Blaze Your Own Trail - How Risk and Faith Shaped a Film Producer's Path with Sharon Oliphant

Episode Date: June 17, 2026

Sharon Oliphant shares her inspiring journey from a large homeschooling family to becoming a faith-based film producer and actress. Discover how she overcame fears, took risks, and stayed true to her calling in the competitive film industry, all while balancing family and faith. Key  topics Journey from homeschooling to acting and filmmaking The importance of faith and risk-taking in career decisions Balancing family life with a passion for film The process of producing faith-based movies Lessons learned from entrepreneurial parents Sound  bites "Admit what you are created to do." "It's worth it. It's so worth it." "Your kids will blaze a trail too." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Sharon Oliphant 01:06 Sharon's Early Life and Influences 11:07 Lessons from a Trailblazing Mother 14:19 The Journey to Finding Purpose 21:06 Navigating Career Choices and Family Life 25:31 Taking Risks and Embracing Change 28:07 The Commitment to Crafting Stories 30:47 Navigating Challenges in Filmmaking 34:19 Divine Connections and New Opportunities 36:33 Taking on New Responsibilities in Film Production 38:48 The Journey of Faith and Film 41:43 Empowering the Next Generation 46:52 Reflections on a Trailblazing Journey Connect with Sharon: Email: [e-mail] https://www.instagram.com/sharonoliphant_/ 21 Five Films: https://www.instagram.com/21fivefilms/               Are you an entrepreneur?Join my FREE Group Coaching Community where we have live calls, Q&A and more! Our Trailblazer Ecosystem also enables you to network with other entrepreneurs and creator hub eliminates multiple subscriptions and logins creating a one stop shop to take action! Join here: https://byotgroupcoaching.com/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello, everyone, and welcome back to the Blaze Your Own Trail podcast. My name is Jordan Mendoza. I'm your host, and I've got a very special guest today. Her name is Sharon Oliphant. Hopefully I didn't slaughter that. And I'm going to have her tell you a little bit about who she is and what she does today. Yeah, Jordan, thank you so much for having me on Blazor Trail. This is exciting.

Yeah, I make movies. I'm an actress. I make movies, and I reside just outside in Nashville, Tennessee. Awesome, awesome. And I know that's going to perk people's ears up to want to learn more about like what type of movies you do and all of that. But they're going to have to wait, Sharon. You know why? Because this is my show, right?

And my favorite part is really taking a rewind. I love to get deep context into my guest story, their journey, really find out what they're made of. What has the trail been like? So if you wouldn't mind, if we can kind of dive back, where were you born and raised? And then what type of kid were you? And we're talking elementary, middle, to high school years. What did you get into academic, sports, maybe theater, I don't know. Love to find out.

You're such a kind listener. Yeah, I, gosh, I was born in St. Louis, Missouri. And when I was a small, a little girl, my parents decided to move us to the country. And so North Georgia is where we ended up on some acreage. I have eight brothers and sisters. on the sixth. So, you know, as you could probably determine a homeschool family of 11, we had our quirks and we definitely, you know, had some of those stereotypical homeschool family things, the farming and the, yeah, the large family stuff. But a beautiful thing is, yeah,

it grounded me in so many ways to who I am. My mom is a businesswoman. She opened a store when I was an infant. And so we were always in and out of my mother's health food store and just kind of, yeah, it formed me who I was just watching my mom help people. And grew up in church, was singing when I was about four years old, solos at our church. And so, yeah, I had a very outgoing childhood, very outgoing personality, a lot of opportunities there. Definitely no sheltering in that way. Then my little siblings were born. and I just, yeah, I had this like mothering nature, but also a tomboy at five brothers. So I could be rough around the edges, a lot of barefoot climbing trees. And ironically, we had no TV growing up.

So I, any time I was able to experience a film, it was very sacred to me. And I fell in love with film at a very early age with black and whites, you know, Tarzan with Johnny Weissmuller. You know, those are made in the 30s. King Kong. very unusual types of films for a little girl to consume, but because I have five brothers, that's what we got. When we watched movies, it was like action films, westerns, and that resonated a lot,

that it was a big deal to watch movies, and it really started to speak to me. And then when I was 12 years old, the Lord of the Rings came out. That may age me. That's fine. Classic, just totally changed everything that I thought I knew about the world

in and of itself. Like, how does someone have this vision of this story and take that from their head into screens worldwide? Totally fascinated me, drew me in as a viewer like I had never experienced. And ironically, my youth pastor took us, took the youth group to see the Fellowship of the Ring on the big screen. And it really was a very edifying, like, spiritual thing that happened. that theater. Because it was almost like I knew that I was called then, but I couldn't put that into any kind of scope of reality because I'm literally from the middle of nowhere. And then, of course,

and I, my parents, conservative, you know, Christian people, they're like, that world isn't a healthy space. And I just kind of thought, well, the films are so impactful to me spiritually. And it was just a kind of a confusing time. And I, you know, When about life, I thought, oh, I'm going to do something to help people because I love, you know, I love people and love ministry into people. So I did a lot of missions work, traveled my first overseas missions trip when I was 14 and kind of just got braver and braver. The older I got is like I saw a worldview more than just my small town at a young age. And it impacted me massively. So, yeah, 14 distributing shoes.

