haley reveal what might be the most profound insight they've discovered through their entrepreneurial journey - the transformative power of self-love and acceptance.

The duo shares fascinating research showing how the psychology of building a company mirrors parenting in unexpected ways. Whether you're nurturing a child or growing an organization, both require protection, guidance, and eventually letting go as they mature beyond your complete control. This parallel particularly resonates as they reflect on their own company's growth journey, where they're experiencing the bittersweet reality of their creation outgrowing them.

Technology takes center stage as they discuss their experiences with AI wearable devices that help manage their hectic schedules and interactions. These "Bee" devices not only provide practical work assistance but surprisingly offer relationship insights by connecting dots between conversations, therapy sessions, and self-improvement content they consume.

The episode culminates with two major announcements: the launch of League of Filmmakers, a comprehensive digital trade publication serving the filmmaking community with daily coverage on films, interviews, gear reviews, and festival guides; and their upcoming Filmmaker Summit in partnership with Holly Shorts Film Festival on August 6th. Both initiatives reflect their commitment to education and community building within the industry.

Between business insights and professional updates, the conversation takes a delightfully unexpected detour into 90s nostalgia with a detailed plot synopsis of the Mary-Kate and Ashley movie "It Takes Two" - showcasing the authentic, unfiltered relationship between these creative partners. Subscribe now to join this vibrant community dedicated to bridging the gap between talent and crew while exploring the intersection of creativity, leadership, and personal growth.

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Transcript

Introduction and Catching Up

Speaker 1 0:00

Secret to life is like finding like love for yourself it feels like is what kind of like we're like. Love and acceptance for yourself is where, like, you will be a good parent, you will be a good friend, you will feel good about yourself, you will be a good leader. Like and it's amazing, like all the overlaps we're finding- this is the Cinematography for Actors podcast.

Speaker 1 0:21

More than a podcast. Cinematography for Actors is a vibrant community devoted to bridging the gap between talent and group. Each week, our show offers transparent, insightful conversations with industry leaders. We unveil the magic behind the scenes, from candid discussions about unique filmmaking processes to in-depth technical exploration. Join us in unraveling the intricacies of filmmaking, one episode at a time. It's more than just cameras and lenses we aim to inspire, educate and empower as we peel back the curtain on the art of effective storytelling. Now on to the episode.

Speaker 3 0:58

Hi everyone and welcome back to another episode of the CFA Podcast. I'm one of your hosts, Indiana Underhill. Who are you?

Speaker 1 1:05

I'm Haley Royal and I forgot we were recording today. Oh, you did.

Speaker 2 1:09

Yeah, okay, well, you look great, I mean.

Speaker 1 1:11

I don't know how I maybe I just yeah, I forgot it's on the calendar, but you know, there's a lot of stuff on the calendar. There is a lot of stuff on the calendar so I'm wearing because I was thinking about we're getting ready for a party today. So I wore like my scrubby jeans and was like I'll get ready. Later we're having a party tonight.

Speaker 3 1:30

You're all invited, but this will come out after.

Speaker 1 1:31

Yeah, it's too late for you. Come to the next one. You may be able to come to the next one that we're throwing For Holly Shorts. Okay, yep.

Speaker 3 1:40

The Holly Shorts one. That's correct. I was like which one is it? Um, we throw lots of parties, so it's been a while since hayley and I just sat down on the couch to chat um because we've been talking to actually like a lot of ai softwares that are um streamlining the workflows of different departments. We don't need to talk to each other so we don't need to talk to each other. But here we are, sat on the couch, really far apart um a whole amount of person apart.

Speaker 1 2:03

Uh, we've never been further apart on the couch, but we've never been closer oh, it's true.

AI Wearables and Work-Life Balance

Speaker 3 2:10

Um, now I know during the pixas unboxing that we did, we chatted about how uh wealthy hayley has become from her at&t commercial, that we are very proud of her for um. But you got another check in the mail, congratulations.

Speaker 1 2:23

Thank you. Another check, another day, another surprise. I'm sorry, audrey Moore, I don't know when my checks are coming. I don't know anything about the agreement. I didn't do the thing I'm supposed to do as an actor and, like, know the SAG agreements and understand the contracts you're signing. Look, I was just excited to finally have a job, um, and that's doing fine for I'm. I feel like I am in my um, I'm in my divine feminine with this particular payout I'm just letting it come to me cool.

Speaker 3 3:01

Yeah. So big announcement here Haley and I both have, um, these like AI wearables that are called bees and they we use them for work so they help us. Like remember, we talk to so many people during a day and you probably know that because you're one of the people we talk to and it's hard to remember, like when you're on a call, we wrote this, like to write things down pretty much right. Like if you're on a call and you're like I'll email you that later, like I'm not writing, I'll email him that later.

