Meet Dana Michell: CEO

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

Hi Dana, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I honestly set it up as something I knew wasn’t happening in the market I had been working in for 20 years and I thought “someone should do that” and then eventually saw an opportunity and went “F*ck it! Mose well be me”. I never dreamed it would turn into a global business so quickly and that now we have created processes and protocols that make us a leader in our field.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
1. We are a real people casting, stories and production management agency. 2. In practical terms that means we are part Production Company, part Casting Company and part Talent Management Company. Usually these 3 companies operate independently of each other but we are focused on looking after real people end to end and helping them make their own self-made content – which is very much in demand from all three industry agencies. We cast, curate and help real people create interesting content for brands, networks and TV shows who are always looking for authentic stories and genuine user experiences. I am most proud of the fact I have blended the two worlds that never used to cross paths: Reality TV and Commercial Marketing. I am also proud that we are a 100% remote business working as a cohesive team with the same protocols, values and standards no matter where we are based. And I love making real people money for just telling their own stories in their own special ways, which in turn has lead to shining spotlights on some very unique people doing incredible things to inspire others. 3. I got to where I am today as the CEO of a global business by just doing it. Seeing there was a need in the market and going balls to the wall saying yes to anything and everything my clients wanted and delivering above and beyond every time until there was no other option but to use us. That has been the last 3 years of hard work and sacrifice.. but now I feel we have built a solid reputation and standards that everyone at my company knows they have to meet to keep the work coming. 4. I truly believe anyone can start a business. You don’t need cash but you do need confidence and you do need to care about delivering a quality service or product all day every day. It starts with you at the top and that culture filters down. As soon as you stop caring. nobody else will and the house of cards will fall. What feels somewhat like an “overnight success” story has actually been 20 years of TV production in 4 corners of the world and a background in PR, Marketing and Corporate Relations. This time has led to me having the “confidence” and blind faith I could just go for it. I don’t think you can really just “go for it” if you don’t know the industry and have done your time to know what clients want.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Right now I am living in Fort Lauderdale, FL because I used to have to travel quite a bit to the UK and EU to see my teams and clients there. When COVID kicked in, I knew I had to be on a better timezone that the west coast could afford me, especially with 2 small kids now at home with me. So, we moved East to Miami. Very quickly we found the perfect home about 30 mins north, because I wanted something we could afford for the same price as our rent in Los Angeles. We found a home 500m from the beach that had an office for me and a pool + yard for the kids and it’s been a magical experience I pinch myself I am able to do ever since. Fort Lauderdale is all about the water. And as an Aussie American, that means so much to my happiness. Living here, everybody lives around water either on the canal or near the ocean. So you’re either swimming in it, cruising on it, fishing from it, or sitting in your backyard or local beach, bar or restaurant (or sometimes all 3) looking at it. FTL has a bit of a bohemian feel with a thriving art scene despite the salty sea dog vibes. It’s the gay capital of Florida which I love for much needed color, character and just a more liberal way of living which is the only way, I say! And it’s got a bustling downtown if you still need some CBD action. If I was taking someone on a weeklong trip here, I’d pick them up from the airport and immediately go to Jimbo’s Seafood on the Intracoastal nearby. Maybe if it was a full moon, we’d make a night of it and go late night kayaking at the Whiskey Creek Hide Out with luci lights in hand to spot the many manatees. For Breakfast, we’d do a power walk along the beach to Pelican Grand Resort’s Ocean 2000 beachfront brunch. It’s an old iconic Key West style hotel that locals and tourists both love. Then we’d swim, cross the road to bike ride through Hugh Birch State Park, probably stopping for a beer in their sandy floored Park & Ocean bar keeping cool under the trees with live music. Then we’d get our fancy clothes on for sunset drinks and dinner at Mastro’s – best food and service on the Intracoastal bar none. Other days, we’d rent our own boat from the myriad of boat rental joints around town.. and depending on the time of year do a fun quick road trip to the Florida Keys for a few days of island hopping. Or, head across to the Gulf Coast stopping to bike ride through the Everglades to look at docile alligators sunning themselves along the bike path and take in the slower pace, the shelling and the sunsets on the other side. I never knew how much there was to see and do round here until I moved here and the weather is pretty much perfect for me and my busy boys. If you don’t like heat, don’t like the beach and don’t like mosquitos – I wouldn’t make the trip 🙂

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There’s a saying with babies that it “takes a village” to raise a child and I believe that also applies to the birth of a business. It IS your baby! You develop it from a seed of an idea, you have to nurture it to grow, you have to protect it from harm, you need to feed, love and work tirelessly for it to succeed. No different to my other IRL babies 🙂 Along the way, there has definitely been a village behind my success. Firstly, to my best girlfriend from 20 yrs ago in San Francisco, Heather Lopez, who invested in the first Salt & Lime branch we opened back in 2017, when I had nothing but a dream and a credit card debt and a overwhelming urge to move to Hollywood. She has never wavered in her belief that I could do it and make it.

I also want to thank my husband Dan the Man. He was a Dee Jay when I met him 15 yrs ago but of course, on the side he had a day job as an Operations Manager of a painting company. By the time we pumped out two kids and moved to Hollywood, Dan had become a TV Editor who actually won an Emmy in 2020! However once Salt & Lime went global, he had to quit his Emmy award winning Editing career and come over to Salt & Lime to be my CFO. Without Dan doing the books and paying the bills, there would be no global success story. I’m good at talking and working – he’s good at not talking and focusing on paying all the bills 🙂

And finally – my staff. I don’t know what I did right in a previous life to find the gems I have found across the continents but I am constantly impressed with the thought, care, love and skills they apply to the projects Salt & Lime brings in. They are ALL fun, funny, warm and really really good at working with real people and curating incredible content. Without them, there is no Salt or Lime.

Website: https://saltandlimemedia.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saltandlimemedia/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/salt-and-lime-media/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saltandlimemedia

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCveDrQFcDux-drt09kE84w

Image Credits
https://www.instagram.com/ninaclairephotographer/