Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Candice Hicks and Melissa Gabriel. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Candice and Melissa, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
We’ve worked together on and off since our first real jobs in post production in the tv industry. Here we are over 15 years later and we found ourselves asking “what’s next?”. One thing we knew for sure, we really like working together. We also realized we both harbored a strong desire for more stake in the creative process. From concept to execution, we wanted to be more involved in shaping a brands voice and connecting them with their audience. Once we came to that realization, starting our own production company was the clear next step.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
We started BlakQuail, our boutique production company. We provide pre-production to post production and photography services for people and brands looking to find, refine or reaffirm their voice. From ads, to promo videos, to content for social media platforms and everything in between. Being two women in a male-dominated space, we bring a different energy and perspective to the collaboration process. We want our work to do more than just fill space, we want it to break through the noise.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
That’s a good one. We feel like so many aspects of who we are and our experiences have gotten us to where we are now. Some qualities in particular that have impacted our journey is the value we put in the collaborative process, our ability to translate a vision into something actionable, and our willingness to keep showing up. Each one of those qualities has helped us on the way to realizing our vision.
Some advice we like to pass along that we found helpful is; network (can’t stress enough how important that is), participate in industry events, and be ready to adapt as the industry is constantly evolving. Everyone’s journey is unique. Stay focused on your end goal and remember to celebrate your wins.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Absolutely, we are always looking for creative people and brands to collaborate with. We are open to partnerships with organizations, brands, and other production companies. If you are interested in collaborating with us, you can reach out through our website blakquail.com. You can also connect with us on social media @blakquail, where we post about our projects, things we’ve found interesting, and other happenings.
Thank you for allowing us to share our journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://blakquail.com/
- Instagram: @blakquail
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/blakquail-productions-portland
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
