Meet Alyssa Harden

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alyssa Harden a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alyssa, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

I still feel imposter syndrome every now and then, but what’s super helpful to remember is that everyone else is learning, too! We’re all just trying our best. The only way to get over the imposter syndrome is just to do the thing.

When I thought I wasn’t experienced enough or savvy enough to work at professional animation studios — the places of my dreams, where I desperately wanted to work — I applied and took the interviews anyway.

When I thought I wasn’t old enough or smart enough to be promoted, I took the promotion anyway, and just did my best.

When I expanded my reach to independent producing and freelance writing, I thought I wasn’t professional enough or talented enough, but I found a group of indie producers who are now my friends who keep reminding me I know what I’m talking about and pushing me to take that next job and try something new. And even though it’s scary, it’s also always fun!

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

My name is Alyssa Harden and I am an animation writer and producer. I love writing and creating content for kids and families who love animation. I have previously worked at Illumination (THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE), LAIKA Studios (WILDWOOD), and DreamWorks Animation (TROLLS: BAND TOGETHER).

Animation is a beautiful artform and I love telling stories through that medium. As children, animation is also some of the first things we watch when we join this world, so animation has so much power in teaching kids hard skills they need to succeed as well as emotional skills like empathy and morality. We’re literally shaping kids’ perspective of the world. That’s so important and such an honor!

I love to work on big-scale projects as well as indie projects with social-impact focused messages, so while I’ve worked at big studios on feature films, I’ve also worked on smaller scale TV and YouTube projects focused on education like Moonbug’s “BLIPPI” and Ad Astra Media’s “THE DOCTOR IS IN.” These shows teach kids educational concepts like ABCs, colors, science, and treating others with kindness. The thing that drives me to work is wanting to feel like I’m making the world a better place.

My brand is animation content with a social impact message and a female-focused story. Typically my brand also skews very young — I like to write for preschool audiences and I love teaching STEM facts, specficially.

Recent developments include the second episode of “THE DOCTOR IS IN” releasing on YouTube on Mon, 9/1 (https://www.youtube.com/@TheDoctorIsInShow) receiving the Triggerfish Mentorship Award at the Durban FilmMart (https://www.bizcommunity.com/article/16th-durban-filmmart-celebrates-african-cinema-meet-the-2025-award-winners-478589a), and release of DreamWorks’ “THE BAD GUYS 2” in theaters in August 2025.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Grit and a willingness to learn! I always remained curious about how things worked, whether it was the technical pipeline of animation production, or the workflow of financing/producing/distributing in the indie world, or creative development at a big studio. An eagerness to learn has been key!

Also, grit — the resolve to continue persevering — has been huge, too. I went through a period of almost a year where I was struggling with part-time employment and was constantly getting different jobs in the entertainment industry. I am so, so lucky and blessed that I eventually found my way to the animation jobs I desperately wanted. Knowing what I wanted and not giving up was so important to finally landing where I have!

Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?

I would spend the time with family and also enjoy travel! I think it’s important to remember why we work so hard in the first place — it’s so that we can live our personal lives and feel happy and fulfilled in them. Loved ones and joy are always #1!

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?

Coffee? Workouts? Hitting the snooze button 14 times? Everyone has their morning ritual and we

Highlighter Series
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?

Our deepest wounds often shape us as much as our greatest joys. The pain we

Highlighter Series
Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?

Culture, economic circumstances, family traditions, local customs and more can often influence us more than