Story & Lesson Highlights with Dakota Loesch of DTLA

Dakota Loesch shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Dakota, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
The last few years, I’ve been secretly working on a feature length film script that’s going to be my directorial debut. The film is called ONE LAST ONE and we’re launching a Seed&Spark fundraiser page for the film from September 17th to October 17th. You can check out www.seedandspark.com/fund/onelastone to contribute to the project, join the campaign, and even be a part of the movie!

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Dakota Loesch. I’m a lifelong movie lover, an award-winning actor and screenwriter, an immersive theater performer, and a longtime touring punk musician. I’m originally from Chicago & I’ve been living and working in LA for the last decade.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
I learned the most about work growing up from my mother and grandfather and the family business, I grew up a rug-rat in the carpet industry. And I continue to learn everyday from family, friends, and collaborators. Every project is a new opportunity to learn if you know how to play it right. And I’m a bit of an autodidact so, y’know, big on learning in general and going about it DIY.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering, failure, rejection — it all teaches you to just keep going. It’s that “Little Engine That Could” idea of just keep moving and eventually you’ll get there. I got a tattoo on my right arm that’s a quote from one of my favorite screenwriters William Goldman, “Nobody Knows Anything.” You never know if something is going to work out or not, so don’t let anyone deter you from trying. Not to get all ‘Finding Nemo’ on you but, “Just keep swimming.”

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
I think if you chase your own weird personal interests, whatever is speaking to you or calling to you, you’re in great shape. As soon as you start chasing popular fads or market trends or buzzworthy whatever, you’ve already lost. I’m not interested in what a faceless mass audience is interested in. All I know is what’s getting me going or knock my socks off, so I follow that. I’m not in “competition” with anyone but myself. And following your own weird way leads to it becoming a new weird way, and you’ll see people follow suit after you.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I would stop waiting for permission to make the work I truly want to make. I’m getting closer to that all the time with each and every project. Maybe I’ll always be chasing that goal: total independence. My first feature film ONE LAST ONE that I’ll be directing in early 2026 is already feeling like that. So it’s a great goal to chase, if you ask me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.seedandspark.com/fund/onelastone
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dakotaloesch
• Other: https://www.DakotaLoesch.com

Image Credits
Emily Berkey, Erin Naifeh, Norbert Sheih, Ava Benjamin Shorr, Kyle Bower, Dustin Cole Hayes.