Today we’d like to introduce you to Caitlyn Mims.
Hi Caitlyn, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In the movie “Rocky Balboa,” the titular character once expressed, “Nobody is going to hit as hard as life, but it ain’t how hard you can hit. It’s how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. It’s how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.” Reflecting on my past, I faced numerous challenges in life, including health and family issues. Interestingly, these difficulties led to the discovery of my passion for film. Due to health issues, I had to step down from sports, and during a period of bed rest in high school, my mother introduced me to her favorite 80s movies. Surprisingly, I developed a deep love for them. This ignited my interest in film, prompting me to join the theater in high school. However, I hesitated to take it seriously until college. Then, I realized my dissatisfaction with my current career path ( working within the church), prompting me to give acting a chance. Determined, I reached out to connections, enrolled in acting and modeling classes, and eventually signed with my first agent (now working with two). Over the past five years, my journey in acting has yielded significant accomplishments. Two films I helped produce received festival nominations, and a TV Pilot I acted in won multiple awards, including one at the Cannes Film Festival. I featured in a commercial aired on NBC, appeared in an Amazon Prime movie, participated in an episode on Adult Swim, and served as a host on two radio stations, one on iHeartRadio. Recently, I explored my interest in fashion, completing a course with Teen Vogue and Parsons while living in New York City. Currently, I’m engaged as a Casting coordinator at an acting studio based in Atlanta. The people I’ve met on this journey have been enriching, and I eagerly anticipate the connections I’ll forge in the future.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Achieving anything meaningful requires effort and perseverance. I’ve experienced challenging periods marked by dry spells where, despite my dedicated networking, progress in my journey seemed elusive. A significant hurdle in my career emerged when the strike struck. Projects, a TV series, and my job at an entertainment company abruptly ended, and the industry ended. Faced with this setback, I turned to creativity and fully leveraged social media—this challenging time allowed me to explore the platform’s full potential. I’m grateful for this shift because it taught me a new and valuable skill and played a crucial role in securing a job later on.
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
I’m a versatile professional with a background in producing, writing, acting, social media management, and assisting a talent scout. My journey in the entertainment industry began as an actor, where I gained valuable on-set experience, which eventually led me to produce my first short film. Since then, I’ve successfully made two more short films and a TV pilot, all currently being showcased in film festivals. Throughout this creative journey, I’ve developed a deep passion for various forms of content creation. I expanded my horizons by interning with iHeartRadio, initially as a producer and blog writer and later as a show host. Continuously seeking innovative ways to leverage content for the benefit of others, I’ve also managed social media accounts for diverse clients, including churches, car dealerships, studios, gyms, and radio stations. Presently, I work as a freelancer, offering services in social media management for clients, talent scouting, and script revisions. My ultimate goal is to craft content that connects with and resonates with audiences, contributing to meaningful storytelling and engagement.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I attribute my success to key characteristics, namely my openness to trying new things, my unmatched work ethic, and my genuine passion for people. While many acknowledge the importance of hard work and the value of embracing new experiences, caring about your work’s impact on people is a game-changer. When you genuinely care about the individuals affected by your work, it instills a powerful drive and motivation to persevere. Shifting the focus from oneself to others takes the spotlight off personal challenges and makes it about making a positive impact on those around you. In moments of contemplation about quitting, I recall how movies served as a source of motivation for me. The thought that any creatives involved in those films might have quit altering the outcome and diminishing the impact on me keeps me going. Recognizing the significance of what you do and its potential effect on others transforms one’s perspective on success. I harbor a passion for helping people through art, considering it a pivotal quality in both myself and the creatives I collaborate with, and understanding that what you do and that people matter shape a profound understanding of success and purpose.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://caitlynamims3.wixsite.com/caitlyn-mims
- Instagram: @mimscaitlyn
- Linkedin: @caitlynmims
- Youtube: @caitlynmims
