The Driving Force of Salt & Lime Media, Dana Michell

The Driving Force of Salt & Lime Media, Dana Michell

Over the course of more than two decades, Dana Michell has constructed a flourishing, illustrious career by capturing the beauty of everyday life and sharing that magic with consumers around the world. Armed with more than 15 years of experience in television production, Michell’s natural aptitude for identifying noteworthy narratives that highlight the compelling stories of average but extraordinary people has led lead her to develop Salt & Lime Media, a worldwide enterprise that specializes in casting, content creation, and talent management. As the agency’s CEO, Account Director and Executive Producer, she works with international clients  including Facebook, Instagram and production companies producing popular shows on Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, E and Netflix to make their trendsetting products both appealing and accessible to the 21st century consumer. Her innovative approach to turning life’s defining moments into marketing & memorable gold remains timeless and has shaped Salt & Lime Media into one of the most unique and globally successful companies operating in this space today.

 

We love featuring exciting innovators. Can you share what Salt & Lime does with our readers?

Salt & Lime is a real people casting and content curation agency.

We are all ex-TV Producers, Reality Directors, Journalists and Researchers who swapped the typical travel-for-work life for work-from-home to source, pitch & present to the rest of the world all sorts of amazing stories featuring everyday folks doing unique, inspiring and interesting things.

We celebrate authentic characters. We nurture the special ones that could never be scripted and we don’t care if they come with no prior on camera experience. We know how to treat people right. We train them, interview them, direct them and for the most part nowadays, help ensure they can make their own selfie style content for use in some of the biggest media productions in the world.

We put these stories front and center of big brands and show business types making content for networks like Facebook, Instagram, Fox, Netflix, Youtube, Disney etc. We pitch them, book them and most importantly, compensate them for their involvement in anything and everything from an Oprah Special to a Superbowl commercial.

What we dig the most is that we have built a company that values treating real people cast with respect from first contact, through filming and way beyond the broadcast. We consider our cast our new friends and want them to think “Heck Yeah! Salt & Lime is a good time!”

Why did you start Salt & Lime? Do you have teams in Los Angeles working on content?

I started Salt & Lime with an old Marketing girlfriend of mine back in 2017. I was working on a Netflix Reality Competition Show in Los Angeles and she had just moved to Napa to work for wine brands. We were both moonlighting between freelance gigs casting for social media campaigns. I could see that the time had come where TV, marketing and tech media worlds had collided when it came to casting. We were all wanting the same thing: impactful stories told by the real people behind them. Audiences were now embracing brands and platforms where genuine users could speak for themselves. Representing your own community and sharing your own experiences became relatable. No actor or model can beat authenticity anymore. Viewers can see straight through it or even worse, these days, scroll right past it.

What is your background?

Over the last 20 years I have worked in business marketing, media, TV production and even corporate tech PR. I have lived & worked in Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, Thailand, UK, Europe, Canada, the US and Latin America. Living the freelancer life has given me so many rich experiences, but it also allowed me to build an incredible network of friends and colleagues around the world.. I feel these experiences and contacts transcend borders both geographically and professionally, and have naturally led me to this latest evolution of running my own global casting and content curation agency.

What kind of campaigns does Salt & Lime create?

Since COVID, most of our campaigns have been centered around how we can all survive lockdown or show support for our fellow communities in need. Most of the media campaigns we have had the good fortune to work on globally, have been about showing solidarity for minorities or supporting small businesses and for the most part ensuring that we protect our most vulnerable.

In such an uncertain world for all of us, it’s actually been really encouraging to see a lot of brands and creative agencies caring so deeply about finding the right real cast and using their authentic content to shape these messages. It’s been more about substance than style in these times.

Who are your clients?

We work with all sorts of brands and networks but also like to take on indy unpaid projects. Most well known would definitely be for big networks like Facebook, Netflix, Fox, etc. For these bigger brands, we work with their incredible creative teams right around the world on sometimes up to 20 active campaigns a week! The work they do is always so beautiful. I honestly get excited every single time we get the call to start the next one. The creative teams care so much about their work and message; and everything they put out is top notch.

We have also worked for most of the big networks in town via their production companies who put out programs on their platform like “Dancing with the Stars”, “The Voice”, “Big Brother” – the list goes on! Most recently I was the Supervising Producer on a show called “Ultimate Tag” on Fox, produced by Znak & Co and hosted by NFL’s the Watts Brothers. That was an absolute hoot working from the world famous WB Burbank lot. And then COVID came along..

