We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jonna Leanne Patel. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jonna Leanne below.

Hi Jonna Leanne, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I was so thrilled to talk about meaningful projects with CanvasRebel! What makes me most happy in life, is having projects that make me happy, and impact others. However, I wanted to talk about meaningful projects with a bit of a twist today!

If you haven’t heard about my journey in the creative field and my efforts to make a living while doing meaningful work, let me share the key points I like to tell people about my creative career and projects:

– Most days are extremely challenging (even without factoring in my struggles with anxiety and ADHD), but then there’s often one moment that reminds you of your incredible talent and progress. That moment motivates you to push through the next series of tough days.

– My luck isn’t great, so aside from my white privilege, I can tell you that every amazing opportunity I’ve had has come from putting myself out there, working hard, or conducting extensive research on how to make something happen. Sometimes, despite hustling hard and having the right credentials, projects still won’t work out.

Why is this important? Because I like to call myself a “econ,” which means… I’M BETTING ON THE HARD WORK VERSION WHERE IT AT LEAST PANS OUT SOME OF THE TIME versus betting on luck and connections. (1)

Why do good intentions and hard work sometimes fail to bring about the meaningful projects we desire?

#1 – As cool as the universe can be, I see too many people expecting handouts in the creative industry. While it occasionally happen, that’s not how the world usually operates.

#2 – Despite the many wonderful people in the universe who genuinely want the best for you and look out for you, they are often too busy dealing with their own challenges to offer support. There are some rare chances where your name crosses their mind or a conversation with you, but I rarely get project leads from my amazing friends and colleagues.

#3 Some people are simply unhelpful (or despite my genuine belief that humanity is mostly well intentioned, some people really suck). Whether due to personal issues, a phase they’re going through, or just their personality, these types of people won’t assist you even if you are well-suited for the projects you aspire to complete and might even stand in your way.

Here’s an example:
Recently, I went back to a “day job” instead of focusing solely on creative projects (I have a child, and children are expensive). I decided that, since I didn’t have to hustle for a freelance paycheck, I would volunteer some time to support other creatives and pursue a few passion projects. To save you from the details, it backfired… dramatically. I thought that spending time with other creatives and being my dedicated self would lead to a project to be proud of, and perhaps even free writing classes.

That did not happen. Despite having the credentials, the time, and working for free, I faced jealousy and resistance from others, and even though I was organized and “sweet,” I had to leave a project I had invested so much in due to one person not understanding me and my strengths.

It was a major setback, but I realized I had the passion and skills; it just wasn’t the right fit with the people involved. I went into a bit of a hole and tried to understand it, and even took blame for a lot what happened, despite knowing I went above and beyond with those connections to let them know they could talk to me. I was mostly upset at the situation because all of this pushback came a couple of months into working with these people, despite having an open line of communication. These situations do happen more often than not, and eventually, the universe said “It could have been much worse…so stop whining and get back out there.” (2)

So, I got back up. I reflected on the work I had already done for that project in the happy times and saw how easy it would be to try again. It wasn’t a bad effort, my work on the project had been praised, and it seemed to be mostly a personal issue.(3) After writing down what worked, I considered the relationships I built three years ago with supportive people who I had already worked with in a minor capacity and decided to pitch a new project to a new venue.

Was it scary? Absolutely. The Atlanta production community is pretty niche in my opinion, and I’m sure word had gotten out and who knew what people were thinking about me. Also, to feel rejected a second time, I didn’t know if my ego could handle it.

Was it a sure thing? No, but I knew what brought me joy and was willing to face the challenges and rejections to achieve that small moment of pure joy with a meaningful project.

And guess what… this person said YES.
One meeting, one connection from three years ago who remembered my work, and a project where I had as much ownership as I wanted. I received more support than I had asked for and found someone who cared about the project as much as I did. We also talked about expectations, our roles, and what the best and worst outcomes were (econ love). I was truly in awe… I thought, “Hell yes, I worked for this. I am good enough. I planted the seeds, did the research, put in the work, and balanced being both selfish and kind. That’s what led me to this meaningful project.”

