We had the good fortune of connecting with Carolyn Carpenter Nall and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carolyn, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I am the owner of two businesses: 5 Talent Entertainment, a film and television production company, and I’m a real estate agent with Equity Real Estate.

My business partners and I started 5 Talent Entertainment nearly 20 years ago when we were ramping up our careers as actors. We got tired of waiting for auditions. So we decided to capitalize on the downtime by teaming up with friends to write, direct, produce, and star in our own films. Our first film won Best Narrative Feature at a Los Angeles film festival, which gave my friends and I the confidence to continuing producing our own work. This was back in 2003, long before social media and before digital filming had really taken off — there was no YouTube or TikTok. Being an independent film producer was much more challenging at that time. But we persevered by finding new ways to make movies and share our work with our audience. Fast forward to today, 5 Talent Entertainment has produced six films, two pilot television shows, and two web series. However, pandemic-related requirements on set made producing too expensive, so we’ve had to put 5 Talent Entertainment on pause indefinitely.

I turned this situation into a new adventure by starting my real estate business. I believe in the importance of being passionate about your work. I also believe that one of the most important aspects of someone’s life is having a place to call home. So it was natural for me to develop my personal values into a business that helps people achieve the American dream of home ownership. I love working with all kinds of people to navigate the home buying and selling process. One of my biggest joys is handing someone the keys to their new home! My husband is a retired U.S. Marine, so having experienced military life I am certified as a NAR Military Relocation Professional, which gives me expertise in helping military service members effectively and efficiently relocate. I also donate a percentage of my commissions from home sales to Solutions for Change, a three-year program that helps families experiencing homelessness overcome their challenges and find a place to call home, Overall, real estate has been a very rewarding career shift!

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

What sets me apart from others is being okay with not fitting into a box of creative artist vs. professional. A lot of people think that you have to have a singular mindset, focus on one aspect of your career over another. While I thoroughly enjoy my work as a producer, when economic conditions shifted, I wasn’t afraid to embrace my other passions and pivot into a totally new career area by becoming a real estate agent. I fully intend to produce films while continuing my real estate business once the pandemic ends. I’m proud of being able to forge new paths and create opportunities when challenges arise.
It was not easy to get where I’m at today. I had to take a lot of risks, namely jumping into a whole new career field when the pandemic shut down my production company. But the parallel running through both of my business success stories is that I’ve been a self-starter and wasn’t afraid to teach myself what I needed to know in order to be successful. When I started out as a producer, I didn’t know anything about producing for film and television. I didn’t go to film school. But I learned all I needed to know by reading books, attending seminars, networking, and hands-on work on productions. Same for real estate. I have an MBA, but not focused on the real estate business. I had to learn about the real estate industry through my licensing coursework, and then learn the ropes of the day-to-day business through seminars, coaching sessions, and hands-on experience.
I also wasn’t afraid to embrace other work to bring in money when my production company was growing. For many years I worked in marketing on the side, which helped immensely in my real estate business as I have expertise in how to market my clients’ homes so they sell quickly and efficiently. It also taught me how to market my films and gave me the skill set necessary to be a successful business leader. I think a lot of creative people are afraid to take on other jobs (or admit that they have to do this), worrying that it might make them look less successful. Not true. Do what you have to do to keep doing what you love. You never know what great skill sets you’ll gain as a result!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I split my time between Los Angeles and San Diego, so here’s a few favorites from both:

San Diego:
I absolutely love Balboa Park and would recommend that anyone spend an afternoon there. It has great museums, delicious food at The Prado and fun street musicians and performers lining the walkways. The beaches in San Diego are the best in Southern California. My favorite is La Jolla Shores because the cove is nearby where you can explore caves and see the sea lions and seals sunning on the rocks. Favorite restaurants include Madison in University Heights, Pop Pie also in University Heights, Dominic’s at the Oceanside Harbor (get the pizza!), and Shorehouse Kitchen in Carlsbad.

Los Angeles:
I love the Los Feliz neighborhood. The shops and restaurants there are not to be missed. They have a great little movie theater that shows arthouse and classic films along with the current box office hits. I love French food and Figaro’s bistro in Los Feliz is the best. I also enjoy the art deco decor and outdoor patio at Edendale Restaurant in Silver Lake. The Edison is still one of my favorite spots for nightlife. Although the crowd here has died down a bit, I loved the 1920s vibes. A not to miss tourist attraction is the Huntington Library and Gardens in nearby Pasadena. It’s one of my favorite places on earth!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First and foremost, my husband, Heath, who always goes above and beyond to help me achieve my dreams. Casey App for being a wonderful friend and mentor, and always cheering me on. My broker, Ron Bentley, for giving me a chance to break into real estate and start a new career. Also Steve Walters from Actors Workshop Studios who inspired us to produce our own work. And Reyn, Ben, and Kristi who were my original partners in forming 5 Talent Entertainment nearly 20 years ago.

Website: www.carolynnallrealestate.com and www.5talententertainment.com

Instagram: @carolynnall.realestate

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolynnallrealestate

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOn8h4TWz2VdsHe0aLlaXPg

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