We recently connected with Carey Rose O’Connell and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Carey Rose, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

After over 20 years in the corporate environment, I could not deny my entrepreneurial spirit any longer. In 2011 I began working with a business mentor and about a thousand ideas and by 2017 I had curated the type of business I wanted to create and became an independent brand marketing consultant. A year into my new business I met a filmmaker at a random dinner party that hired me for some creative, digital marketing work. Enjoying that experience, I thought this was going to be a niche client segment I could target.

In the process of industry research, I came to the crushing realization that I had met an anomaly, and most local filmmakers were not producing at a level that demonstrated fiscal sustainability or ownership in industry segments. Because of my industry research knew how much money New Mexicans were leaving on the table by not understanding the business of a creative industry. I almost walked away, but it nagged at me and I wanted to help create something for future generations.

Choice made, determination made and idea conceived I launched a proof of concept of the Albuquerque Film and Media Incubator, LLC in 2022. A 6-month effort yielded enough engagement to convince me to commit 100% of my brand to this focus. Today we’ve expanded an additional entity, AFMI Productions, LLC allowing us to operate a commercial and creative production company that supports our career and workforce development mission at the incubator.

Carey Rose, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

In 2017, I made a life-changing decision. After gaining practical experience in a corporate background, I realized that I could no longer contain my entrepreneurial spirit. The allure of being my boss and creating something from scratch was too strong to resist. So, I leaped and became a small business owner.

Throughout my career, I developed a passion for customer service, marketing, communications, and system analysis. These skills were honed in a large-scale arena, and I knew that I could leverage them to provide valuable services to other small businesses at affordable rates.

As I built my business, I had the opportunity to connect with various communities. One community, in particular, caught my attention – the film and media industry in New Mexico. It became evident to me that this industry was greatly underserved at a local level, with a nearly non-existent ownership presence.

Driven by my passion for customer service and a desire to make a difference, I decided to engage with the film and media community more deeply. I saw an opportunity to address the fixable systemic barriers that were inhibiting access and create a model for career sustainability.

In New Mexico, the median income has never broken $40,000 annually. However, in a functioning media industry, the median income is $89,000 annually. It became clear to me that our community deserved the training and access to resources necessary to achieve that level of growth.

With this in mind, I embarked on a proof-of-concept journey. I created a creative incubator that aimed to provide solutions to the challenges faced by the film and media community. The success of this endeavor gave me the confidence to take the next step.

In 2023, I decided to officially expand my brand and established the Albuquerque Film and Media Incubator, LLC and AFMI Productions, LLC. This evolution of my brand has allowed me to formalize and expand the services I provide to the community.

As an entrepreneur, I’ve learned the importance of knowing your P’s – your purpose, place, people, and passion. Throughout the journey of building my business and expanding into community services, I can proudly say that I have finally found my P’s. It has been an incredible experience, and the impact I’ve made on the community has been immensely rewarding.

We are now a production company that provides multi-generational career and workforce development to New Mexicans. We are focusing on the education and professional development of producers, the economic drivers and stakeholders of the industry.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Ever since I started my entrepreneurial journey in 2017, I’ve realized that being able to pivot is essential for survival. It has become a way of life that I think is crucial for anyone dealing with the challenges of self-employment. By keeping my ultimate vision of what I wanted to offer the community through my brand in mind, I have been able to pivot and adapt to the changing opportunities.

From the start, my brand transitioned from being a standalone digital marketing service provider to becoming a production company in the New Mexico film and media industry. Both paths allow me to achieve my ultimate goal of helping people share their brand, ideas, and stories with the world. The form it has taken on also enables me to provide other New Mexicans with the resources, access, and training they need to become owners, economic drivers, and stakeholders in the community. Success and sustainability are the rewards of patience, persistence, and flexibility. I tell my team that our brand is like bamboo — strong and bendable.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

I have found that creating a strong team culture has significantly helped expand my brand. With a core team of five people and rotating interns, we have the opportunity to collectively shape our culture. While I ultimately make the final decisions as the owner, I believe in maintaining a non-hierarchical approach to ensure order.

We have implemented a collective communications agreement called the Relational Interaction Agreement, which is a relational support tool developed by Wendy Foxworth. This agreement allows us to discuss and establish agreed-upon ways of communication, particularly in areas where conflicts may arise. It covers everything from how we write email subject lines to how we handle unexpected situations. This agreement serves as a guide for our team, helping us stay on track and manage emotions during conversations. It also empowers my team to take ownership and care about preserving our culture.

As a leader, I believe in trusting my team and valuing each member’s unique insights and perspectives, as they bring invaluable wisdom to our business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://abqfmi.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abqfminc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABQFMI
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/albuquerque-film-media-incubator/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIHbT0buPuB0ubMVdtgGbRw/featured?sub_confirmation=1
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/albuquerque-film-and-media-incubator-albuquerque
• Other: AFMI on TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@abqfmi

Image Credits

Most images are AFMI Personal Team Captures and we permit for use. Two from the AFMX Festival are credited on the image and we have permission from them to use in this article.