We created Empirella.com to connect with people that inspire us, share big ideas and amazing stories, pay forward the lessons and opportunities we’ve received and build a community where women can be reminded of how amazing they are. We’ve both worked in media for many years and are supported by a team of talented individuals, all totally committed to creating content that is useful, thought-provoking and that will help you achieve success and balance in your everyday life, as well as in your efforts to reach your biggest dreams and goals. We’re sure you’re pretty fierce too… and we’re very glad you’re here.
Jamey & Amanda
My parents named me after the Bionic Woman and the year I was born, the song “Born to be Alive” was a huge disco hit and my dad would dance me around to it every night to get me to sleep. Their subtle psychological conditioning might just be the reason why I’ve always been a super curious little keener… and why I like loud music late at night.
As a kid and a teenager I loved school, piano and theatre, studied English Lit and History in university, worked as a financial copywriter for a few years, then found my way to my big love – working in media. I took a shot on an open casting call for a CBC show called Fashion File Host Hunt. Yes, I was on a reality show. Yes, I was eventually eliminated. And yes, it was still the best chance I ever took, because it launched a career in television and the web that has been fascinating, challenging and amazing.
I met Amanda when I started working as a freelance host and video producer for the Slice Network and we immediately clicked. She’s the one who really turned me on to digital media. Text, photos, video and social communication on one 24/7 platform? Perfect. Now I’m the interactive producer for CBC’s Steven and Chris and their regular on-air tech correspondent. I’ve also produced CBC’s Best Recipes Ever website and worked on many other great CBC digital initiatives. Before joining the CBC, I was a a story producer at CTV’s eTalk and MTV and worked as a freelance producer creating online videos for cool companies like Holt Renfrew.
I’ve been lucky enough to interview many successful people and celebrities and right now I get to work with the most dedicated and talented group of people I’ve ever met. I’m hoping to broaden that circle to include all of you here on Empirella.com.
- Jamey
When I was eight, my parents opened Yorkie’s Yogurt, a popular suburban frozen yogurt shop. My little brother Jason and I were put to work as the taste testers. It’s the first time I learned that work could be fun.
As far as I can remember, I’ve worked my whole life. My parents were entrepreneurs and small business owners who took pleasure in everything they did and taught us the value of putting in your all.
My amazing tastebuds aside, my passion was for visual art. My papier maché Lord of the Flies island, in lieu of a book report, is still somewhere in my parents’ basement.
I studied multi-media production and my first big gig was as a web producer for the Royal Ontario Museum. I worked as a designer and digital video producer for Alliance Atlantis (now Shaw Media) for four years on brands like Slice, HGTV, Food Network and E! Canada and now, speaking of hard workers, my current boss is George Stroumboulopoulos.
I’ve been producing and designing websites for nearly a decade. My recent projects include Battle of the Blades (Season 1), Steven and Chris (Season 2), The Hour, George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, CBC Radio’s SongQuest 2010 website and, of course, Empirella.com.
When I met Jamey at Slice, we were handed a video camera, a big opportunity to produce online video for a major network, and a teeny-tiny budget. What did we do? We ate cheap noodles, wore great heels and taught ourselves how to produce. Our first ever web series, Working it!, still makes me marvel at what you can pull off if you just try it out… and put in a lot of overtime.
When I was honored as one of Toronto’s top creative women in the Luminato Festival’s Mille Femmes exhibition in 2008, I chose “Orange” as the word that inspires me. Why? It’s positive, it’s bright, it’s full of energy and I’m all about the visual.
I hope Empirella.com is a feast for your brain and that you visit every day and often!
- Amanda
Photographs of Jamey and Amanda by Riccardo Cellere.
About We created Empirella.com to connect with people that inspire us, share big ideas and amazing stories, pay forward the lessons and opportunities we’ve received and build a community where women can be reminded of how amazing they are. We’ve both worked in media for many years and are supported by a team of...
