36. Sophia Bush: Using her voice for equity & equality

“It’s one thing to be an employee and make your salary…It’s another thing to be invested.”

After years of running in similar circles but never crossing paths, Sophia Bush and I finally take a moment to get to know each other. We have mutual friends in the entertainment industry, and when I started Backstage Capital, I found out that Sophia is also an investor in her own right.

You may know her from One Tree Hill, John Tucker Must Die, and Chicago Fire. But what you may not know is that she wanted to be a cardiovascular surgeon, she’s successfully invested in multiple startups, and she encourages women to demand equity from the spaces they contribute to.

Episode highlights

• 10:08 Sophia talks about growing up with the privilege of exposure
• 16:03 Why did she go to school to be an actress instead of a cardiovascular surgeon?
• 23:38 Sophia recalls the audition process for her role on One Tree Hill
• 29:33 Did she make her first million on One Tree Hill? 
• 31:06 How attending conferences (for fun) and making friends led to investing in startups
• 33:55 We discuss our experiences of being underrepresented people who want skin in the game
• 40:34 Why it’s important to know your value in any industry
• 43:12 What Sophia is working on now, and how she’s finally achieving her dream to be a cardiovascular surgeon
• 45:21 What the film and TV industry might look like after COVID-19