Speaker 1 3:29

There's like, anytime you're on a Zoom, now someone is using the AI transcription and it's kind of like that, like everyone's using that. Everything you're saying in a Zoom is being transcribed, but instead of us using, like, the transcription tool and then going through, we're wearing the bee kind of all day and like all of our like conversations and all of our work stuff.

Speaker 3 3:48

And it gives you a to-do list at the end of the day of like you might want to follow up about these things, and the more it learns about you, the more it tells you like it. It pulls in something from here and then in, uh, gives context to like another decision, and you can also put your email and calendar and so that it tells you, like it kind of recaps your day, who you spoke to, what you might want to follow up on, and it's been like great, I've had one for a while so it's been learning off me and my schedule. And then Haley got hers maybe two months after, but the other I've had mine about a month, yeah, at this point, and then the other day you need to talk about what suggestion it gave you.

Speaker 1 4:22

Oh, yeah, there have been a few that I've been like okay B, like there was one that like scolded me for taking a meeting on a day that I had out of office on the calendar. It was like you were out of office on that calendar day but we noticed you took a meeting. Make sure you are mindful about your wellbeing and your work life balance, which I thought. I mean I was a musical theater summer camp, it was fine, but I was definitely having a lot of work-life balance, um, but I was like that's okay, thoughtful, cool bee.

Parenting Psychology and Company Building

Speaker 1 4:56

But the other day I was listening to a book, uh, about parenting. It's called a good inside by Dr Becky, um, and it's just kind of about approaching parenting from a place of like love and understanding and focusing on repair rather than like doing it perfectly, because like it's never too late to repair a relationship with a child. That, like you momentarily made of like fucked up from like screaming at them or something. I'm not a parent I would like to be, but the book was fascinating to me. I read a lot of parenting books actually, uh, because I'm reparenting myself, as most of us are, um, but I was listening to that and the bee caught it and then you know it's also listened to some of my like sessions with a therapy, with a therapist, and like listen to like conversations between Indiana and myself.

Speaker 1 5:44

And it pulled together the suggestion to um approach my relationship with indy from the same place, from a place of, uh, I think it was called multiplicity. Yeah, understanding that multiple things can be true at once, so, like her outlook can be a hundred percent true, because that is her reality, my reality can also be right. And understanding that a lot of our confrontations have come from like we're triggered and then we get defensive and everything I'm doing is right, like why don't you understand that I'm right for sure, and two things can be true at once. We can both be right. Understanding, like it was just like very interesting to me that it pulled that together. It's just like a little silly bracelet that we wear, but this could help you in other places in your life.

Speaker 3 6:30

And I bring that up because, um, most of you know, haley and I we started CFA about two and a half years ago and I'm excited to start prepping for that third year anniversary party in. September, um, and so you've seen us like grow together as founders but also grow this company with now a growing number of contractors and employees and as well as attendees to the things that we're doing with our initiatives. And you know we've been through an ebb and flow of a co-founder relationship.

Speaker 1 6:58

And she reads a lot of parenting books, I read a lot of business books and and it's fun because they both actually have overlaps we're finding, like this week we're talking a lot about, like the overlap between like mental health, wellness, self-help, parenting, and then also like all of this business and like founder material as well. Like the secret to life is like finding like love for yourself, it feels like, is what kind of like we're like love and acceptance for yourself is where, like you will be a good parent, you will be a good friend, you will feel good about yourself, you will be a good leader.

Speaker 3 7:35

Like and it's amazing, like all the overlaps we're finding yeah and um, one of the most interesting things I've been reading in like my business book stack that I've been then putting on Haley's desk with like a sticky note that says hey to read.

Speaker 1 7:49

And I've underlined all the things and I take them all up and put them on my bedside table and I love to look at them. And one day I'll read them.

Speaker 3 7:56

I'll open one of them. But one of the cool things is so Haley's reading the parenting books and then I'm reading the business books. So Haley's reading the parenting books and then I'm reading the business books and there's a study that was done. That's like a 21 page study. That is all about how the psychology of raising a child and anyone who's a parent is going to hate me for saying this, but the psychology of raising a child is like neurally but like in your brain, the same as how founders feel about their company they've built and um, yeah, and it's this yeah, it's this long study Um it's something you created right.

Speaker 1 8:33

You're responsible for protecting it.

Speaker 3 8:35

Right, and it's like the same feeling of like, uh, building it, growth, letting go um, you know how hard you work on it and like, and it's just really interesting because I've never been comfortable with the idea of being a parent, like and uh, but like that has been like, oh, maybe I'm parenting this company and that's my like foray into it.