orphans kind of watching another side of the world as like if we can reach people and we can help people as like the ultimate thing. So came home and I thought, okay, I'm, you know, I helped a lot at camp. Summer camp, there's a camp that I spent a lot of years serving there. And so I thought, okay, I'm going to do something to help people. I love movies. Everybody loves movies. You know, I'll just be a consumer and I'll study science. So I started that trail. I graduated a year early and And I thought, okay, I'm going to go and be a midwife and deliver babies. Totally wild. So I was studying and my second year in junior college because I'm like, I'm not going to go into debt for this.

I'm just going to go, you know, pay it off as I go. And as I was studying science, all I could think about was the auditions for the theater that were happening. And I'm like, man, it would be so cool to be an actor and get involved in the world. of performing as an actress. And I thought, oh, gosh, I can't tell anybody because everybody's going to make fun of me for that. So I just was really wrestling in my heart about what I was going to do the rest of my life.

It's a big commitment. You know, there's so much pressure on young people to have it figured out at a young age. So I was 17, 18, and I just, yeah, I was struggling with my identity, like so many. And I knew that I was called to something big and I couldn't quite describe it to anyone. Well, I was 19 and I was dating, my now husband,

and he asked me that question. He said, if you could do anything, we were long distance for a long time. So it was a lot of phone conversations, and he did, they asked me, if you could do anything with your life, what would it be? And I'm like, I had never told anybody. I would make movies.

And his reaction was like, of all things, He'd known me for years. We met when I was eight years old. And nobody knew that side of me, like that heart's desire. But he did. He found it out and he cultivated that. And we married young. And then I moved away from my small town into a big city and had like major culture shock and just realized, you know, yeah, all the things that you go through as a young person that equip you like my tough skin and my, you know, it was like, okay, now I'm in the real world.

I'm a young person trying to figure it out still. but I feel like I can still help people, still going to study science, and that's going to be what I do. While we were sitting at a coffee shop, my husband was playing chess with the homeless, like the homeless community. It was a hilarious time of life. And I'm like in the middle of downtown Lake Worth, Florida,

just like, what are we doing? The theater, the Lake Worth Playhouse in Lake Worth, Florida, just was lit up on that street. And I would walk down there. We lived right downtown. I'd walk down there and be like, man, what a thing to perform on the stage, what that must be. And this couple, this elderly bike couple, biker gang couple, it was the craziest. Like, just go do it.

Go audition. And I'm like, I remember what I was wearing. I literally, that moment was like a pivotal point. in this whole journey. And I'm like, I guess you do. I guess you can really just walk in, get the sides, figure it out, and give it your all. And I'm like, I had no training. I could sing, but I had never done any kind of theater training.

Let's pause on that note because that's, I mean, there's a lot to unpack. There's so much. So much to unpack. I've got some questions. First of all, my wife and I have six kids. So we have four boys and two girls ranging from almost two to 21. So we've got them from diapers to the workhorse. I kind of have a glimpse of what your parents went through.

But minus the farm like we're in the suburbs. But it's still chaotic and crazy and loud and all the things that a big household has. You can't really understand it unless you've been in it and understand like why it makes us. We are? My mom had five boys and we were just the craziest boys. Oh, yeah. And then now that we have six, I'm like, okay, I see what my mom had to suffer through when she was on this planet, you know? I totally see, Jordan, like having five brothers and growing up the way I did, it totally has shaped how I work now.

Like, it's, I can go work with literally 20 guys making movies and it's like, okay, I speak your language and there's, you know, all the etiquette things and all the, but, but yeah, I mean, it, it feels, it feels like home. Yeah, I can kind of relate to that, like when you work with a certain or you're around a certain type of people, I was in property management 15 years and I worked with primarily women. And naturally in the coaching space, my clients are more women. It's just like, I understand them. I know them. I, oh, there are frustrations, you know, it is. It's a big thing to understand the other side of it. Like, we can get fussy and think. But if you really just understand how like the communication that's needed. And I still unpack it. I'm still understanding

it. Yeah. But it's an important aspect. Like I, I've always related with my brothers in a major way. I adore my sisters like in case they're watching. They're everything. I just, I have a hard time always getting on the same page. I don't know. It's a funny thing. So let's talk a little bit about, you mentioned that your mom was a businesswoman. She had a store. This was her own business. So She was an entrepreneur, so you got to see what entrepreneurship look like. So I would love for you just to share with the audience. What was that like as a kid, you know, seeing your mom in action, seeing her grow a business from ideation to creation to growing in and scaling it.