Now, I realize I was supposed to discuss the project’s meaningfulness, but what was most significant for me was knowing that I was patient, fought hard, fell hard, and came back to find an even better opportunity. I smile every time I think about the moment I found out it was going to happen. (4)

—————–
(1) For reference, read Nudge by Richard Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein.
(2) Mental health is important. Even though I am very hard on myself, I recommend talking to someone who can support you and taking breaks as needed.
(3) Let me tell you, I am a recovering people pleaser. I wanted everyone to like me, and this still shines through from time to time. However, YOU OFTEN CANNOT CHANGE how other people feel about you no matter how hard you try, so just be you and see what starts to line up. It will be much more meaningful this way.
(4) The project is a Shorts Festival featuring short films and plays curated to bring other people’s dreams and projects to life, plus providing actors, direction, etc. Email me if you want to get involved, and thanks to Windmill Arts for being a dream partner.

Jonna Leanne, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an actor and production manager who grew up in a small town in Alabama, with a large heart for the arts! Performance began at a young age in local theatre. However, it wasn’t until college that I truly embraced more structured production and performance. My mom was always supportive of my journey by signing me up for all of the extracurriculars in town. I danced, sang, and marched in the Macy’s Day parade as a drum major with my high school band. I loved being a leader and organizer, but I loved the thrill of creating magic with others even more.

Although my town was a thriving place for the youth in arts, realistic jobs and examples of the role I have now were sparse. I loved learning and serving others, so I went off to graduate school to student College Student Affairs and coordinated student weekend. I didn’t know it until now, but I was always most happy when I was organizing and producing events and projects that brought joy to others and let my artistic side shine.

After moving to Atlanta, I immersed myself in the city’s vibrant improv and acting scene, studying at various improv studios weekly and dreaming about being the wise, spunky, and sarcastic older person on a future hit series. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I expanded my skills by studying with the Second City Training Center in Toronto, completing courses in Improv for Anxiety and all levels of Improv. My dedication earned me a place in the Conservatory, where I continued to refine my craft with some of the most amazing artists in the world. I also learned so much about what it takes to put on a production for improv and musicals through studying at The Second City Training Center, and had a role with an events production company that aided in my technology knowledge and stage management for large scale events. Looking back now, it was right in front of my face, but I was so focused on making my career fit into a box.

After a few years of smaller projects and connecting with other professionals with a similar journey, I started putting the pieces together and actively calling myself a production manager and creating goals to make it a full-time career.

Right now, I am still working my day job as an administrative assistant at Georgia Tech Institute of Technology, while volunteering time or taking on smaller roles when offered. I was recently accepted to volunteer at the Toronto International Film Festival (a goal I made when I sat down and analyzed what I wanted to accomplish in my career. I am serving as a festival director for a shorts festival I envisioned earlier this year and will happen in April of 2025. I am so happy that I pushed through and found a way to blend my love of the arts with my organizational and leadership skills.

Aside from my day job, production management, and planning some amazing parties at my home in Atlanta, I love solving problems, checking things off my to-do lists, and making money to travel and explore the world.

My heart lies with helping others and being a bit of a “dreamer”.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I already mentioned Nudge earlier – if you haven’t read anything on behavioral economics, check it out.

I also have a few books I read every year that keep me grounded:

– Productivity –
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen

– Habits –
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything by BJ Fogg

– Minimalism –
The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store by Cait Flanders

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

There is so much literature in the world on the topic of “creativity” but truly, I wish I didn’t have to define myself that way. Everyone is creative in different ways, so I kind of stopped using the term.

I guess not liking to being labeled is an issue and something people struggle to understand about me. I appreciate being able to have some roadmap to get to know someone faster, but really, I think just asking questions and listening, rather than assuming, is the best bet for interacting with me and others on this journey.
Also, I think it is helpful to know that life looks different for everyone and I (among others) struggle daily with the definition of “success”. Experiences like mine are just now becoming more common, but I didn’t know a lot of people with a similar career and lifestyle like mine growing up.

Ultimately, realize that YOU decide your definition of success and what a happy life looks like, just as it should be for others.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jonnaleanne.com
• Other: jonnaleanne@gmail.com

Image Credits

Headshot: Schellie Hogan

All others are personal