Launching League of Filmmakers Publication

Speaker 1 8:56

It's just been really that is so interesting because I've never been comfortable with the idea of having a company right, but very comfortable with the idea of being a parent, yeah, but like. I see what you mean with like, even with the letting go. Right, because right now, like even now, we're experiencing kind of like a place where it's outgrowing us. We can't be like in control of every single little part of everything and people don't know us anymore as the founders.

Speaker 3 9:19

Yeah, People come in and they're like so how did you find out about tonight? I was like it's our party, I made it.

Speaker 1 9:27

But yeah, you find out about tonight. I was like, um, it's, our, it's, I made it, yeah, but yeah, like it does, like you do have to let it go and grow in its own way, and like be run by other people that you trust to be around it like.

Speaker 3 9:35

I can definitely see how like the psychology of that is the same yeah, and I was talking to someone who we both mutually know who has a successful company, and he was saying that, uh, that study is absolutely true because he has a kid and he also has a company company. And he was saying that, uh, that study is absolutely true because he has a kid and he also has a company. That's kind of like outgrowing him to some extent. And he was like, but do not ever bring that up with people who are actually parents, because they will hate that.

Speaker 1 9:57

That right who are?

Speaker 3 9:58

parents and don't also have a company, because they're going to be like no, nothing compares, you could never understand, right.

Speaker 3 10:04

And I was like, okay, so I'm only going to talk about this publicly on a podcast where you can't come at me uh, except in the comment section directly and let until you come to the party exactly, then you can talk at me about it, um, but anyway, that's our kind of introduction to just like how we've been and what we've been experiencing, experiencing, um, but one of the things we're launching today, that you will probably listen to this a week later after the launch, but see it on our socials right now. Do you want to do you want to launch it?

Speaker 1 10:30

No, I think you should.

Speaker 3 10:31

Okay, yeah, all right, we are launching a trade publication.

Speaker 1 10:41

It's really exciting, should do you want to show them some of the stuff you printed. Yeah, okay, sure, uh, indy printed. I mean, it's an audio podcast, but there is also a video component, so pop over to the youtube channel if you want to see these things that indiana had printed for the League of Filmmakers. We acquired a publication that we also helped to start, but someone else was really running it, but they got tired and overwhelmed and were also writing a novel, so we took over. So we took over and I've been working really hard for like a month and a half to get it ready for you Kind of a whole new brand identity and visual language. And look at this Join the league. Wow, it looks so good. This is exciting.

Speaker 1 11:55

Uh, I remember the first time we ever bought something from bing banners. This is a quick, unpaid advertisement for bing banners. We love you, bing banners. The first time we bought something from bing banners, we didn't have any money. Oh, that just fell in my coffee. We didn't have any money and we paid 90 dollars for our first ever step.

Speaker 3 12:16

And repeat, from them, it's true cinematography for actors bing banners is great. It was, it's fantastic, they are amazing.

Speaker 1 12:23

24-hour turnaround and you can print anything.

Speaker 3 12:26

Yeah, they're amazing, they are these looks.

Speaker 1 12:28

I haven't seen these. Oh, these look so good. They do wow um.

Speaker 3 12:33

So League of Filmmakers is a online digital trade publication that we are launching um, because I remember when I was 17 getting into film, that you know you find your websites, that you log into every day to learn something, and a lot of people are learning constantly, like we as creatives, we're constantly trying to like better ourselves and figure out what's going on, and you know what we're interested in, and so we wanted to mimic that and, I guess, not even mimic that, but create that foundation again with League of Filmmakers. This is a publication that will have daily coverage on reviews, films, interviews, gear, toolkits, festival guides, and we already have some exciting partnerships with. We're going to be the official media partner of Holly Schwartz Film Festival, who you guys know. We have a great relationship already with them, so we'll be doing a festival guide so that people can maximize their time there, and then not film fest in Italy we'll be covering.

Speaker 3 13:29

And then we're also working with a ton of great vendors and sponsors, and our lead sponsor, black Magic Design, is the reason that this is happening. So we want to thank them for championing education and community building as much as we are. But we're really excited to grow this for you because, as you know, we have a lot of initiatives whether it be the IndieWood Screenwriting Fund or fiscal sponsorship, or our labs and workshops or our partnerships with festivals where we provide education. This is just another avenue to get education and to read and learn and be able to have context for a lot of the stuff that you want to learn. So we're really excited about it and we're really happy that this is a part of our journey.

Holly Shorts Filmmaker Summit Announcement

Speaker 1 14:13

It's also a really great place to win some stuff. Because one thing we love doing is giveaways, and one thing League of Filmmakers loves doing is also giveaways. So sign up for the newsletter is all I can say. There's going to be a lot of chances.

Speaker 3 14:33

And then you wanted to announce something else about what's coming up on August 6th.

