Tell us about your organization. How big is your team? Where are you based? What is your organization’s specialty in the film and video space?
Wake Up with Marci is produced by a small, dedicated team. Because we operate with a lean team, every person plays an important role—from production and editing to booking, promotion and distribution.
What we may not have in the size of a traditional television production, we make up for in collaboration, purpose and an enormous commitment to creating conversations that genuinely help people. My specialty is authentic, emotionally driven interviewing and storytelling.
I spent years in television, and today Wake Up with Marci has evolved into a multiplatform video podcast. My strength as a host is creating a space where guests feel safe enough to move beyond rehearsed talking points and have a real conversation.
I am especially passionate about conversations surrounding mental health, addiction and recovery, trauma, resilience and personal transformation. I want viewers to feel as though they are sitting in the room with us—not simply watching an interview.
Why do you do what you do? Was there a transformative moment that solidified your career choice, your org’s success, or your commitment to storytelling?
I do this work because I know what it feels like to struggle in silence and believe that something is fundamentally wrong with you. My own journey through trauma, addiction and recovery ultimately became the foundation for the work I do today.
I created Wake Up with Marci to have the conversations I wish I had heard when I was struggling—honest conversations about addiction, mental health, trauma, healing, self-worth and what it really takes to rebuild your life.
I will celebrate 11 years of sobriety on October 4, 2026, and today I have the privilege of using my platform, my books, my speaking and my work within recovery communities to remind people that their hardest chapter does not have to be their final chapter.
At the heart of everything I do is one message: You are not broken. You are beginning.
Can you share a behind the scenes story or fun fact about the making of your piece?
One of my favorite things about filming Wake Up with Marci is that the most powerful moments are often the ones we could never script.
I prepare extensively for every guest, but once the cameras are rolling, I allow myself to listen and follow the conversation rather than simply move through a list of questions. Sometimes one unexpected answer completely changes the direction of an interview.
Those unscripted moments often become the moments viewers respond to most.
What was your biggest challenge during production and how did you solve it?
One of the biggest challenges in producing an independent show is creating broadcast-quality, emotionally compelling content with a smaller team and fewer resources than a traditional television production.
We solve that by being extremely intentional. Preparation matters. Storytelling matters. Every member of the team understands the purpose of the show, and we focus our resources on what serves the story and the audience.
I’ve also learned that production challenges can sometimes create unexpected opportunities. Rather than chasing perfection, we protect authenticity—and that has become one of the show’s greatest strengths.
What are you most proud of about this piece? What is the most memorable response you got from this work?
I’m proud of this piece because it represents exactly why I created Wake Up with Marci.
Success for me isn’t simply producing a beautiful interview. It’s creating a moment that stays with someone after the episode ends. If one person hears a guest’s story and thinks, “Maybe I can get through this too,” then we have accomplished something meaningful.
As someone approaching 11 years of sobriety, that mission is deeply personal to me. I get to take experiences that once carried shame and use them to create connection, education and hope. I don’t take that privilege lightly.
You won a Telly Award for this piece. Why is recognition important for you, your team or your work?
Telly recognition is incredibly meaningful because it validates both the creative work and the purpose behind it.
Our team puts tremendous care into every episode, and recognition from the Telly Awards tells us that meaningful, purpose-driven storytelling has a place alongside exceptional production.
For our team, it’s bigger than an award. It gives greater visibility to conversations about mental health, addiction, recovery and resilience that deserve to be heard. Every time that reach expands, so does the possibility that the right conversation reaches someone at exactly the right moment.
Tell us what you’re up to! If there’s a new project, launch, or milestone you’d like us to celebrate with you, let us know, and we might share it with our community.
I just released my new book this year, Wake Up, You’re Not Broken: A Companion for Your First 30 Days of Sobriety. Drawing from over 10 years of sobriety and years of helping others, it’s an honest look at what to expect physically, emotionally, and spiritually, in the first 30 days of living alcohol-free. From the first terrifying admission that “something has to change” to the powerful realization that surrender is strength, Wake Up You’re Not Broken walks readers through each stage of early recovery.
I have also developed programming based on the book which is being presented at recovery centers across the world.