Like I love just some context there because a lot of entrepreneurs listen, a lot of business people listen, and maybe there are some things that you learned from your mom that you might be able to share with the audience. Totally. Everything. Like the whole ground, the footwork, if you will, of my work ethic totally stems from watching my mom navigate that. And like I said, I was a baby when she had the courage. She actually ended up.

She knew she was called to something in health and nutrition because so many people around her were struggling with their health. And at that time, it wasn't a thing. It wasn't a popular thing to do nutrition. Like health food stores were not a thing. Also, homeschooling wasn't popular at all when my mom kind of blazed that trail. So she had her children, or nine children, being homeschooled in this health food store. So she wasn't the most popular conversation for a few years. And you could kind of feel that as people would come in with their concerns.

So when I was very small, I could sell product to people. You know, like someone comes in with a fungus, a toe fungus. And I'm like, oh, yeah, we have a product for that. Like, I already was pitching and selling things at a very young age and, like, listening to people's problems. And I watched my mom just so incredibly powerful place to be where she listened to the needs of people. And her heart was to solve them, you know, with nutrition. And it makes sense why I would go into that, in that direction of health. And anyway, and I'll, like, full disclosure, I did finish my degree in alternative medicine,

and I know why now. It is such a important thing to be healthy and mentally, physically, all of those things. But yeah, and my mom's also a spiritual, like, warrior. She's so, her faith is very profound. So, yeah, so working in that space at a young age, it really did show me we got to, you got to take risks. You can't, you got to spend to earn. You've got to sometimes take a risk on yourself. She took out a mortgage on our house to open that store and it changed all of our lives. And it took a good five years to actually see the fruit of that, you know, financially. So it was a major risk. She still owns the store to this day. Well, we need to get up on the podcast then and talk about her trailblazing story. You know, it's cool because you got, you got it honestly. You got it through

osmosis, you got to see the example and actually play in it. And that's, that's one thing that I, when I'm coaching Klein, it's like, you have to play if you're not playing and having fun and loving what you do and showing that passion, then it's not going to be as fruitful. No, it, that is, that's so profound because I think so many people think, okay, this is the path that I'm going to stick on and they'll, and I'm going to do this, this, this and I'm going to invest in this, and this and I'm going to have a, you know, all the things. And then they get 20, 30, 40 years into that trail. And it, and nobody's happy.

They're not happy. No one around them is happy. It's like when you really have the audacity to, to find your place and your purpose, it's, it's such a thing because everyone around you is edified. Yeah, I agree. You know, and I didn't find, you know, find out what I really wanted to do when I grew up until I was 40. You know, I was in, in, quote.

Corporate, about 13 years into that same company. And, you know, started the podcast. And everyone that I was interviewing was like, why don't you have a business? Like, you're helping me with stuff. Like, you should have your own. Why don't you go blaze a trail? And so I took people all the time. I was like, I felt like a hypocrite because, like, I have this show called blaze your own trail.

I'm interviewing these people. And here I am staying in corporate. It was like knucklehead. Like, go out and do it, you know. Oh, I get it. And now, you know, five and a half years later, I've got business. businesses in the States. I've got one in Belgium. You know, the podcast has grown. I've written a couple books. I'm speaking on stages. It's cool. It's cool. It happens when you step out,

right? And we go, like you said, be audacious enough to go do it, you know? That's huge. No, I watched it unfold from the moment I, my first memories were watching my mother do that. And it, and it did instill that courage to take the plunge and take the risk. And that, yeah, even things that you're not familiar with. Like, I knew telling my family that I wanted to be to do something in the arts and, you know, media and film that they were going to have a perspective that that I was going to have to explain it. And it, and it takes years to get anywhere. They don't know what the heck I do. They have, oh, yeah. Yeah. That's it. It's such a fun thing. And for so long, it's like, the big question is, well, where can I see your stuff? You know, where's your content? It's like, it takes years.

to establish. And I didn't know what any of that meant when I first started. I just auditioned for a play and got in and just fell in love with what I knew I needed to understand. And a good 10 years of theater and film and I knew I wasn't going to compromise. I wasn't going to compromise my convictions and I knew I wasn't going to sacrifice having a family. And so I never felt like it was one of the other. And I know so many who do. I think, you know, you can't get it. get established as a young person or in a craft if you decide to start a family. And it's just like, it's just not true. I'm so thankful because now the, like, all of the paths are able to merge in this really beautiful way. Before we started a family, this is a huge part, a huge piece of my trail. So I was eagerly absorbing anything I could find that was one. where I wanted to get to in the industry.

And I knew Lord of the Rings was always like the standard. And so I found out they were making the Hobbit movies in New Zealand. And I had just done theater. I had just made my first short film as an actress. And I'm like, oh, yeah, I'm in. You know, you think like, oh, yeah, I know everything I need to know. So I literally got a work visa. I bought a one-way ticket to New Zealand and got on a plane and just figured it out.

