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

Hi Shelby, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
We decided to start Curious Refuge as an AI school after so many people reach out to us asking what AI tools they should learn to create projects like the ones we were sharing. We have a background in animation and VFX training, so it was a natural fit to start up an AI school. We now serve students in over 125 countries and host meetups around the world. We love the opportunity to empower traditional storytellers and give new opportunities to those who fall outside the normal bounds of traditional Hollywood.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I really think that Curious Refuge is different from other online schools or tech companies in that our community is so diverse. We have students ranging from Directors in Hollywood all they way to everyday folks looking to learn a new skill. We have helped many people land new job opportunities and set them up on a long-term trajectory towards success as a storyteller and it is very exciting!

Ultimately, we have learned that by having an optimistic view of the future and giving space for conversations, we can navigate the changes that we inevitably face as artists.

Our brand was created from a deep sense of empathy. We are artists helping artists.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Our go-to brunch spots on the weekends are All Day Baby or HomeState. Both places are very solid (and also very popular).

For fun, we love going to Huntington Gardens for a relaxing walk or skateboarding on the beach. We also have a card-deck of walking tours of LA and we will follow one of those cards to explore different parts of the city. It is incredibly fun to simply walk around LA. Every neighborhood has so much character and the opportunities for inspiration are everywhere.

LA has a surprising amount of nature hikes, so we are always down to hike around Griffith Park as well (as long as it isn’t too hot). The park at the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round on a Sunday is just magical and a perfect oasis from the business of LA.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
We want to dedicate the Shouout to the ‘Artists’ Way’. That book is the reason why we decided to start Curious Refuge. Upon completing the book, Caleb quit his job and decided to focus on CR full-time and those decisions led us to where we are today. If you follow it, ‘The Artists’ Way’ is a life-changing book, so I highly recommend checking it out.

Website: https://curiousrefuge.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curiousrefuge/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/curiousrefuge/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CuriousRefuge?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@curiousrefuge

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