Meet Carling French

We recently connected with Carling French and have shared our conversation below.

Carling , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I had no idea of my direction for a long time. I was with a partner, my now husband, that was gone most of the time working as a touring musician. I knew I wanted to spend as much time as possible with him, so my purpose, at least when considering my career aspirations and goals, wasn’t top of mind (all on me, not on him!). I worked odd jobs, and when people asked me what I was good at, or what I enjoyed — I always said “I am good at getting sh*t done” and left it at that. I wasn’t aware of any jobs, especially in our small home town, that would allow flexibility AND a career path with such little direction.

In 2014 my husband and I moved to Los Angeles. I was working in sales at a wedding website, a flexible option for our ever changing schedule, and he was still on the road. Moving to a new city, especially one as big as LA can be so intimidating! But for me, there was something about the energy in the air, the sunny days and being surrounded by successful people that motivated me to want more.

Not long after moving, we found ourselves surrounded by a wonderful, creative and inspiring new friend group. They were mostly all in the industry, worked so many different jobs, and were exposed to many opportunities that I didn’t know existed.

In early 2016 a few photographer friends of ours asked if I would ever consider working as a producer — they knew I was ready for something new but of course, I had no idea what that could even be. At the time I knew absolutely nothing about producers. Once they started telling me more, I was so intrigued. Was this job made for me!? It had to be too good to be true. I was curious to find out more.

A few months later I got a call from the same photographer friends letting me know that they had booked a job for a high profile musician, and asked me if I wanted to produce. Me?! The girl from Virginia that has never been on set, has only recently learned what a producer does, and has very few days to learn? If this isn’t putting my money where my mouth is, I dont know what is! Time to get sh*t done.

(But not before I went on a work trip and came home with food poisoning less than a week before my first shoot.)

Thankfully, I got it done. And I loved it.

That one, “YES”, that one leap of faith that my friends took, ended up being one of the most pivotal moments in my life. That summer I quit my sales job and went into production full time, starting my business in May 2017.

Now, 7 years later, I couldn’t imagine a job that I would be more perfectly suited for. Yes, of course I have days that are insane and shoots that I am ready to be over well before we wrap BUT I have found my purpose. I discovered it by being in service and support to my creative teams and clients, providing jobs to our crew, organizing the giant puzzle that is a production, communicating and delegating, by working as a TEAM and being loyal to our people and most importantly, getting sh*t done!

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I know I focused on my career when talking about my purpose, but as a business owner, everything feels very intertwined!

I feel like my approach to production is a bit different than other producers. I feel like what sets us apart is our focus on hospitality. I bring that up a lot, but I think it’s important. We are service providers, which to me means that we are also in hospitality. I want people to show up to set excited to work with the team we have brought together, I want them to feel supported to do the best job they can, I want them to feel respected, well fed, and appreciated. I want our clients and our crew to leave set feeling accomplished and excited to see the work we have created! Shouldn’t creating be fun?

Speaking of creating, we mainly produce photo shoots and combo shoots (capturing both photo and video on the same shoot), and also work on commercials when we can!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Being open to feedback. I think this is the most important example of how to grow as an individual and in business. I think knowledge is power and you can only fix and improve on the things you are aware of. Of course no one wants negative feedback, but hopefully if and when that happens, you can turn that into growth and become a better version of yourself! I always ask for feedback — it’s always welcome!

Understanding the power of no and having boundaries. We typically have to learn this one the hard way, through burn out, but if you keep it top of mind, I think life can be so much more fulfilling. I have a hard time saying no, I feel guilty saying no, but I have to remind myself that having boundaries is not only good for me personally, but also a huge benefit to those around me. I cant be “on” 24/7, I can’t be of service every time someone texts or calls. I have to keep office hours and focus on self care. It’s the only way for me to be the best version of myself!

Saying yes to the unknown. Oof, this one can be scary, but it’s so important. Taking a huge leap of faith is how I got to this very moment. You have to be honest with yourself and trust in the process — easier said than done, I know. I meditate every morning. I spend 10 -15 min in quiet refection, or in guided practice. This has been a game changer for me! A way to really tune into my needs and desires.

Bonus: be kind, be supportive and let people know when they are doing a great job.

Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?

We love working directly with brands and their in-house creative teams, focusing on producing both photo and video content. When we work directly with a brand, it’s fun to be able to suggest creative talent (photographers, directors and our rolodex of crew) in order to bring a brands vision to life. We have worked with clothing brands, shoe companies and furniture/home decor lines. We are most excited to collaborate with kind and communicative creatives, and enjoy working within all the sectors mentioned. We love clients that are passionate about the content that they wish to create — we love being on their team!

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