I had no idea. I knew one person that I had met on a missions trip in another country from New Zealand. And she was so wonderful, ended up getting me established over there. But anyway, I got more work in New Zealand as an actress. And I was there for three months because America is so competitive. It's super, super hard to get into the industry anywhere, really. But I did the math. And I'm like, okay, if I take this risk, if I buy that ticket,

If I get on that plane, it could change my life. I knew I wasn't going to make it in Hollywood. I don't, I, you can see on my face. Like, I'm a country girl, you know, I wasn't going to fit in because I wasn't going to participate, you know, unless it made sense for the kind of content that I wanted to be part of. I just knew those things. So I did the thing, got on the plane, and got established with an amazing woman, Sarah

Valentine, I still keep up with her. And she helped me get in to the industry over there for the 11th. for the like the American stuff they need American accents. And there was only, there's three, you know, at the time it was like three something million people in the entire country. So I knew my odds were good. So you kind of, you do your mental math. What is it that you want to do?

And you say, okay, where can I, where does it make sense for me to insert myself? Okay, L.A., every, I mean, they've got hundreds of thousands of people entering Hollywood at the time, you know, monthly. So I'm like, okay. My odds aren't good there to have success. Where, okay, Atlanta, great. You know, it was not as established as it is now in the industry. That was close to home.

So, yeah, I did the thing. I blessed my husband's soul. I got on the plane and went and figured it out. And then another pivotal moment in my journey was I was offered a role on an HBO show that was filming in New Zealand at the time. And it was something I knew I knew I was going to face that moment in my career where I had to choose the standard, like the world would choose of success would be to get in an HBO show as a lead character or a supporting character. The role was scandalous. And I really struggled. And I haven't shared that a lot on a space like this because it, you know, you take the role.

In this industry, you take the rules you can get as a young woman to succeed, you know? And I'm like, on one hand, wrestling with wanting to get to that place in this industry. And then on another hand, knowing that it's forever, film is forever. What we do is going to shape us. And like, it's no judgment. I just knew for me, I wanted to establish myself in a different way as a performer. So I was, it was a devastating time to just say, I'm going to. make this choice and it could make or break my career forever.

But it's so many times I look back on that and I'm so grateful that I went home and said, you know what? I'm going to have a family. And if I'm supposed to do this thing, it'll always be there. You know, I've talked to young women all the time and their teens and 20s that are so conflicted. And I'm like, if this is for you, you're not going to age out of it. And that mindset has just kept me in it for years.

I mean, this will be, gosh, 17 years in figuring out, still figuring it out. But in so many ways, the fruit is you got to just decide, okay, what lights you up? What gets you excited? What are you created to do? And I knew that. And I just, it took me a long time to admit it. I remember my acting coach, my first, like, professional level acting coach, she said, you've got to start admitting it.

If you can't admit it to yourself, that's a problem. If you can't admit it to other people, that's a problem. So admit that this is what you are doing. Admit to the people in your life. This is what you're doing and make it happen. Structure yourself as a business. Great advice. It was so streamlined.

And she was so L.A., so Hollywood. Like, she didn't know what that meant to me in my personal life at the time. I'm sure there's no way. But it's applicable across the board. You know, you've got to say, admit, okay, not everybody's going to get it. Not everybody's going to get Jordan, you know, but you know I have to do this. And so along this journey, you know, and then Genevieve, our oldest, when I was expecting her, I thought, okay, I'm not going to work for several years.

You know, I'm going to be a new mom and I'm going to, you know, we bought our, my, that year of my life was so insane. We bought our first house. We were having a baby, switching. lanes in so many ways. But I still, I said it, I'm out loud, if I'm supposed to do this thing, I will still do it. It'll still be there for me. I booked three roles while I was expecting Genevieve and like some good stuff. And I'm like, all right, this never, you know, and then another film, which I'm so grateful for Gabriel Alfonso gave me the role of the villain. I was three months

postpartum with Genevieve, like, how am I going to do this? It ended up being one of my most raw performances because I was just like, couldn't even let myself get worried about my performance or how I looked or any of that. It's just like, you're just going to get in and you're going to do the thing. So you kind of, you start to jive in your space. And when we really start to let go of the expectations that we put on ourselves or even that others, you know, we perceive of what other people need to see us in. It's like, this is who I am right here right now in the space that I'm choosing to walk in. And the more I really did that for myself and am doing that for myself mentally, I'm actually better at my crap. Yeah, when you're operating in your gifts and you're being your

authentic self, that's when we shine, you know? And the world tries to bring us down. It tries to push, you know, our greatness so that we can't shine. Yeah. The light. I mean, that's just how it all works, you know? So when you're in your head and you're overthinking it and you're, it's like, no, I, this is a calling that we're equipped to do and I'm going to constantly learn, constantly grow.

