Alison Garwood Jones

This is me talking with my pal, Andrew Dobson, creator of the food and travel media empire, DobberNationLoves.

Andrew is one of dozens of creative entrepreneurs and artists I’ll be interviewing in Willful, a new web series I co-created with my friend, Yann Yap, a producer, photographer and videographer currently working at TFO.

A selfie of the creators, Yann Yap and Alison Garwood-Jones

Willful tracks how creative entrepreneurs work, thrive and survive, and today is the series launch!

I’ll be interviewing one artist a week, then posting five three-minute snack films from that interview on YouTube every day.

As freelancers,  Yann and I are always looking for good stuff to jump start our day, whether it’s an inspiring story, advice on process, how to pivot or transfer your skills as jobs change, and tips on the economics of being (and staying) creative. I know tons of people who geek out on that stuff. So, this is for you!

In each episode, you’ll meet women and men who are:

• Gutsy and joyfully oblivious to “You can’t do that” and “Who do you think you are?” (it’s a Canadian thing)

Rachel Krehm and Aria Umezawa (above), the co-founders of Opera5 are a good example of that.

• Determined to make things, then put them out into the world.

Genie award-winning documentary filmmaker, Maureen Judge (above), is someone I admire because she has chosen a career that matches her determination to stay curious and interested in life. Her latest doc is called, My Millennial Life. Maureen is our first guest this week.

• Innovators and disruptors whose focus and positivity has elevated them above the snark of flabby, anonymous commenters.

Painter turned “vision activator,” Ricardo McRae (above), has many insightful things to say about dancing with fear. And I’m not talking the kind of fear spread by crooked politicians, but private fears that stop us from speaking out or crafting original solutions to problems. In addition to his work with brands, Ricardo is the founder of Black in Canada, an organization that seeks to shift the popular narrative of Black achievement in this country, and around the world.

There’s a current of willfulness running through every creative person I’ve ever met — a certain scrappiness and determination. “Willful” is something you have to be if you want to make a real difference in the world. Hence, the name for the series.

Ladies and gents, the trailer to Willful:

If you like what we’re doing, please share using the appropriate buttons down below.

To be a part of “Willful”

If you are creative and have a “Willful” story worth sharing on camera, contact us at willfulproject@gmail.com, or on Twitter @WillfulProject.

Our thanks to The Merchant Tavern for generously offering us a stage.