Meet Maggie Bush of E-Tre Productions in East Point

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maggie Bush.

Maggie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
As a kid, I used writing as an outlet for any of my bottled up emotions. Growing up in a single parent home in such an impoverished state had me grow up quickly and helped me to make grown up decisions at an early age. I had dozens of journals that distinctively describe whatever season, mood, or feeling I was overcoming. But, I did not turn my writing into a career until later in life. See, as a young adult, I wanted to sing on Broadway and pursue acting, but was told that I had to choose a safer career. Back in those days, social media was not what it is today, and the idea of getting paid to do what I loved was a fanciful concept. My mother was a single parent and didn’t come from much, so I can’t blame her for wanting me to go the traditional route of school and get a steady job that provided insurance and a 401k. I did fulfill my desires in high school as I joined the drama team, which was run by the amazing Vergil Smith. In high school was where I met my high school sweetheart, who was also a very good thespian and creative. After high school, I began college at the University of Illinois at Chicago to become a pediatrician and be safe with my career. That all came to a halt my second year, as I became pregnant with my first son. Again, with advice from my family, I quit school and got a job to support my child. My dreams as an actress and doctor were so far from my mind that my goals were eclipsed by the need to survive.

I married my high school sweetheart, Eugene Bush, when our son was two years old. Our families were in the “low-income” category, so we had to save for a year and a half for a wedding. My husband began working as a project manager and I worked at a hospital. We tried the traditional family dream with a home and jobs that seemed safe, but as the years went by, my husband became more and more miserable. About ten years ago, we purchased our first camera and my husband decided to create content for others. I wrote and he produced our first short film, Jaded, which we sold to ShortsTv. During this time, we had another child and I found my first love of writing through the daily routines of my children. I wrote my first children’s book that I released at our church home. This sparked a new path for me as a writer and creative. Life happened again and my best friend died from cancer and that was the moment my world flashed before my eyes. That year I decided to finish my degree in journalism and that began my career as a writer.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
For years I worked in the medical field, juggled kids, and getting my degree while my husband hustled in video and a corporate job. That was until God spoke and told him to do full time production, which was scary as hell!!! His clientele grew in Chicago and we were on a good road financially, until God spoke again years later and told us to leave it all behind and come to Atlanta. I left a good job with benefits, most of his Chicago Clientele, and our support system to come to Atlanta with a two month contract from a client who hired him on a trial basis. Let this be a disclaimer to those contemplating a move… Do not do it unless God or whomever you pray to confirms your next move. God was the only comfort I had as we were walking in the uncertain as producers and creatives.

The first year in Atlanta was scary as we were the “newcomers” in town. We are signed to the amazing Gill Talent Agency, who helped introduce us to some creatives, but we knew that we had to make noise, in this city of the arts and media. We immediately began creating our projects, but one thing that I learned very quickly was that a lot of people claim to know and do things, but are not who they say they are. We have met some very dope but also very disingenuous people in the industry. The hardest part was to find the right team and a group of people with common goals and drive. I also learned that industry friends are not always your real friends, and I learned that the hard way!!! Two broken hearts later, I put my big girl panties on and use my discernment of people to place them in their proper space in my life and our business.

Tell us about your company. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
Our company is called E-Tre Productions and we are Producers and Content Creators. We are known for storytelling and capturing our client’s essence in dope and creative ways. I am most proud of our decision to finish what we start every time we are hired for a project or create our own. I believe what sets us apart from other producers is our ability to take a concept and write the story, produce it, edit it, and help our clients place them on the platforms best suited for their audiences. As the content creator and head writer for the company, I pride myself on creating stories, pitch packets, copy for email, and delight myself in helping my team become better writers. We see the gifts in other creatives and when it comes to producing our content, we make sure to highlight those gifts and help the growth of those who rock with E-Tre.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I quote the gospel artist Jonathan McReynolds “I’m not lucky, I’m loved” when it comes to my life and business. Honestly, I attribute our success to our faith walk and decisions to keep being consistent, despite the trials. Many times I have wanted to give up and get the “safe job” my family pushed me to do so much, but God and my husband are the ones who encouraged me to keep the faith. I am an advocate in whatever a person believes he or she is, that will they become.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.etreproductions.com
• Phone: 929-398-5298
• Email: maggie@etreproductions.com
• Instagram: @maggie_bush
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maggie.bush.5

Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.