I love meeting new people and collaborating with new individuals. And, and I, yeah, it's been a crazy, just like laying it all down constantly. And gosh, everybody was feeling that in. 2020 when we were faced with like, what are we doing with our lives? We're all stuck inside, really taking a good look. So many of my collaborative partners made some hard choices during 2020. And so here I was a wife, a mom, I've got three children. I still believe in this creative journey. You know, it's been years at this point. Tons of, tons of pivoting, so much learning. But I'm like, all right, if I'm really doing this, I'm still that girl that got on the plane to New Zealand.

still believe that you have to take a risk. So I, at the time, was a part of a project that was asking us to shift or to demographically, we needed to be in Texas for it. And at this time, we'd been established in Florida for years. My husband had been in his job for like 15 years. So I'm like, there's no way we can, we can do this thing. I'm, I can't do it. But then I thought, maybe we really can. I mean, everybody just went through this shutdown that was miserable. And then Actually, for us, it wasn't miserable because we had babies and we're getting paid to play in the sunshine. So I just knew that it wasn't over and that there was more risks that we had to take. So all I had to say, we sold our house and moved to Texas and for this dream.

And this was five years ago now, literally almost to the day. Jordan, when I say it has been the most incredible journey of, seeing the fruit of obeying when we're told, and you don't know. I had no idea what we could expect. And then the pressure was on me because Elijah had quit his job and here we all with three kids, moving to the middle of nowhere for film. And then the project completely fell through. The job, the opportunity, gone.

And I'm like, I knew we were called to do it. I knew it was Texas. I knew we were called. I felt this intense. intense, spiritual and emotional, like so much of this responsibility now. But I thought,

you know what? I think that's what it takes. So then I reached out to some other producers and some collaborators in Texas and said, I know I'm called here. I know I want to act.

I think God is telling me to make movies. And I'm like, I had no idea what that. I had never made anything happen in the film work. just show up and put all my costume and hair and makeup and you, you know, do your thing. So it was like a next level of I was admitting something that I knew was in me and I didn't even

know. I didn't even, I just said, okay, people are doing it. People are making movies all over the world all day, every day. I'm going to figure it out. So I met with my now producing partner collaborators that I work with in Texas. And I, the first day we met, I just said, these are my goals. I want to, I want to figure this out. I want to make movies. And they said, so do we. So we got together. We made our first movie. And it was intense. Making movies is like warfare. It is a battleground, especially if you're making them with some kind of an edifying or ours is a spiritual warfare film. And it was next level. It was a really intense time. But something ignited in this calling, like I could not describe. I had.

I never experienced as an actor, you know, creatively, I had never felt like that. And so you bond with people and it's hard because then it's, then it ends, right? And you got to edit the thing and get the thing out into the world and it's such a journey. But I've learned and I figured out the language that I knew I needed to speak for the rest of my life. And it was like this marriage of like a commitment. Okay, I know this is going to be horrible and hard at times and it isn't always fun to make. movies. But then you get that opportunity and it kind of spiraled. You make a reputation because you're like, okay, I'm going to do the thing. I'm going to do it well. I'm going to show up for everyone there

and for myself and make it happen. And so I, my producing partners, they pitched me to a show. I'm going to plug called Vindication. We made this TV show and I met so many wonderful people. And again, show up, do the work, give it your all, pour your heart into what you commit to do, you know. And if you do that, scripture says you will reap a harvest, right? And so I'm like, okay, it's building blocks. So did that and then met Brett Varvel, who is an incredible collaborator, director, producer, actor, and we made a film called Disciples in the Moonlight. It sounds easy, very, very challenging.

we had 17 overnight days or overnight shoots plus, you know, it was a total, I think, 25 days to film that. Very intense time with my producing partner, Ryan Johnson. Yeah, it was so, so difficult to make that movie. Very, very little capital for that. And this, the church rallied, the community rallied. I mean, amazing, amazing people helped make that movie happen. And it turned out so incredible. I mean, the heart and soul that was poured in, it showed on screen.

Brett also edited it. And it's out now. It's on angel and redeem and all these places. And it's touching. It's literally like ministering to people. So to feel that feeling to give the skills over to, you know, and I always have to keep it spiritual because I know what God did for me to get into this industry and do it with. tact and and be a shrewd business person.

And it all stems back to my childhood, thinking through how to navigate because it's a business. You know, it's a business transaction. Every film is a business. Every film, it could be your last, you know? So because of that, just continually spiraling into like understanding and learning. And then I got a film called Drive of the Heart that we went over to Poland to make in a prison cell, 120-year-old prison cell.

Incredible film, Triumph of the Heart. It is, we just got our French distribution. It's shown in Poland, of course, and then domestically in the United States, we had a big splash. And then because of that, again, connections on who you know and who's recommending you.

And then God, it was this crazy time of like, everything's happening. All my dreams are coming true. I'm making movies. And then in 2024, the Lord said, okay, now I'm ready for you to go back home. And I'm like back to the middle of nowhere. Just all my dreams are coming true. Like all the things you think you need for your big.

