We recently connected with Juliana Folk and have shared our conversation below.

Juliana, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

The idea for StreamFest didn’t come from a boardroom; it came from the trenches. My business partner, Fearon, and I have been in this industry for over a decade—I’m an actor and she’s a producer and director. After years of working behind the scenes at other festivals, we decided to put our money where our mouths were. We self-funded, crowdfunded, and produced a 30-minute pilot as a proof of concept for a show we were developing.

We hit the festival circuit with so much hope, but we quickly realized the landscape had changed. What used to be a playground for independent artists had become incredibly corporate. Without a massive “star” attached or a huge studio backing us, it felt like we were screaming into a void. We were seeing incredible independent work—including our own—get sidelined because it didn’t fit a specific “marketable” box.

The turning point happened one night in a hotel room after another day on the circuit. We were exhausted, looking at each other, and Fearon just said, “We could do this. We could put on our own festival and just invite all of Hollywood to our party.”

It started as a joke, but the next morning, it was a mission.

The next two months were a blur of “What if?” becoming “How?” We didn’t just want a party; we wanted a platform. We spent those first few weeks obsessively figuring out the architecture:

We moved beyond the creative brainstorm and got tactical. We drafted a rigorous business plan and formed a non-profit to ensure the mission stayed focused on the artists.

We spent hours on the “un-glamorous” stuff—trademarking our logos, securing business licenses, and building a deck that proved our concept wasn’t just a dream, but a viable economic engine for the community.

We took that deck to the City of Napa. We didn’t just ask for permission; we asked for seed money. We told them we wanted to bring the future of streaming and digital storytelling to their doorstep.

The second the city said “Yes,” the clock started ticking. We weren’t just two creatives with a pilot anymore; we were founders of a film festival. We went from wondering why no one would play our movie to building the theater where everyone else could play theirs. It’s been a wild ride of figuring out everything from venue logistics to talent hospitality, but every time it gets hard, we remember that hotel room. We’re building the “party” we wish we’d been invited to years ago.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’ve spent over a decade in the “blue-collar” side of Hollywood as a professional actor. My journey into this industry wasn’t a straight line; it was built on a series of “yeses” to projects that challenged me and a lot of grit to stay in the game. My business partner, Fearon, came from the high-pressure world of producing and directing live events. Together, we’ve seen every side of a production—from the quiet vulnerability of a table read to the chaotic energy of a 4:00 AM film set.
Today, my primary “creative work” is Napa Valley StreamFest. We describe it as a premiere festival and content market, but at its core, we provide a launchpad. We offer a curated space where filmmakers, digital creators, and industry powerhouses can actually talk to one another without the gatekeepers.

The problem we solve is “the void.” For many independent artists, once you finish your project, you’re met with a deafening silence. The current festival circuit can feel like an exclusive club where you need a VIP pass just to get in the door. We built StreamFest to be the key to that door. We solve the problem of access.

What truly sets us apart is that we are built by artists, for artists. We aren’t a corporate entity trying to figure out “what the kids like”—we are the ones who have lived the struggle of self-funding a pilot and carrying it across the country.

We also lean heavily into the “Stream” of it all. While traditional festivals are often stuck in the past, we are embracing the future: streaming platforms, digital creators, and the new ways stories are actually being consumed. We bring that “Big Tech” innovation to the soul and hospitality of Napa Valley.

Honestly, I am most proud of our sheer tenacity. We started with absolutely nothing and built this into something that people are genuinely excited about. If you would have told me a few years ago that I’d be running my own festival, or that legendary creators like Bill Lawrence would be sitting at our dinner table as our guest, I would have laughed in your face.

The process has forced me to grow more than I ever thought possible. I’ve had to evolve from “just” a creative into a founder and a business owner. Seeing the momentum we’ve built from the ground up is a testament to the fact that you don’t need a permission slip to create something great—you just need the will to keep going.

My Advice to Fellow Artists…Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. For the longest time, I thought the only way I could be happy was if I was strictly acting or telling stories on screen. I never imagined that starting a business—especially one as complex and innovative as a festival—would bring me this much joy.

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

When people hear the word “pivot,” they usually imagine someone walking away from their passion to try something entirely new. For me, starting Napa Valley StreamFest didn’t feel like a sharp turn; it felt like a lateral move that finally allowed me to see the whole board.

I’ve been an actor and a writer for over a decade. That is my heart. But for years, I was navigating an industry where I felt like I was constantly waiting for permission—waiting for the audition, waiting for the green light, waiting for the “yes.” The pivot happened when I realized I didn’t have to wait anymore. I could stop being just a participant in the industry and start becoming a provider for it.

The real pivot wasn’t in what I was doing, but in who I was doing it for. Transitioning into a founder role allowed me to build the platform I always wished I had as an independent artist. There is an incredible, unexpected fulfillment in supporting other filmmakers and giving them the stage they deserve.

The most beautiful part of this journey is that I haven’t left my craft behind. If anything, StreamFest has made me a better actor and a sharper writer. I’m still in the rooms, I’m still developing my own projects, and I’m still telling stories—but now I’m doing it from a place of empowerment.

It feels like a full-circle moment. I started out wanting to tell stories that would move people; now, I’ve built a community that moves an entire industry. It’s a reminder that you don’t have to choose between being a creative and being a leader. You can use your creative soul to build the business, and use the business to protect your creative soul.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

I first crossed paths with my co-founder, Fearon, in 2016. I was volunteering at the Napa Valley Film Festival, and I remember walking past a boardroom and seeing this absolute powerhouse of a woman at the head of the table. She was commanding that room with a level of authority and precision I had never seen before. To be honest, she was intimidating as hell—but I also knew immediately that I had to meet her. I was drawn to that kind of “get-it-done” energy.

The universe eventually did the heavy lifting for us. Through some mutual friends, we both ended up at the same Oscar party in Los Angeles. Away from the high-pressure environment of the festival, we actually got to talk. We realized almost instantly how much we had in common—not just in our career goals, but in our creative DNA.

I eventually went on to assist her at the festival, and our professional relationship began to solidify. But the real magic happened when we realized we were actually neighbors. What started as a mentorship turned into a real friendship.

Our lives started to sync up in ways we couldn’t have planned if we tried. We ended up going through our pregnancies together and had our children only three weeks apart. There is no better way to test a partnership than navigating the “new mom” fog while simultaneously building a business.

Before we ever launched StreamFest in 2024, we founded our production company, Ashella Productions. We’ve spent years writing, producing, and dreaming together. By the time we decided to start the festival, we weren’t just business partners; we were family. We knew we could trust each other in the boardroom, on a film set, and in the chaos of real life. That foundation of trust is the “secret sauce” that makes StreamFest work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.napavalleystreamfest.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/napavalleystreamfest/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NapaValleyStreamFest/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliana-folk-627261327/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@NapaValleyStreamFest

Image Credits

Nicole Sepulveda
Aperture Media