The First Rung is a Hollywood Ladder podcast that delves into the life and experience of two young women working their way into careers in the entertainment industry. Listen in to hear helpful advice and hilarious stories from these two Midwestern sweethearts!

Brittany is your classic case of small town girl with big city dreams. Born and raised in Southern Illinois, Brittany knew at a very young age that the suburban “normal” life was not for her. Mostly thanks to her mother, she grew up loving the theater, music, dance, art, and anything creative. Once out of high school, she went to Southern Illinois University where she majored in Mass Communications with an emphasis in TV/Radio. After the four “educational” years at SIU were over, she strapped a U-Haul on to her tiny little GM Sunfire and left everyone and everything she had ever loved for the California sun! She worked as an executive assistant to the Co-EP of a reality show for almost two years till she left to pursue a career in features and scripted television. She is currently working freelance in the film world. Her passions involve meeting new people and hearing all about their lives, traveling, working too much, spending time with all her crazy LA friends, missing people from back in the good ol’ Midwest and enjoying the California weather that her tax dollars pay so much for.

Jessica was born and raised on the south side of Chicago (GO GO WHITE SOX!) Later joining the alum at Columbia College Chicago she made the move from one big city to another…Los Angeles. Here she lives working as a freelancer in art departments for the entertainment industry. She has been living in Los Angeles for a short two and a half years but the stories and experiences she has from those two years are priceless!