And it didn't make any sense. I literally, I wrestled for weeks. And I'm like, I knew God was saying, obey me, obey me. go, go home. And so my family are all, have a huge family, as you would assume, lots of nieces and nephews and siblings and in-laws and all that, over here. And I thought, if I go there, I'm never going to make another movie because I'm going to be so busy,

you know, with all that. And yeah, we just obeyed. We obeyed. We sold our house, our Texas house in a couple of days. We were over there flipping houses while I was figuring out how to make movies. It was an intense time. So flipping houses, making movies, raising homeschooling kids, trying to have, you know, show up for functions and be in a gown and, you know, do all that.

And yeah, it was a really hard thing to surrender back after only doing it a few years and getting that, like, taste of grandeur. Like, oh, this is, this is it. And but we did. We obeyed, came back, got a house in Georgia to flip. And I thought, okay, that's it. I'm going to, I'm going to be thankful that I got it. I got to experience that, but I'm going to let it go. I'm going to let it all go.

And I went to Chattanooga, Tennessee, to a little restaurant by myself one day to kind of mourn this loss of what I thought I was letting go forever. And I'm sitting there at the table by myself and my waiter comes up and is chatty, you know, nice guy. And I'm like, you know, I'm just going to witness to this guy and just be like, hey, you know, because he's chatting with me. I'm like, yeah, I make movies. I make faith-based movies. And yeah. And I'm just sitting there, of course, in my mind, like, I think I do. I have. I don't know if I still do or not. He said, wouldn't you know, my waiter, there's someone here that you should mean. He's in the closed off portion of the restaurant in the back prepping for a movie. And I'm like, what? In the middle of Chattanooga, Tennessee, I mean, there's an artistic, you know, voice there, but it isn't profound enough for me to run into somebody at a restaurant. You know what I mean?

So I just was like, what? And he's like, let me introduce you to this guy. He's really a top-notch guy. So I'm like, okay. I mean, I'm not that person, but I knew that's how this industry works. So anyway, close my computer. I follow the waiter into this back space. And across the room is this bright-eyed, smiling guy, Dave Stone, my word.

What a guy. We talked about movies and Jesus and our lives for two hours. It felt like 10 minutes. And he's like, yeah, we're making this. He's a faith-based movie in Chicago. And like, that sounds so amazing. But I never plugged myself, pitched myself, any of it. I'm just like, if I'm supposed to be there, I'm going to be there. I know it. So Dave gave me his email and his phone number and I just said, hey, I'm going to be praying for you all. Well, I felt the Holy Spirit be like, okay, you have to actually do the work. Like, I'll, it's for you, but you have to do the work. So I reached out to Dave and just said, hey, I would love to be part of that movie.

And he's like, Sharon, I just watched your movie, Disciples in the Moonlight. We have all these mutual connections. You have to be here for this. Literally, that does not happen in this industry. You know, everybody's got their, you know, their, you know, their slum. played and their production team and like everything's always set in stone and you can't really enter that world, you know, unless he was just so open and he's like, it's got to be you, you've got to be there. I need help. I need a producer.

Changed my life that movie. I mean, we've got the genre, original music. Like, it's definitely a large, like one of the largest scale projects I've been part of. And we just got a huge deal for a fall 2026 release. So that one's coming and then I'm like, man. And then I thought to myself, you know what? That may be it for me. That may be the last one. Well, then in January of 25, my, my dear friend, she wrote a screenplay, her first screenplay. And she's like, Sharon, I really want you to read for it as an actress. And I thought, oh, I'll get to act again. And it's going to be so easy. Well, then I read it. And I'm like, I think I need to make this. So intense. And I'm like, I have all these wonderful people just waiting for a job.

That's the thing I love about producing films. Isn't just for us. Like, as much as it fills my cup, it isn't just for me. It's for so many wonderful artists that are looking for work and also for the people, for our culture and our audience. It's for, it's such a huge picture of one person's heart's desire. So I thought, okay, this is the first time I've ever taken someone else's work and the responsibility of that onto myself. And of course, I had made an LLC of a company at this point. I've got my 21-5 films and it's like, it's just a little baby company that I, you know, I just use it for legal protections at this point. And then all of a sudden, I've got this responsibility of someone else's dreams and heart and soul. And so I just very tenderly approached that conversation. And she's

like, you know what? I think it is you. I'll tell you, Jordan, that was the most fast and furious. It didn't feel like it at the time, because, you know, the days are long and the years are short. I was like struggling. Like, okay, where do I go to pitch this thing? I'm like pitching it to everyone. Well, I, and I'm like sending emails. Well, I'm like, you know what? I'm just going to sit on LinkedIn and send messages to anybody in the scope of world that I'm in looking for content. And I got affiliated with John Stewart at Faith Channel. And I said, I'm a film producer. These are some titles. And he's like, we've really wanted to make our first original film. What do you have? And so I pitched this movie. And they're like, yeah, we would love a faith-based