We are also enjoying doing little development deals with independent producers on the side – up and coming talents that we think are doing incredible things. I’m loving one of our Latin American ideas we are finessing – it features one very famous and fabulous drag queen. That’s all I can say for now!

Which campaign are you most proud of?

I am proud of all the campaigns we do so the latest one is always the most memorable when you see it go to air. We recently worked on a campaign around Asian American Heritage Month. We spoke to so many incredible API cast and it was so tough for the Director to pick a top ten. Creating content for Pride is also going to be impressive. Our diverse producers find so much gold out there at the end of the casting rainbow!

How do you put together your team when you create campaigns?

When it comes to marketing and media productions, I think diversity is KEY if you want to attract the biggest audience! And to find the best stories, then representation on my story team is KEY! I think the special sauce that makes Salt & Lime so damn tasty is that I always make sure that every campaign has the most relatable, relevant and really good crew I can find working on it. If the team feels invested in what they are making beyond just a paycheck, the results will always surpass expectations.

What about SoCal inspires you be it landmarks, food, music etc.?

I have been coming and going from SoCal for 20 years and you know what brings me back every time? Diversity! Nowhere celebrates diversity like SoCal. Everywhere you look there’s something unique to see or do. Whether it’s in the landscape, the music, the food, the art, the fashion, design, SoCal has something for everyone. I also think that only in California can you go from zero to hero in the space of a few short years. You can be unique and be embraced for it. You can be a trailblazer and feel confident about rocking it. You can be from somewhere else and totally fit in on your own. I have seen this happen time and time again for friends and colleagues – everyone’s got the side hustle going on here. Fingers in many pies to see what sticks and I love it.

Anything else you want our readers to know about your plans for Salt & Lime? What’s next?

I’d like readers to know that Salt & Lime prides itself on being a good time. Whether you work for us or partner with us on productions, we value being reliable and relatable. Next up for me personally is the Olympics. I’ve done a few as a freelancer but now with cabin fever after 18 months of COVID, I’m going to base myself in Bali for a bit and do some good old fashioned athlete storytelling, albeit on a much better time zone for my clients. But I’ll be back in SoCal for the winter – if you can call it that. How GOOD is a SoCal winter!?

Find Salt & Lime Media online:

https://saltandlimemedia.com/

https://www.facebook.com/saltandlimemedia/

https://www.instagram.com/saltandlimemedia/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCveDrQFcDux-drt09kE84w

About Salt & Lime Media:

Salt & Lime Media is a global partner agency of Facebook’s providing their marketing and social creative teams worldwide with real people stories & their self made content. Salt & Lime media specializes in casting real people, producing real people and creating and managing content on a worldwide scale that is viewed by millions of consumers daily.

Dana Michell founded Salt & Lime in Los Angeles, California in 2017 and expanded to Miami in 2020. She now has teams globally working across 8 countries and various time zones (UK, Europe, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand and the US.) She makes hiring a diverse team to help showcase a variety of stories the agency’s top priority.

Dana’s background as a TV reporter in Australia, then reality show producer in AU, Asia, UK & US is what gave her the initial love of sharing universal stories featuring real people.

Interview with Founder & CEO of Kurvana, Mehran Moghaddam 

Interview with Founder & CEO of Kurvana, Mehran Moghaddam 

 

Founder & CEO of Kurvana, Mehran Moghaddam, has more than twenty years of combined experience in biotech, life sciences, and nutraceuticals, focusing on his longstanding passion for health and wellness. Mehran holds a B.S. in Biochemistry and Exercise Science, as well as an MBA, from the University of California, Davis.

Mehran founded Kurvana in 2014 to address the urgent need for professional operators to bring higher quality and safety standards to the research, development, and manufacturing of cannabis and hemp product. Under Mehran’s leadership, Kurvana has established its reputation as a pioneer in the vape space.

Furthermore, Mehran is an advocate in the broader cannabis community. He is an active member on the Advisory Board for the University of California, Irvine’s Center for the Study of Cannabis, which is one of the first multi-disciplinary centers for Cannabis studies. He also maintains active memberships with the National Cannabis Industry Association, the California Cannabis Industry Association, the American Chemical Society, and the American Society for Testing and Materials.

  1. We love featuring brands here in SoCal. Can you share what makes Kurvana special with our readers? 

Kurvana is the nation’s leading premium vape pen and cannabis lifestyle brand. Our focus is to deliver a high-end, quality product to cannabis consumers. We are the leader in high-potency, pure cannabis, and at Kurvana, we define quality as everyone’s responsibility in order to deliver the most natural and safe products that exceed regulatory standards and consumer expectations.

