S.2.E13 From Ghostwriting to Film Making, a Multifaceted Career Journey w Safia Bartholomew

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[00:01:08] Mhm.

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[00:01:09] Natalie: Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of From a Full Cup. I am so excited to have with me today on the show, Safia Bartholomew. Safia is a writer, a filmmaker, and communications extraordinaire, and she's my good, good friend. So Safia, welcome to the show.

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[00:01:29] Safia: We've been friends since like, what? I think, yeah,

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[00:01:51] Natalie: Y'all Safia did not know she was going to be doing this. She got put on the spot. That's a real friend coming through for you with like 30 minutes notice, but we're going to make it happen today. And, uh, you know, Safia, let's just start by talking about your career journey. Okay.

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[00:02:19] Safia: Well, I've always been, I always start off by saying that I'm an overall storyteller.

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[00:02:48] Safia: I did, journalism as well, which led me into writing for other people. So I've been a ghost writer for like the past. Decade, writing for people, telling, helping people tell the story that they feel called to tell. So whether it is like their books or their speeches, articles, any type of like thought leadership content.

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[00:03:28] Safia: So that was just like, as you can see, there's, there's usually that connection of storytelling, but I kind of accessed it at different points. And I think the main reason for that is that I'm very much about following your curiosity.

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[00:04:01] Safia: So that's really much been, especially now has been my philosophy about like, plus he is saying yes to things as long as it's aligned to your, like, beliefs and aligned to your overall goals and your priorities, then, um, so that's kind of like the path that I took where if something interests me, I went for it, I tried it out and then it led me to, like, the next thing and then all those puzzle pieces add up to be a grid, basically.

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[00:04:43] Natalie: Right? So, I think being curious and just exploring and being open to seeing what else is out there. What's possible for me. What if I just tried, right? And it's like, I love what you said, kind of, but like, everything has been a stepping stone, even though it wasn't necessarily intentional. So it's not that you had, like, your whole life planned out, and you saw yourself exactly in this place that you're in right now, but you just tried something, and you're like, okay, then it led you to something else, then it led you to something else.

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[00:05:29] Safia: I feel like failures, there's always mini failures. I can't think of like, 1 major failure because I think of failures. It's just kind of like, things are redirection. So, for example, maybe my career in PR would be not necessarily failure, but like, I didn't end up continuing to pursue that. So that just kind of taught me that I preferred the writing of it, or the communication part of it, as opposed to, like, the full part that entails being a publicist.

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[00:06:28] Natalie: Yeah, no, that's so good. And then, you know, rejection is important to get over. And I think rejection for a lot of people, it stops them two ways. Sometimes because people are scared of rejection, they don't even try, right? Like they don't even put themselves out there. They don't create their word. They don't try to pursue their dreams because they don't want to be rejected.

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[00:07:06] Natalie: It does nothing to her. She's like, she's been rejected so many times from so many different people. She's just used to it. It's just like, she rubs it off her shoulder. It's like a flick of dust that she keeps moving. And I'm like, that's so, that's such a good, um, Mindset to have, and obviously it takes some time, right?

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[00:07:40] Natalie: So she's doing amazing things. And it's one of the main reasons why is because she just like rejection. She was like, I am not taking this on. I'm just going to keep pursuing. What I feel called to do,

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[00:08:00] Safia: Like, you're kind of creating a list of things that you want to do, almost kind of like a list, but your, but your goal is to kind of like, get those rejections out of the way. So maybe you're going up to people, you're asking for the sale, going up to some, maybe if you're like single, you're going up to someone to like.

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[00:08:25] Natalie: um, she's the founder of it cosmetics, which was purchased by L'Oreal. I probably didn't explain that.

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[00:08:36] Safia: So.

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[00:08:38] Safia: I agree, agree.

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[00:09:00] Natalie: Like you can still be rejected and still move forward. And I feel like we're probably like that. We're like, Oh man, Oh, that hurt. Okay. Let me try again. Right. And so the more that we do that, like that's, I think when you are driven by a calling in your life or just a desire to do something greater or a desire to make an impact or a contribution to the world is your why.

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[00:09:48] Natalie: But it's like, you've got to have strategy, you've got to look at the numbers, you've got to have the plans, you've got to put things on paper. What has that balance looked like for you?

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[00:10:07] Safia: So I would love to just kind of create and be in that imaginative bubble all the time. But there is the reality of managing a business and working with other people and, all of those parts. So, the thing that I'm. Learning is, and I have a business, he's really good at this is he, he focuses on waking up and writing, um, cause then at least the thing that's most important to you, which is creation, you're getting that day and you put yourself, um, with me, I personally like to have a little bit more.

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[00:11:14] Natalie: Yeah. And what I love though, is that between you and your business partner, you have different strategies.

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[00:11:36] Natalie: That's so good for you that you know that and can kind of put that first and for someone else who maybe needs to put their work first and then they're going to maybe fill their cup later on in the day. There's no judgments like whatever works for you, like to that own self feature. Right? So I think that's great.

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[00:11:59] Natalie: And I really enjoyed watching Wallflower because I think for me, just kind of seeing that come. To life. I was like, wait, Safia knows how to do film. Like, I, I just think, I don't know. You're like a celebrity in my mind now, but I'm like, but it's my time. Like, it was just like really cool. Right.

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[00:12:24] Natalie: And it's like, you didn't even have that background at one point. And then all of a sudden it's like, Oh, we won this award. Oh, we're here. Oh, we're here. We're going to Essence. We're going to this. And I was like, wait, what? Like, that was mind blowing for me and I find that very inspirational and very encouraging.