Christmas movie. And so we took it to NRB and sat at many tables for many hours. Its development is not fun, but it's necessary evil. You got to do it. You got to convince the people that, you know, you're worth it. The project's worth it. Blah, blah, blah. But then the fun stuff. You know, you get to that artistic side and it's totally worth it. And you get to see people light up when you offer them a job. So that process was definitely the most, challenging personally with that like ownership level and then because of that now I just literally got an email right before we got on this call that the film is winning awards like we just won one Saturday in Orlando congratulations that's awesome thank you there's so much there's so much so

so I just see that like the courage to say I don't know what is going to happen literally every single time. Every film, I don't know what's going to happen, but I trust that this is my calling. These are the people. This is the place. And I got to go for it. And I'm living it right now, Jordan. The projects that are in development make no sense that they chose me. Literally, like, I'll plug right now because we're out with it all in the news. So the vice president of the United States, his book just released, and ironically, we have the rights to their family's story, right? And so a lot of crazy things happened behind the scenes. And there's another version, Hillbillet Elegie, which was done by Ron Howard, nominated for all these Oscars. Well, we have the rights to the other side of the story, which is the faith story, and how their family broke chains of like oppressive mindset and, and, and, They're like just a lot of heartache. So Cheryl Bowman wrote a book called Broken and Restored

and licensed that and the life rights to us to make a film about Donald Bowman, J.D. Vance's father. And so we're literally making a film with the second family of the United States. It's wild. It's insane. So thinking about all these pieces and in the how it has built and built and built and then all of a sudden I'm like, I know I'm going to be sipping tea at the White House. I just know it.

I keep making a joke about that. But it is literally the laying down and the picking up of the spiritual. It's like that armor every day, every time. And just saying no to the things that you know are not going to get you to the place that God has for you. And then those nos have led to the most incredible. Like, I daily am humbled. by the films and the impact that they're having on people and how we have to tell these stories

that I feel our culture needs so desperately. It's an honor. It's a beautiful thing, and it's such a challenge, you know, to stay in it and be enthusiastic, and there's so many awards and events and all these wonderful things. And it's like, it's a beautiful piece of it, but it's not about that, you know? But yeah, but you get to do that, right? be which is uh it comes as a byproduct which is awesome so what i love about your entire journey is

it's it's one journey of saying yes you know and then saying yes again and being willing to bet on yourself and take the risk even when it wasn't popular when it wasn't when people thought you were crazy when people were like what are you doing especially especially when you're winning and then you decide to go to go backward in a lot of people's eyes so sure it takes a lot of to be able to do that, but you've done it on a firm foundation, which is relying on your popular. I don't think. I know that that's why I'm going to continue to have more success in the future. So I haven't seen any of the films as we were talking before. Like I don't research my guess, so I'm definitely going to check them out now.

Oh, yeah. Especially with our kids, you know, our daughters are, you know, both of our daughters sing, you know, they sing on stage in church and they love doing that. And one of my kids, my daughter's wants to be an actress. Like she's like trying to figure that out. She was at the event. I don't know if you remember. Did you see her?

Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because she's like, man, after going to that, she's like, when's the next one? I want to go meet more people.

And so I think I'm, I think I'll be there. Isn't that next week? I think it's in about a week or so. Yeah. Oh, good. No. That's a great place to start. I mean, they level of work that's, that's coming out of the content people,

the conferences. I mean, the Texas one, I really recommend content. There's another little plug. And Trey was Citigate for my podcast sponsor. So it's all the projects doing and starting to grow as well. Yeah. Wonderful. No, London.

London's in a very good time in this industry for believers. There's never been a better time. And it is because of so many brave, I mean, Dallas Jenkins and The Chosen. I mean, I remember when the Chosen was a little non-union, like, we're, we're, trying to get, you know, actors to read that are like, and now it has really changed the scope of faith-based. I mean, then, of course, the Kendrick brothers and the Irwin brothers, and there's so many brave, incredible collaborator. I just had the Cook brothers on the show a couple weeks ago.

I just went to their premiere and, frankly. Yeah, yeah, I saw that you were there. Yeah, that's just like that. I mean, powerful, powerful movies. And a really cool thing, I think, is that. it isn't about celebrityism anymore. It really isn't. I mean, it helps people like a following

because they know it'll market their stuff, but I think... Yeah, what's the intention behind it, right? Help people to add values instead of take it away, you know, and to get more people to Jesus. I mean, at the end of the day, that's... It's all about...

That's what it is. Yes. Like, I would rather hire an actor or actress who pours their heart into their craft and their performance than somebody's, and there's going to probably be all kinds of opinions on this, but I don't even look at their following for me to want to give an opportunity to somebody like that. Because to me, it elevates your project.

It elevates the message. So, yeah, no, I applaud her for pursuing and, you know, and who knows what that'll lead into. But yeah, there's stuff. There's really exciting movies being developed. I hope she's like. I think we have probably a few little actors in our house. There you go.

