Tressa Azarel Smallwood, founder and CEO of MegaMind Media, is an award-winning television and film producer; earning nominations in 2024 for the NAACP Image Awards’ for Outstanding Television Movie and the NAMIC Awards’ in 2023 for Best Original Picture.

Smallwood’s production company, MegaMind Media, specializes in creating compelling original content for female audiences. A true trailblazer, this former schoolteacher turned her debut bestselling novel into a multi-million-dollar publishing company, Life Changing Books, that amassed a worldwide following with over 162+ titles to date.

In 2016, with the aid of her brother-in-law, Donte Lee, who assisted with financing, and the support of her entire family, Smallwood produced her first book-to-film project. Under the MegaMind Media banner, Smallwood has produced over 27 projects including the two-time NAACP Image Awards nominated feature for Outstanding Television Movie and Outstanding Directing In A Television Movie, First Lady Of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Story, Secrets, “Wicked City” (renewed for a third season), Holiday Heartbreak, Trophy Wife, The Sound of Christmas, Sinners Wanted, The Available Wife, Dear Best Friend, and the NAMIC Awards’ nominated film, A Rich Christmas.  In 2019, Smallwood’s film All In received the “Audience Award” for Best Narrative from the American Black Film Festival (ABFF).

An advocate for mental and spiritual health, Smallwood partnered with BET Networks and BETHer to produce a short film series designed to bring awareness to women’s health issues. This powerful and important series entitled The Waiting Room and The Couch were indeed a true labor of love. In 2023, Smallwood reunited with BET Networks to turn one of the short films into a full-length feature, Black Girl Erupted, directed by Vanessa Bell Calloway (This Is Us).

In seven short years, under Smallwood’s leadership, MegaMind Media is rapidly building a brand reputation for creating meaningful and award winning content, providing unprecedented opportunities to up-and-coming filmmakers, and greenlighting projects Smallwood believes matter. Her films may be seen on platforms such as Amazon Prime, AMC AllBlack, BET, BET+, BETHer, TUBI, TVOne, and more.

Smallwood is a member of the Producers Guild of America and the Television Academy.