Invest In Yourself: The Digital Entrepreneur Podcast · Phil Better

Leaving the 9-to-5 for Creative Freedom with Jaclyn Whitt

·35 min·2 clips

Jaclyn says faith-based films need a “message and not an agenda,” with character journeys that feel real.

1. Invest In Yourself: The Digital Entrepreneur Podcast features Jaclyn Whitt discussing leaving the 9-to-5 for creative freedom through the Faith and Family Filmmakers Association. 2. Phil Better hosts the conversation and introduces Whitt as a screenwriter working in the faith-based film industry with her husband, Jeffrey. 3. The episode asks why Whitt and Jeffrey sold everything, moved from Canada to Mexico, and built a business around faith-driven filmmaking. 4. Whitt says the decision began with timing, because they waited until their kids finished school and left the Vancouver area. 5. She points to Vancouver’s high cost of living and says they had originally considered Alberta before thinking about another country. 6. Whitt says 2020 pushed them to consider Mexico, where her children from her first marriage have family. 7. She says her husband did not speak Spanish, while she knew enough to order food and ask for directions. 8. Whitt says the move also solved two work problems at once: she wanted to be a full-time writer and Jeffrey needed to leave a physical job that was tiring his body. 9. She says the new arrangement led to both of them building the business together once they arrived in Mexico. 10. Whitt says the Association began as a screenwriting academy and then expanded into a broader filmmakers organization. 11. She says people in the industry understood the need for faith-based training, while outsiders were often confused by the niche. 12. Whitt says she had studied screenwriting for decades before entering the profession more seriously after raising her kids. 13. She says one core goal was to help writers create “a message and not an agenda.” 14. Whitt says Christian films are often criticized as “preachy,” “cheesy,” or unrealistic, especially in narrative fiction. 15. She says compelling films need character journeys that make sense, rather than sudden changes with no cause. 16. Whitt says viewers want an emotional experience and to live vicariously through a character for a while. 17. Whitt says the Association now supports screenwriters, producers, actors, and even first assistant directors through workshops and education. 18. She says the business also uses networking opportunities and a podcast to connect scattered creatives in the faith-based film space. 19. The episode feels conversational, practical, and reflective, with Phil Better using a relaxed interview style and frequent follow-up questions. 20. People interested in faith-based screenwriting, indie film education, and business partnerships will get the most from it; listeners wanting a fast celebrity interview may skip it.

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