She Worked on Girls Gone Wild & Lived to Write About It | Courtney Kocak on Creative Ambition, Survival & Finding Your Voice

Courtney Kocak moved to Hollywood with a dream, a lot of ambition, and absolutely no idea what was coming next. What followed was acting, survival jobs, freelancing at Bustle, TV animation, podcasting, a New York Times byline, and eventually — a memoir that nobody else could have written.In this episode, Courtney shares the unfiltered story behind building a creative career on your own terms — the pivots, the failures, the moments that nearly broke her, and the ones that made her.We talk about letting go of your original dream without losing yourself, how podcasting completely changed her career trajectory, and what it really means to own your work — creatively, legally and financially. We also get into her memoir Girl Gone Wild, out now via Trio House Press, and what it taught her about telling the truth even when it's uncomfortable.Raw, funny and genuinely eye-opening — this one stays with you.⚡ What we cover: → Transitioning from acting to writing, freelancing and TV animation → Breaking into high profile publications and learning from great editors → How podcasting opened doors and built her industry network → Letting go of rigid career dreams and embracing the squiggly path → Financial independence, ownership and protecting your creative work → Writing her memoir Girl Gone Wild — therapy, truth and self-acceptance → Saying no, trusting your gut and going all in on ambitious ideas → Building a platform through authentic relationships not social media tricks🎙 She's Lost Control — the podcast for ambitious creatives who are done playing small. 💌 Join #TheChaosClub → www.instagram.com/sheslostcontrolpodcast/