Jim Miller/ViewMonica Villasenor of Summerlin has created a new reality show called "The Making of a Millionaire." The show will follow her as she goes through the process of renovating condominiums for profit.
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Life is what you make of it, and Monica Villasenor has her sights on making it big. The Summerlin resident is in the process of putting together a reality show called "The Making of a Millionaire."
The show would follow an everyday person who takes their dream of making money to fruition and shows the audience how they made it happen.
"The Making of a Millionaire" is on track to air in August or September, and is lining up stations this month. More details on a exact air date will be provided at www.themakingofamillionaire.tv.
Executive Emmy-nominated producer Scott Rosenfelt is best known for films like "Home Alone," "Mystic Pizza" and "Teen Wolf." The idea for the show came together after Villasenor was fired from her job as a dental hygienist.
"I was five months pregnant, nobody was going to hire someone who's five months pregnant," she said.
So, she got her real estate license and began selling commercial property. She didn't just buy and sell locally, she poured over national listings and ended up buying an apartment building in Ohio, which she converted into condos.
With that success, she set her sights on doing the same in Redding, Calif., but immediately hit a roadblock. The city sent her a letter telling her the project did not qualify to be turned into condos. She knew she had to get the cooperation of the city council, and the idea for the reality show came to her. The snail's pace of paperwork gave her time to set up a production company. Finally, the day came when she was to appear before the planning commission.
"So, I went in there with a cameraman," she said. "If they said no, it would be broadcast out to the world."
Although the planning commission grilled other applicants, she said, it approved her project without discussion.
Through an introduction, Villasenor was put in touch with Rosenfelt. They never met in person, but rather conducted all their business by phone.
The first season of "The Making of a Millionaire" follows the triumphs and frustrations of Villasenor's real estate project. The latter includes the seller who almost reneged on the deal, red tape at city hall and securing funds. At one point she needed $400,000, and had only $75,000. How did she find the rest? You'll have to watch the show.
"We show all the nitty gritty stuff you never get to see on other reality shows," she said. "It's about the struggle."
Jay May, whose company, featurethis.com, has ties to Hollywood, helped her get the idea to three major producers.
"Two of the three were interested, but Scott jumped into it," he said. "The lesson in her show is not really about condominiums, it's an 'I can' show -- 'I can take control of my life.' "
If it appears Villasenor has a lot of moxie, she happily admits to being the type who won't take "No" for an answer. Similarly, she likes to have her finger on every aspect of the project.
The videographer working on the project, Wade Wriggs of WE Multimedia, is used to shooting commercials and documentaries, working off storyboards and scripts.
"She calls all the shots," he said. "I'd like to take credit for it, but I can't."
Don't think this will be Villasenor's last project. Her husband, Mike, is looking to take the idea to the next level -- a reality show called "The Making of a Multimillionaire."
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