Brande Roderick's Entrepreneurial Vision: From Hollywood Starlet to Director of 'Wineville'
On the "Beyond the Boardroom podcast," host Aleksandra King explores the robust entrepreneurial streak of Brande Roderick. Beyond her iconic roles, Brande's focus on creating and building has led her to diverse ventures, culminating in her latest role as a film producer and director.
The Entrepreneurial Mindset: From Real Estate to Shoes Brande's business experience started young, working as a telemarketing manager at a health club at age 15. Her entrepreneurial vision extends across industries:
Early Ambition: Brande graduated high school a year early and obtained her real estate license by age 18.
Visionary Real Estate: She is a self-described "visionary" who specializes in buying homes that others can't see past the ugliness of. She focuses on adding value by transforming properties, like knocking down walls and trees to reveal an "amazing view," a process she sees as a perfect business.
Creative Ventures: Brande also launched a luxury shoe line in partnership with Adam Levine. She also created a networking platform, underscoring her passion for starting and building new projects.
The Big Pivot: Producing and Directing Wineville
Brande's latest and most significant pivot came during the COVID-19 lockdown, where the lack of work prompted her to realize she needed to "create my own project". Leveraging her decades of experience and connections in the industry, she stepped into the challenging roles of producer and director for her new movie, Wineville.
Brande approached this venture with a calculated, business-first strategy:
Market-Driven Genre: Before choosing a genre, she consulted producer friends to determine "what is the easiest genre to sell?". They advised her to pursue horror, which perfectly aligned with her personal love for horror films.
A "Success" Definition: Her goal was clear: "I'm gonna do it to make money".
The Thrill of Creation: Despite the difficulty—which she describes as "freaking hard" with constant "hurdles and roadblocks"—Brande loved the job so much she'd do it for free. Standing on set on the first day, she felt an "amazing feeling" of confidence, excitement, and pride.
Brande is excited to get Wineville "off and running everywhere" before diving into her next creative venture—a new film or TV series, pulling from her collection of story ideas.