Seeing what they. I'll be making your own movie one day. Never know. Yeah, I'm going to be out at the content conference in September speaking on a couple different topics. So that's going to be, I've never been to Copernum Studios. I heard it's amazing. Oh, Jordan. So that's where I really, when I got to Texas, I knew no one.

Zero people. And went to content. I submit some acting things. because like I mentioned, I had never made a movie. Gosh, and this year we've got two projects in the pool for nomination. Oh, that's great. Christmas of the cabin, we just wrapped up and delivered. And then my passion project that is an apocalyptic pro-life movie.

And so I submit the short version of that just to, you know, get it out there and just pray about where it needs to go. But no, I'm so glad you're going. Yeah, yeah, I'm excited for it. you know, I'm going to be speaking about, you know, probably podcasting for sure. I'm going to share my story journey, talk about, you know, my method I created through my book. So there's going to be a lot of fun. Give away to copy the book and, you know, connect with people, you know. Yeah.

It's going to be a lot of. Are you going to stay through the whole thing, do you think? That's going to be the goal. So just kind of researching, you know, Airbnb is that type of thing. And then seeing bring family, you know, that type of, a whole event. I think that would be a lot of fun. Totally. It's worth it. It really is. It's changed so many lives. Honestly, I'm not even trying to be cheesy about that, but it's such a like-minded space. Yeah. And Tim and Michelle Shields, their hearts are so for the Lord. Tim's such a great guy. I've been having some good conversations with him.

This makes me so happy. Jordan, I think our worlds are going to merge more than we even realize yet. Probably. We'll see what fun is out there for sure. Well, I'm so grateful to have you on the show. your story is definitely one of a trailblazing journey. And I do have a final question for you. Sure. What would you say to that young girl that met the bikers back in Florida that they just said, go for it? What would you say to her today, knowing what you know now and everything that's happened? That's so, I would give them a hug.

He passed away. And I think about them. Yeah, I would give her a hug. It's worth it. It's so worth it. And I see that it isn't just for me, but it's for my kids. They see what I saw. And now they're going to blaze a trail too.

That's it. Yeah, you got it honestly. And then they're going to get it honestly. And it's just going to continue to multiply. Yeah. No, the fruit is so evident, Jordan. And even times where I really genuinely said, God, I would like to do something else now. This is too hard because our girls are 12, 10, and 6.

And they say things to me now, like the wisdom that they are gleaning behind the scenes watching their mom and dad navigate all of this and love them and show up, you know, and be there, I hope, in so many ways, like, that they need to see parents that love each other and love, love them and love what they're doing. They actually now are the ones that taught me off the ledge. My 12-year-old literally the other day, she's like, you were made to do this and you're. You have to do it. You can't give up. Literally. It's like, well, no, it's thank you. I, I, no, yeah, just giving her grace, that little girl.

Yep, that's great. Well, I want you to be able to share whether it's a project that you're super excited about that's getting to roll. I know you've mentioned a few. So if you want to plug one of those, feel free. And then let the audience know the best place to connect with you. I know people are going to hear your story and journey. They're going to want to reach out. You never know there might be a producer,

I just think someone that wants to actors, listen to the shows, people that want to collaborate. So where's the best place to reach you after you give that context? Yeah, you can email Sharon at 21, the number 21 and the word five films. Sharon at 215films.com. Yeah, I love, I'll help any way I can facilitate. I know people all over the country at this point that can, you know, at least provide some level of conversation or opportunity.

And then also my plugs are Beyond Belief releasing, I think it's, I hope I'm allowed to say, September 11th. This fall we're getting, it looks like several hundred theaters, probably, hopefully five to six hundred theaters. It's a huge, huge 80s movie. I mean, it's so much fun. And then Look for Broken and Restored, a project that we're hopefully going to deliver before the elections next year. So that's a huge, that's a big IP. I'm really honored to collaborate on that. Awesome.

We're going to make sure we plug whatever we're allowed to plug in the show. Definitely all your socials, your contact info, and then all the things that are already out or that people can find. We'll make sure we plug that. And folks, make sure you run to the show notes, grab that. Make sure you connect with Sharon. She's super easy to talk to for one, which is important. But also, you know, you've gone through it.

You've been through the ups, the downs, the lefts, and the rights. And that's who people need to hear from, right? It's not people that it's a bunch of theory. No, you've actually put in the reps. You've taken a lot of nose. You've had to go pitch your tail off. You've been in it and inundated from the producer and the acting side. And so, yeah, I'm excited about, you know, your journey and where it takes you and any parting words for the audience.

Yeah. Blaze it. Don't give up. If it's your calling, seriously, there's no time limit. You can stop and pick it back up. Have the family. grow the garden, be a human. It makes it better. It really does. And people want to connect in a natural way, especially in this world now. So just be human and be genuine, and it'll draw the right people.

They really will. Love it. Great advice. Hey, folks, that was Sharon Oliphant. Thank you so much, Sharon, for coming on the show. Keep blazing the trail out there, and I'll see you soon. Thanks, Jordan.