Hollywood Reimagined: Kate Monroe

You’ve built a powerful presence in your field—what inspired your transition into entertainment?

I had built a very powerful presence in politics and in the business world. I’ve been in Forbes, I’ve been on the news 800 times, but it was always in one lane. At some point, you have to iterate yourself. You have to grow and evolve.

Like all the people who dismissed social media—they ended up behind the curve. And now people are dismissing AI, so they’re going to be behind the curve. To me, the next frontier I had yet to conquer was Hollywood—entertainment.

I think I bring a unique set of skills and a unique personality to that landscape,

because a lot of people you see in Hollywood came up in that world. That’s what they know—they’re from that environment. I think I can arrive on that field with all the tools I’ve gathered up until now.

So, it was really about conquering something new. I love to iterate and push myself to the next level.

Was there a defining moment when you realized storytelling or on-screen work was your next chapter?

I have always been a storyteller. I’ve written seven books, including The Bodyman series, The Race to Save America, The Race to Save California, a book about angels—and I write music. So I’m always telling a story. I also worked in sales, and if you’re good at it, it’s really about storytelling. Good stories sell things, and if you’re a strong storyteller, you can be very successful.

Pivoting out of the sales industry and that type of storytelling into this space wasn’t that difficult, because you still have to convince people that the content is good, that you are worthy, and that your story has impact and stays with people.

So it wasn’t a hard decision, but I do think it’s a different type of storytelling—especially when transitioning from documentary-style content that’s rooted in real life and fact, into fiction. The Bodyman is partly inspired by my real life, whereas something like The Hales is entirely fictional, driven by my love of crime dramas.

It’s exciting for me to create an entirely new world in my mind and then bring that to life for others.

What kind of stories are you most passionate about telling right now?

The stories I’m most passionate about telling right now fall into two buckets. As the leader of a company that helps veterans, telling their stories matters a lot to me. That’s why I go out and do these homeless walks and documentary-style storytelling around their struggles, trials, and tribulations. That’s the factual side of storytelling.

On the other side, I’m drawn to stories that I love and know others will love as well. For instance, The Hales. I grew up watching—and still watch—a lot of crime dramas. I just finished Scarpetta, and Nicole Kidman did an absolutely fabulous job. I like a good crime drama because it makes you think.

What I don’t want to do is create something people can half-watch while scrolling on their phones. I want viewers to put their phones down, pay attention, and become deeply immersed in what I’m sharing—rather than something you can idly scroll past. I’m not interested in creating mindless content.

I want to make something that truly engages people’s minds and gets them excited.

You’ve become a role model to many—how do you navigate that responsibility as you enter a new industry?

Becoming a role model is an interesting thing. I never would have thought when I was younger that I would end up being someone others look up to—someone they aspire to be.

Over time, working in sales and finding success in that industry, people naturally started looking to me because I was doing well financially. They would ask,

“How are you doing that? What do I need to do to get there?”

Then, transitioning into business ownership, especially with younger people working at my company, they’re able to learn things every day that can help them grow and scale faster. Not everyone has parents or mentors who can pass down that kind of knowledge, so being able to provide that is meaningful.

Becoming a role model in this industry is exciting for me. I think it’s time for people from outside the industry to come in and bring something fresh and new. There hasn’t been enough of that. What we’re doing with Studio Mint—creating more opportunities for people to participate—should be exciting, especially for new creators. I want to give them a platform.

If someone looks at me and thinks, “I want to be like her someday,” I’m also looking at others and thinking the same thing. So if I’ve become a role model, it’s something I want to lean into and grow into. I take a lot of pride in that.

What advice would you give to women reinventing themselves professionally?

My advice to women who are trying to reinvent themselves professionally—especially if you’ve taken time off to raise kids and are now re-entering the workforce—is that it can feel overwhelming. The path you were once on may have moved forward without you, and some of the roles you held may no longer exist or may not offer the same opportunities.

I would tell people to look at the women in their lives who are earning what they want to earn and living the life they aspire to, and find a mentor. One of the best things you can do is align yourself with someone who is ahead of you and become an asset to them. If you’re valuable to people who are successful, you’ll grow in importance as well. You’ll learn what they know, gain their trust, and they’ll want to help you succeed.

