We had the good fortune of connecting with Lee Broda and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lee, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
I believe it will be not taking NO for an answer. I remember the moment I made that decision consciously (I’m sure I was doing it prior to that moment, but it was probably happening unconsciously and inconsistently). One afternoon, I was laying on the kitchen floor, crushed, in tears, asking myself and God why he would kill the biggest movie deal I was working on for six months… 30 minutes prior, I hung up a call with an investor that was minutes away from signing on a huge movie deal with my company, but called to say he changed his mind last minute, and would not be investing in the most important project I have been involved with at the tie. He was nice and calculated, and thanked me for the opportunity. We hung up and I was devastated. It felt like the end of the conversation, and it came after months and months of negotiation and back and forth. It was the end, for HIM. I was on the floor staring at the ceiling, when something in me clicked. I said to myself that a NO doesn’t mean it has to be over. A NO can turn into a YES. So instead of continuing to feel like a victim, and feel sorry for myself, I peeled myself from that kitchen floor, and with conviction shifted my focus and my energy. Not accepting someone’s no, about deals, projects or my vision for my organization or company, has been one of the things that helped me achieve many of my goals so far. And I’ve heard so many No’s, and I’m not just talking about no, thank you this movie isn’t for us. I’m talking about: No, you can’t do X, you can’t have Y, you cannot get this done within this timeline, you can’t publish your book on this date, you won’t be a producer on this project, you can’t go to this award ceremony since no other producer (much bigger than you) was invited to attend. So many NO’s. About so many things in my life, about what I can or cannot do and achieve. My best decision was not believing their NO’s and not letting their NO’s effect the way I see the world. I will be the one to decide what was possible or not possible for me. I can try 1000 times, in a 100 different ways, but until I say it is over, it isn’t over.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I love telling great and important stories on screen as a producer and actor, and on the page through my poetry books. My work as a producer has led me to shepherd over forty feature films to success with the company I founded almost six years ago – LB Entertainment. Our films have premiered at the world top film festivals, including Sundance, Venice, Toronto, TriBeCa, SXSW, and BFI, garnering international recognition and numerous awards. My company specializes in developing, financing, and producing independent films and television. Additionally, three years ago, I founded Women Creating Change, an organization that empowers and creates opportunities for female writers, directors, producers, and actors from the Middle East and North Africa. What excites me most are complex and tragic stories, or inspirational and empowering stories. I’m a huge fan of good dramas. As an actor connecting with an audience, making them feel or think was what I enjoyed the most . These days I mainly do that by writing poetry, producing films and discovering scripts. In order to be able to do what I love doing for a living, I had to earn my place in the industry and the trust of my peers and investors. I worked for free for many years, for a lot of people. I was excited to learn. I wanted to be the best I can be, and I wasn’t afraid to work really hard to get there. I had to learn patience, flexibility, and also how to say NO to others and YES to myself. How to bet on me. How to trust my instincts, when to give up on a project and move on, and when to push harder and fight. I forced myself to say yes to the things that sacred me, many many times. Juggling different businesses and ventures required new skills, and I had to learn how to manage my time better, and my priorities. I think the hardest thing for me was officially quitting all the side jobs and safety gigs I had secured throughout the years, and having my company as my only source of income. For me that was my way of “Burn all my boats” its everything or nothing. My point of no return. Either I will succeed and thrive or I’m going back home to Israel.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
Oh yes! Fun! I love nature, so everyday or at least most days will involve an outdoor activity. We will probably start with a morning hike in Los Liones Canyon, breakfast at Malibu Farm Cafe at the pier, and a hangout on the beach. We can grab bikes and explore the Venice canals and catch a nice sunset. Maybe a drink at Rose Cafe or an early dinner. Another place that is my favorite is Griffith Observatory. They have nice hikes around, and I love the shows inside the Observatory. So that can be a nice afternoon and evening activity, everyone wants to see the Hollywood sign! Another fun place is Abbot Kinney, I get the Mexican Hot Chocolate donut at Blue Star Donuts and a Blue Bottle Coffee. I go there on weekends for brunch at The Butcher’s Daughter, or dinner at Gjelina , and stroll around the cute stores. I rarely go downtown these days, unless I have guests visiting. But I have so many fun spots I love there, the roof top at the Edison, or Ice Hotel. I go to The Last Book Store and pick up a new poetry book when I visit. Grab Pizza and dessert at Bottega Louie. And go to The Broad museum. The Culver Hotel is awesome for live music at night, they have great food and cocktails. LA has the best spots!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The mentorship and books of Tony Robbins and Abraham Hicks. And my wonderful team at Women Creating Change.

Website: www.lbentertainment.co
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leebroda/
Linkedin: Lee Broda
Twitter: Lee Broda
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lee-Broda-125311047515668/
Other: My website where you can find more info about my poetry books is www.Leebroda.com

Image Credits
Jesse King Photography Ian Fisher Jonathan C Ward Yoni Bergman Photography

Nominate someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.