From Tech Startup to Film Production: Surprising Similarities in the Journey of Creation
Anne Weiler’s transition from tech startup CEO to independent film producer revealed an unexpected truth: bootstrapping a tech company and producing an independent feature film share remarkable similarities. Despite their surface differences, both ventures require the same fundamental skills, mindset, and approach. This realization came after Weiler co-founded the digital health startup Wellpepper and later produced “This Bloody Country,” an independent Western film. The parallel journeys demonstrate how entrepreneurial skills can transfer across seemingly unrelated industries, proving that determination, adaptability, and vision are universal requirements for bringing creative projects to life.
Both startups and films begin with a spark of inspiration and a small team bold enough to pursue it. For Wellpepper, the driving idea was improving patient care outside clinical settings. For “This Bloody Country,” it was telling a Western from a fresh perspective: a religious family of mostly women and children defending themselves in 1860s Utah Territory. In each case, Weiler formed founding teams with complementary skills and just enough confidence to believe they could overcome their knowledge gaps. With Wellpepper, she partnered with CTO Mike Van Snellenberg, leveraging their outsider perspective in healthcare to challenge industry assumptions. For the film, she joined forces with writer/director Craig Packard, bringing a shared creative vision and stubborn optimism to the project. Neither venture had institutional backing, but both began with passionate ideation, testing concepts until finding something that resonated with potential audiences or users.
The bootstrapping phase of both projects revealed striking parallels in how founders must wear multiple hats while building momentum. In both realms, Weiler found herself serving as marketer, accountant, and sometimes the person hauling equipment or answering support calls. The ability to do more with less, make strategic trade-offs, and maintain forward progress on limited resources proved essential. The fundraising process also followed similar patterns – crafting pitch decks, establishing investment vehicles with cap tables, and convincing others to believe in a future that didn’t yet exist. Whether selling investors on a healthcare solution or a yet-to-be-made film, success depended on effectively communicating “why this, why now, and why us.” In both cases, preparation had to meet opportunity, as when Wellpepper connected with research partners from Boston University and Harvard, or when the film team discovered their lawyer’s family connections to the perfect filming location in Utah.
The development process for both ventures demonstrated the importance of iteration, testing, and refining based on user feedback. Just as startups must often release a minimum viable product and improve it through user feedback, the film team put rough cuts in front of trusted viewers to identify confusing elements. In both contexts, Weiler found that maintaining a strong vision while remaining open to constructive criticism was crucial for success. External factors beyond their control – what Weiler calls “headwinds versus tailwinds” – impacted both journeys. Wellpepper benefited from value-based care initiatives, while the film faced additional costs due to COVID-related regulations. Both ventures required adaptability and resilience, with the ability to pivot quickly when circumstances changed. Weiler also noted the added challenge of building both projects in Seattle rather than in industry hubs like Silicon Valley or Los Angeles, which required finding committed local talent and operating outside established systems.
The lessons learned from these parallel journeys offer valuable insights for both founders and filmmakers. First, don’t focus too much on overnight success stories, as most ventures require years of determined work before achieving recognition. Second, consider distribution strategy from the beginning – whether releasing software or a film, getting the product to the end user involves more than just making it available on a platform. Third, build teams for the long run, selecting people you’d want to work with repeatedly, as success rarely comes quickly. Fourth, master the art of storytelling, using both narrative skill and data to convince investors, distributors, and audiences. Finally, be prepared for lucky breaks by staying ready to capitalize on unexpected opportunities.
Creating something from nothing requires profound optimism, while seeing it through demands extraordinary grit. The statistics underscore the challenge: approximately 90% of startups fail, and about 97% of independent films don’t recoup their investments. Wellpepper beat the odds with a successful exit when it was acquired in 2020, giving Weiler the confidence to venture into filmmaking. “This Bloody Country” has been picked up by Quiver Distribution and is now available on most streaming platforms, though its financial journey continues. For Weiler, the most meaningful success in both worlds wasn’t measured by exits or box office figures, but by the impact created – whether empowering patients to manage their health or moving audiences with a compelling story. In both realms, the true victory came from gathering talented, passionate people to transform an abstract idea into something tangible that could be shared with the world.