I think too many people get stuck in analysis paralysis. There are so many options that it becomes hard to know where to start or who to listen to. My advice is simple: get a mentor and take action. Cut through the noise and start moving, because every minute you sit idle, you’re not making progress.

I often ask people, “How much time are you spending each day on activities that actually move you forward?” If your goal is to build a platform, how much content are you creating? How consistent are you? Are you putting in the effort? Even if your goal is to be better at home and more present for your family, there’s always room to grow. Everyone can improve. So start today. What you did yesterday doesn’t matter. Whatever setbacks you’ve had, draw a line, step over it, and move forward as the person you want to become.

You’ll be attending the Cannes Film Festival this May—what does that moment mean to you personally?

Attending this film festival is a really big deal to me because, as I’ve said before, one of the reasons I create—whether it’s music or film—is to memorialize a moment. With my first big movie, I wanted to do something meaningful that I could hold onto forever. Too often in life, we do things that are ephemeral—they’re here one moment and gone the next, like the news of the day. A lot of content isn’t evergreen.

I’m always looking to create something lasting. This is a moment I’ll have forever—the photos, the memories, all of it. I’m stepping into this space with everything I’ve built so far, and whatever comes from it, I plan to build on it even further.

There’s no part of me that will walk away thinking, “That was enough.” I’m already thinking about what’s bigger, what’s next, and how I continue to grow from here.

Coming from a background in business and sales, I’m incredibly driven. I don’t slow down, and I don’t get held back. You either move with me or step aside, because I’m always moving forward.

So I’m excited to create this moment—and to see what kind of ripple effect it has on the rest of my life.

What are you most excited about experiencing at Cannes—the films, the fashion, the networking?

I think what I’m most excited about is the experience itself. I’ve never really been someone who idolizes other people. Even growing up, I didn’t see celebrities that way—I see them as people who chose a path and are very good at what they do.

If I meet people and connect with them, that’s great. If we take a photo, that’s wonderful. But for me, it’s more about appreciating the fact that I’ve reached a point in my life where I get to be there. That’s something meaningful to me—something I’ve earned and something I’ll always have.

What I’m really focused on is going there with the Studio Mint project and showing people that there’s a better way to create and monetize content—one that’s faster, more collaborative, and allows audiences to participate. I want to open up opportunities for actors and creators to earn real residual income, because very few people actually do.

Ultimately, I hope to use that platform to get people to believe in what I’m building and to help shift the traditional finance model in entertainment toward something that benefits everyone involved.

What message do you hope your presence on that global stage sends?

I hope my presence on that global stage sends the message that anyone can participate. If you decide to pursue something and are willing to do the work it takes, you can get there. If you believe you can’t, then you’re right.

I’m not your typical star. I’ve built recognition in politics and on the news, but I’m not an actress yet or someone people immediately associate with that world. I’m also a Republican, and I’m not afraid to say that. To me, that reinforces the idea that there is space for everyone.

There’s a time and a place for everyone to step onto a stage like that. I hope I can help show that it’s not reserved for a select few—it’s open to anyone willing to pursue it.

If something is in your heart to do, go after it. Chase it down and make it yours, because you can achieve anything you’re willing to work for.

What does success in entertainment look like for you over the next few years?

Success in entertainment for me isn’t about collecting trophies—though I do enjoy shiny things. It’s really about telling stories that matter, stories that show another side. For example, The Bodyman does a great job of illustrating what really went on at the border in a way that’s digestible and entertaining. I wanted everyone who watched that movie, no matter their perspective, to understand how someone might have gotten there—because our lens shapes how we see the world, and too many of us are still looking through the same lens we had as a kid.

For me, success is delivering stories that people want to watch, that impact hearts and minds, and that inspire people to pursue something they might have thought was impossible. Beyond storytelling, success is about creating a new finance model in entertainment that allows more people to participate and benefit. When actors on set ask if they can work with my company, I want them to see real opportunities to earn from the work they do. I also want fans to be able to participate financially. Without fans or customers, there’s nothing—yet all too often, they only get to watch while studios and creators profit. I love seeing more people share in that value.