2.     Why did you get involved in the cannabis industry? 

I have been involved in the industry for over 15 years. I founded Kurvana in 2014.

When I got started in the industry, I realized that it had an urgent need for professional biotech operators to bring higher quality safety standards to the research, development, and manufacturing of medical cannabis, so I decided to make my own brand.

I made it my mission to bring transparency, accountability, and professionalism to the cannabis industry.

3.     What is your background? 

I come from a background in science and business. I have a B.S. in Biochemistry and Exercise Science as well as an MBA. My passions have always been health, wellness, and science, and I love combining them in the work I do with Kurvana.

4.     What kind of products does Kurvana offer?

We remain authentic to being known as a premium vape brand. We currently offer four distinct THC and cannabinoid vape lines, a tincture line, and an assortment of custom vape batteries and hardware.

ASCND is our high-cannabinoid, full-spectrum, single-origin extract line and is available in 16 different strains. These strains are available in half-gram cartridges, full-gram cartridges, and our brand-new All-in-One ready to use devices.

We just launched our terpene and cannaflavin rich Originals line, which includes 7 classic OG strains. These are available in half-gram cartridges, full-gram cartridges, and  All-in-One ready to use devices.

Kurvana also has revamped our CBD vape collection, which includes 3 strains with natural botanical ingredients paired with various cannabinoids such as CBD and CBG for the ultimate wellness and therapeutic benefits. These are currently available in our All-in-One ready to use devices; our 510 cartridges will be launched this summer.

Carbon21 is Kurvana’s pinnacle vape line and has carefully curated raw concentrates in our latest vape hardware. We currently offer these small batch creations in 3 strains, available in half-gram cartridges, full-gram cartridges and our All-in-One ready to use devices.

Our Botanicals Tinctures Collection features 4 unique tinctures, utilizing 100% full-spectrum cannabis oils pairing key nootropics, adaptogens, and cannabinoids. Each tincture has specific wellness benefits and may be applied topically or ingested.

To go with our premium vape cartridges, Kurvana also carries custom button and buttonless batteries in a variety of beautiful metallic and soft-touch finishes.

5.     What are the benefits of CBD?

Through the vast endocannabinoid system, CBD has many different benefits to suit a variety of consumer needs. It can be used to help with sleep, reduces pain and inflammation, alleviates anxiety, elevates mood and energy levels, and may even help with appetite stimulation. It has also been found to support the body’s immunity and natural defenses. The way I see it, there’s really something for everyone to be found in CBD.

6.     Why did you choose to start your brand in Los Angeles? 

I started the brand in Orange County where a lot of great original brands started. The area has a lot of cannabis startups and emerging brands so it is an inspirational area to be in as an entrepreneur. Overall, California was the natural choice since it has the best quality of cannabis in the world.

7.     Are your products available in other states?

Our THC products may be purchased through licensed retail stores in California, but we do sell our hemp (non-THC products) online to markets that allow it. Those can be purchased at KurvanaCBD.com, as well as select retailers throughout the country. Those locations can also be found on our website.

8.     What about SoCal inspires you be it landmarks, food, music etc.?

I think SoCal has an energy about it that’s unlike any other place that I’ve ever been. Especially in the cannabis industry, it’s really become a space of open-mindedness and innovation, and arguably some of the worlds best cannabis. I’m definitely inspired by the creativity I have experienced here as well as the comradery I have found with other leaders in the industry here. It’s an amazing community, and I feel very fortunate to be a part of it.

9.     Anything else you want our readers to know about your plans for Kurvana in SoCal? What’s next?

Kurvana is always at the forefront of innovation, and we are constantly striving to find the next best thing for cannabis, hemp, and other natural products. We are currently working on expanding our vape line using the latest in technology, genetics, and the introduction of novel ingredients spanning from mushrooms and adaptogens to many other medicinal plant ingredients.

Find Kurvana and Mehran Moghaddam online: 

https://kurvana.com/

https://www.instagram.com/kurvana_official/

https://www.instagram.com/mehraninc/

 

About Kurvana:

Kurvana is the nation’s leading premium vape pen and cannabis lifestyle brand. Kurvana continually transforms the industry with innovative, high quality products.

Founded in 2014 by Mehran Moghaddam, who has over twenty years of combined experience in biotech, life sciences, and nutraceuticals, focusing on health and wellness.  Under Mehran’s leadership, Kurvana has established its reputation as a pioneer in the vape space. Mehran is the rare executive in the cannabis space who has a background in business as well as biochemistry, making him an expert on the science behind the cannabis plant and a thought leader in the industry.