Meet Juliana Folk

We recently connected with Juliana Folk and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Juliana, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

I wasn’t always confident. Growing up, I constantly compared myself to others, especially as a performer and actor—it’s almost impossible not to in an industry built on comparison. But at the same time, I was raised to be bold, unique, and to go after my dreams without limits. That mindset taught me to take risks and be fearless.

Of course, once I got to high school, I learned that confidence—especially in young women—isn’t always well received. I was bullied pretty quickly as a freshman. Older girls picked on me, threatened me, and tried to intimidate me. I was cute, I was sassy, and that combination wasn’t for everyone. By my senior year, I had found my people. I was involved in student government as the pep commissioner, on the yearbook staff, hosting my school’s morning show, and dating the captain of the football team. Life was great—until it wasn’t. That same solid group of friends turned on me, and suddenly, I was back to feeling like I did freshman year. Only this time, I had a car, so I ditched class every day. School became miserable.

Looking back, if I had let those experiences break me, I might have never climbed out of that depression. But the same fearless, big-dreaming attitude that my family instilled in me reminded me that the world was so much bigger than a few jealous girls. Instead of letting it define me, I used it as fuel. Eventually, I packed up my car, moved to LA, and started chasing my dreams.

That experience taught me that confidence isn’t about never feeling doubt—it’s about pushing forward despite it. It’s about knowing who you are, even when others try to shake you. And most importantly, it’s about betting on yourself, even when no one else does.

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

I’m an actor and writer, which means I basically live in a world of storytelling—whether it’s on screen, on stage, or on the page. Acting has always been my first love, but over the years, I realized that writing gives me a different kind of creative freedom. There’s something incredibly exciting about building a world from scratch and creating characters that feel real, messy, and relatable.

Right now, I’m juggling a few different creative projects, but the one I’m most excited about is my newest endeavor—StreamFest Society. It’s a nonprofit dedicated to supporting independent creators in the ever-evolving digital landscape. The way people consume content has changed drastically, and indie filmmakers, streamers, and digital storytellers need platforms that celebrate and elevate their work. That’s why we launched Napa Valley StreamFest, a festival dedicated to showcasing independent films, web series, and digital content in a place as inspiring as the stories themselves. Napa is known for its wine, but we want it to be known for innovative storytelling, too.

This festival isn’t just about screenings—it’s about building a community. We’re creating a space where emerging and established creators can connect, collaborate, and actually see their work in front of an audience that values independent voices.

For me, everything I do—whether it’s acting, writing, or launching this nonprofit—comes back to storytelling. I believe in the power of stories to entertain, to challenge, and to bring people together. And with StreamFest Society and Napa Valley StreamFest, I’m excited to help more creators get their stories out into the world.

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?

Looking back, the three things that have made the biggest impact on my journey are: being unapologetically unique, believing in my “why,” and failing—hard and often.

First, being unique. And I don’t mean in that Pinterest-quote, be-a-unicorn-in-a-field-of-horses kind of way. I mean actually refusing to conform just because it’s what everyone else is doing. In this industry, it’s easy to get sucked into trends, to shape-shift into whatever’s “hot” right now. But if you’re constantly trying to fit into someone else’s mold, you’re never gonna stand out. The people who make it? They double down on what makes them different. So stop chasing what’s cool and just be the damn thing people want to chase.

Second, believe in yourself and your “why.” If you don’t know why you’re doing this, you’re going to spend your life chasing the wrong things—approval, validation, clout, whatever. And spoiler alert: none of that will ever be enough. Your “why” is your North Star. It keeps you going when everything feels like it’s falling apart (because, trust me, at some point, it will). Get clear on what drives you, or you’ll just keep running in circles.

And finally? Fail. A lot. People are so damn scared of messing up that they end up doing nothing. But here’s the truth: you’re supposed to fail. Over and over again. That’s how you figure out what works. If something isn’t clicking, pivot. Try something else. Burn it all down and start fresh if you have to. Life’s too short to be precious about it. The people who “make it” aren’t necessarily the most talented or the luckiest—they’re the ones who kept throwing punches until something landed.

So, my advice? Be different. Know your why. And fail your way to success. The rest will fall into place.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

The most impactful thing my parents did for me? They let me be me. They weren’t perfect—far from it. Both of them were artists, which meant life could be unpredictable. Sometimes we struggled, sometimes things felt unstable, but through it all, they were loving, encouraging, and real.

They never put on some fake, “we’ve got it all figured out” act. They were open about their imperfections, which showed me that you don’t have to have all the answers to be worthy, to be loved, or to go after what you want. That kind of honesty gave me permission to embrace the chaos, take risks, and not be afraid to fail.

And when I dreamed big, they pushed me to dream even bigger. There was no “be realistic” speech in my house. If I wanted to do something wild, they didn’t try to talk me out of it—they just reminded me that nothing was off-limits if I was willing to go for it.

So no, they weren’t perfect. But they were real. They loved me for exactly who I was, and they made sure I knew that was enough. And honestly? That was everything.

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Image Credits

Phillip Faraone, Jeremy Folk, Nicole Sepulveda

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