A job in the financial world didn’t pack the creative punch Lucia Caldera was looking for, so she left to pursue her passion as a filmmaker as co-owner of Chipotle Films. Now she is spearheading the company’s Women Empowerment Video Initiative, short films that feature stories of entrepreneurial women. SheBOOM spoke with Lucia to learn more about WEVI and what led her to take this (exciting!) step.

We understand you left the world of financial services to become a filmmaker. That’s a pretty bold leap. What inspired it? Any regrets?
Yes, leaving my job in finance was a big leap! The thought of making such a big career change was scary and it held me back for a long time. Even if it meant I wasn’t doing my dream job, I was hung up on the idea that’s what I was supposed to do.

The reality is that I’ve always been a creative person. So when the company I was working for went through changes, I realized it was the perfect exit moment and jumped on the opportunity. I decided to quit my job and make storytelling my life. I have to say, it’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Definitely zero regrets.

Why filmmaking? Had you done it previously?
I had been very involved in Chipotle Films’ projects for several years, all while I kept my job. I produced several videos on my lunch breaks or in the evenings, and this allowed me to ease into the field and learn as I went. I don’t have any formal education in video production and I still have a lot to learn, but I’m not afraid to make mistakes. It’s the only way to get better at what you do.

What have you learned so far about having your own business versus drawing a steady paycheck?
The biggest lessons so far are patience and confidence. If you believe in yourself, things will come when the time is right and the client is a good match. This is very important, because you can’t force business relationships. If you and your prospect connect, the client is yours and you will do the work from the heart.

Of course there are times when I miss the steady paycheck. But I remind myself that now I have the ability to make that paycheck as big or as small as I want it to be. My income depends on me. It’s a big responsibility and also a big motivator.

What inspired you to do your series about women entrepreneurs?
I’ve always admired strong women who are not afraid to go after what they want. I haven’t always been that woman myself. So when it was time to figure out how to run my own business, I realized I needed inspiration and practical advice. But I couldn’t find many videos out there that featured entrepreneurial women, so I decided to make them myself. And this is how the Women Empowerment Video Initiative (WEVI) was born.

I also think it’s important to promote collaboration among women in business. Media often portrays women as competitive with one another, but it shouldn’t be this way and I don’t think it’s in our nature. Through WEVI, I want to challenge those ideas and allow women to be mentors and cheerleaders for one another.

What do you see as trends in filmmaking?
VR, AR and 360 video. The challenge is learning how to direct the audience’s attention, but that’s also where there’s a ton of room to learn and experiment.

Anything else?
I am very excited to release the remaining episodes of WEVI’s first season before the end of the year, and have already lined up some incredible ladies for the second season. I can’t wait to share this with our audience.

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