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[00:12:45] Safia: question. I would say my legacy that I want to leave is like, I love what you said that you were like, Oh, I didn't even know that side of you. You know, I didn't it was something that's unexpected that I think would be my legacy is to show people that whatever you envisioned is really and it might sound like cliche typical, but I really do believe.

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[00:13:31] Natalie: Yeah, I think that's so important, and it's very fitting that it's Women's Month right now, and I love this month because there's just so much collaboration amongst women, there's so much support, there's so much encouragement.

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[00:13:55] Safia: You know, I speaking of women's month, like, I feel like collaboration has definitely been like, a huge theme in my career. Like, um, there's so many women that have spoke my name in rooms or, you know, open the door for me, have so long opportunities that worked with, like, they've been working on something and, you know, said is great for this.

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[00:14:43] Safia: So I found that working with him has been so easy and seamless and that we are just really focused on, like, creating and. Doing things that maybe we never thought were possible and really going for that. I feel like collab, I feel like it's so much easier when you can collaborate. With, with someone and really help you to take your vision to the next level.

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[00:15:19] Natalie: Yeah, you know, I'm glad I'm glad that you've had that positive experience because I really believe that we're created in life to be in a relationship with people.

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[00:15:43] Natalie: Because there's a distribution of workload, there's a distribution of ideas, there's the opportunity to exchange ideas, right? But it's really important that who you're working with does have those shared values and the shared vision. Because if we're not headed to the same place or we're not at least looking in the same direction, This project is not going to end well and the journey along the way is going to be very bumpy, right?

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[00:16:30] Safia: Yeah, exactly. I think it's about both people just having Exactly as you said, like alignment and knowing what you both want and going in that direction. Because there have been times where like, I've partnered with people, I've been on the side where, because I didn't necessarily have clarity in what I wanted or where I was going and what my bigger vision was, it just didn't work for the partnership, you know?

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[00:17:01] Natalie: And, and, you know, good for you for calling yourself out on that, right? Because sometimes it's, we need to take that time to, to be introspective and realize like, you know what, maybe I'm the one who messed up or maybe I wasn't bringing something to the table.

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[00:17:28] Natalie: But also. And this is like a Caribbean term, but it's like we say force rape. You don't want to force rape something. So when you have a mango, right? And this is the only way I know the word to be. I don't know if it happens in other situations. But in a Caribbean, like, you know, you have a mango. It's not ready yet though.

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[00:18:00] Natalie: Okay. So sometimes instead of force ripening something or ripening something, you just need to let it sit on the tree. If you weren't ready at the time, if you didn't have full clarity, that's okay. Like, clarity doesn't come in the snap of a finger. Clarity comes over time, and also through mistakes and just through wrong paths, right?

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[00:18:37] Natalie: There's, there's an abundance of opportunity. Yeah, I know. Sometimes it can be like, oh man, I missed out on that, but it's like, it's okay. You weren't ready. Guess what? In a few more months, a few more weeks, years, days, whatever new opportunities will come. That you will be ready for.

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[00:18:56] Safia: And then you just learn from that and then your next opportunity will be so much better and so much more aligned with you.

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[00:19:22] Safia: I have a few things, so I would say be, even though this kind of dispels what we were just talking about.

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[00:19:52] Safia: And they get a lot further ahead because you're sitting overthinking and worrying and feeling like, oh, I'm not good enough, or I don't have enough skills or whatever it is. So I would definitely say, um, that's the thing that I. Learn more, so, um, in my later years, when I was younger, I was very much more hesitant and overthinking and I'm just not so sure about if I should take to me as well.

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[00:20:47] Safia: You're just going to be sitting in that same position. You won't get the promotion. You won't get the opportunity. So I personally have to be better. In all honesty, transparency, but it is a skill that I'm trying to learn more when you're meeting people, really confidently telling them what you do. Um, I came out with this film telling people, Oh, I created this film wallflower.

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[00:21:26] Natalie: Yeah, and actually I really like that last one you gave because I feel like I need to work on that too. And it's funny because Lord knows I talk a lot, but um, so it depends on what I'm talking about. But for instance, I don't always talk about my podcast and like, actually for the whole first season, Success to me was just getting the podcast out.

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[00:22:01] Natalie: Okay. This is a labor of love, but I'm really proud of it. But if I'm really proud of it. And nobody knows it exists. Like what's the point, because the whole point of the podcast is to impact people, right? It's to impact women, women of color, allies, anybody who wants to work on their wellbeing, to fill their cup, work on personal development, right?

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[00:22:37] Natalie: But if you're doing something where you're serving others, you're helping others, you're impacting the world in a positive way, yeah, pat yourself on the back and get a megaphone and let the whole world know. All right, Safi, this has been a great conversation. We are going to head into rapid fire.

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[00:22:54] Natalie: Okay. So first question, your favorite decade of music.

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[00:23:11] Natalie: Um, okay. A book that you think everyone should read?

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[00:23:25] Safia: I definitely, that, that shifted my whole, like, thinking, especially don't take things personal. That was my biggest agreement.

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[00:23:42] Safia: Um, for me, I, I'm a very much like quiet time, um, bath time girl.

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[00:23:57] Natalie: I could see that for you. I can see that. Um, and in three words, what's your version of a wealthy life? And for me, wealthy is W E L L T H Y.

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[00:24:20] Natalie: fulfillment and love You see why we're friends, folks. That's it right there. Look at the alignment. Safia, thank you so much for doing me this huge favor and honor and coming on this show. I want you to tell the listeners, how can they stay in touch with you? Learn more about your work and connect with you.

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[00:25:03] Natalie: So all of those links will be in the show notes.

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