Speaker 1 14:39

On August 6th we're having a filmmaker summit.

Speaker 3 14:44

Woohoo For Holly Shorts. Partnership with Holly Shorts yeah.

Speaker 1 14:48

And Black Magic Design, whom we adore, whom I absolutely adore, whom I absolutely adore. Do you remember that movie? It Takes Two.

Speaker 3 15:02

No, I remember that game I started playing called it Takes Two. It's a couples game and you play it on the Switch. Oh yeah, what's it takes to the movie?

Speaker 1 15:09

it takes, uh, it takes. Two is a mary, kate and ashley movie, oh cool, uh, where they're not twins but they look exactly alike. Yeah, um, and they live in the same state, apparently. Um, and one of them, amanda, I don't remember their names. One of them, amanda, I don't remember their names. One of them is like a very rich child who has like a fancy family and like gets off a helicopter with a trophy from her piano concert, and the other one is an orphan girl who lives in a group home and she plays baseball and like talks really rough, cool. But you know it's Mary-Kate Ashley so she's like a cute kid.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Movie Tangent

Speaker 1 15:51

Um, and I think uh Kirstie Alley's in the movie plays like the mom of the group home and um, uh, they meet each other in the. They run into each other in the forest. Oh, and there's a family that a dot collects kids, that adopts a bunch of kids and their last name is the butt kisses and they make all the kids that they adopt work at the dump. Um, how does this relate to uh, what we're talking? About oh, I remember because, uh, you kept going about context and I was like you kept going about context and I was like it's too much context.

Speaker 1 16:31

Yeah, uh, I have a slight echolalia, uh, which means like when I hear something, I repeat the line from the tv show or the movie, that or the song that reminds me. So, um, it's real fun if you know what I'm talking about. Otherwise it's ridiculous. Um, so there's a moment where they switch places. The orphan Mary-Kate and Ashley goes to the rich Mary-Kate and Ashley house and they want her to perform her winning piano piece by Chopin and she says it's Chopin Chopin. And there's a mean stepmother who's like, pretends to like her and says like now, my stepdaughter, who am I?

Speaker 1 17:02

absolutely adorable to who am I absolutely adore and do Whom I absolutely adore, and so Mary, kate and Ashley I don't know which one it is, they're the same person as children Stands up on the piano bench and is like. I would like to dedicate this song to my new stepmother, whom I absolutely adore, but in honor of my new stepmother, whom I absolutely adore.

Speaker 3 17:28

That was the black magic reference that you just did when you went who I absolutely adore, Got it.

Speaker 1 17:34

This is what happens inside my brain. Lester so many things have to happen for me just to get through a conversation, and I can't usually share them with people, but you're good at telling stories. Yes, so we adore them, holly.

Speaker 3 17:49

Short Summit A year ago.

Speaker 1 17:51

Indie had an idea I did.

Speaker 1 17:53

She was like we should have a filmmaker summit and I was like that's a big thing for us to try to do but Haley always says yes, I am uh working on my deep, deep-seated fear of disappointing anyone, but we work so closely, so mostly you and we talked about this a little bit already so when Indy has an idea, I'm like, okay, um, let's do it, even though inside I'm like how are we gonna do that? Um, it always works out, obviously, um. So, yeah, uh, it is finally happened we're doing come to fruition. We are doing a one date filmmaker summit. Yes, that we planned yesterday we did. It's gonna be really great it's gonna be great.

Speaker 3 18:41

so what to expect from that is we're going to have 10 panels, starting from 10 am until 5 pm, and then a little networking time Panels.

Speaker 1 18:48

Slash workshops. Yes, correct, it's not just people talking at you.

Speaker 3 18:53

Yes, and it will be for selected filmmakers of Holly Shorts. However, we are going to record them all so that we can post them later, so that anyone who is not in attendance in LA or did not have a film in Holly shorts can still learn um, because we want to make sure that if we have like that good, those good nuggets, we're capturing them. You know it's got to be accessible. We want you guys to see it, yeah, and learn um and that's exciting.

Speaker 1 19:20

That's really sorry go ahead. No, I'm sorry, I think I interrupted you no, I was just gonna reminisce for a sec. Let's do it um and then I feel like we're good. It's so much fun now that we know Lester will edit things goofy the way we ask. Yes, we love you, lester, we do. It's so much fun because we can just do that.

Speaker 3 19:52

Yeah.

Speaker 1 19:52

And he'll run with it.

Speaker 3 19:54

Well, that was another episode of the CFA Podcast. Thanks so much for joining us.

Speaker 1 19:58

We love you we absolutely adore you, aww Bye.

Speaker 2 20:03

Join us in bridging the gap between talent and crew. Start by subscribing on aww, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye.