Grow Your Video Business

Rejection hurts. Nobody likes the feeling of it. But we need to take risks in our lives and businesses for progress to happen. Today’s guest shares some great advice for how to get over rejection and even turn it into an asset. Key Takeaways All your communication to clients should center on getting them what they want. Be clear on what the problem is that you can solve for them and how you are going to do that. Everything else is just details. Your business needs systems in place if you are going to have any freedom. The consistency that these systems provide will give you the time and space you need to free up your time. About Den Lennie Den Lennie is a true veteran of video broadcast and production having worked in this industry for two and a half decades. He is a business coach and marketing strategist who partners with video professionals to grow their video business. Making Connections Without Fear Den explains why it’s easier than many think to make the connections needed to grow their business. In a world where most people rely on texts and emails, an old-fashioned phone call gets overlooked. Actually picking up the phone and making that call sets you apart immediately. Den describes what you can start doing right away to build the confidence needed to make these important calls. This means moving past the fear of rejection. If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, you need to take risks. When you think about it though, reaching out to prospective clients doesn’t actually risk much. They may say no. That’s okay. As Den explains, each rejection gets you that much closer to someone ready to say yes. What Your Clients Really Want From You Remember that your clients don’t care about your gadgets and equipment. All those little details that help you make amazing videos are not what is going to land clients. What they care about is certainty. Be consistent with your systems and how you present your business. Interestingly, Den has found that the more consistent and disciplined you are in your business, the more creative you can be. It’s this structure that allows you to find the time you need to enjoy doing what you want to do. How do you deal with rejection? What systems give you more freedom? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In This Episode: Having the guts to make the right connections [4:40] Overcoming the fear of rejection by building confidence [9:10] Why your clients don’t care about what you care about [20:50] How discipline brings freedom [25:00] Building resilience through failure and setbacks [34:00]   Quotes “Get to no as quickly as possible. You want to be calling people, connecting with people, and then saying no, because the more nos you get, the closer you are to a yes.” [8:45] “If you want to be an entrepreneur, you have to solve problems. And the more problems you solve, the more money you will make. The more people who you help, the more money you will make.” [10:25] “If you want to run a video business, you have to step back from editing, and then shooting, and then become a producer. But you can still have creative input because your creativity shifts to creating a business and opportunity for your team and providing a future for families.” [28:03]   Links: Join Grow Your Video Business on Facebook Sign up for the free Client Budget Workshop Core Storyblocks Find Den Lennie online Follow Den on Linkedin  Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins   Additional Links: Check out the full show notes page Do you have something to share on this podcast? Fill out this form here. Be sure to take the Studio Sherpas survey for a chance to win some incredible prizes (if we do say so ourselves!) Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune in to our weekly Facebook Lives Follow Studio Sherpas on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, we'd love it if you would take 1 minute to leave us a review on iTunes!   Other Episodes You May Enjoy Episode 209: What Happened This Year and My Goals for the Next

Although the best advice urges us to pick a niche and stick with it, that’s really hard to do. We’re creative people and entrepreneurs. We want to do all the things. It’s in our very nature. That’s why stepping back and taking a more hands-off approach can be a challenge. Today’s guest understands the struggle and has some great advice for any of you going through it. Key Takeaways Having a well-defined process for bringing in employees is essential. Have your workflow structures in place and refine them as needed. Give new hires a trial-run to see if they like what you’re doing. This will let you step back and hand over responsibility as smoothly as possible. Getting work takes a lot more than making a great video. Your personality and the connections you make are just as, if not more, important. Cultivate being the person that others think of when they need video. Be the person who they can always deliver when called on and regularly work on maintaining those relationships. About Anthony Seratelli Anthony started Jersey Filmmaker while playing baseball, mixing his love for sports and storytelling to build a brand synonymous with innovation and creative excellence. With help from teammates, family, and friends, he co-starred in and produced one-of-a-kind content ranging from comedic sketches to short features to documenting historical moments in sports. Gaining experience in cinematography, editing, VFX composition, and sound design, he used his platform to develop a niche in filmmaking and a creative game plan that has taken him all over the world.  Upon retiring from baseball, Anthony shifted his efforts to the other side of the camera and aligned a roster of all-star directors, cinematographers, producers, editors, and audio specialists to take on projects of every scale and genre. He now brings his vision and creativity to a larger audience and a variety of programming opportunities. Being More Hands-off as Your Business Grows As business owners, it’s only natural to become protective of all the aspects of our company. Anthony and I describe how we learned to let go and why it’s an essential part of growing your business. Many of us start these businesses because we want more freedom. Well, that’s something you can’t get if you have your hands in every aspect of it. This is why it’s crucial to bring in more people as you grow. While this takes cultivating a lot of trust on your part, it’s necessary. Anthony highly recommends refining your workflow and using trial-runs to make onboarding as smooth as possible.  Marketing by Personality Also, the key to growing and maintaining your business is being reliable. Anthony and I discuss what it takes to be the person who others think of when they need a project. This goes way beyond the videos that you make. Rather, it is centered on consistency and just being likable and good to work with. Often, people will remember what it’s like to work with you as much, or maybe even more, than your videos themselves. Being humble, kind, and ready to serve is the best marketing you can do. It’s that which will bring you to the front of their mind when they need a project. What is one thing in your business that you can change or improve this year? How would building a bigger team change what you do inside your business? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In This Episode: The importance of not doing all the things and how to not do them [4:00] The most crucial step when hiring someone [12:35] Overcoming the challenges of remote work [21:30] Why building relationships result in the best ROI [28:30] Tips and tricks for better package pricing [36:05]   Quotes “Getting your hands off of anything as you grow is really difficult ‘cause you ingrain yourself in it; you know every aspect of it. That’s what I love about that - that I know everything and it’s really hard to let it go and not know everything that’s going on. But it’s also really cool when you get the right people in place who you trust and want to work with.” [6:01] “People can create what I’m creating with $100,000 worth of gear with an iPhone. It’s scary if you think of it that way but I’m not scared because at the same time we provide a service with not just the quality of the content but obviously our minds are creative. It’s something different that we bring to the table.” [31:45] “I got into this because of a love of creating. But then I started building a business and I love that just as much. One of the things I didn’t realize would intrigue me so much or make me so happy and excited to be in the business world is building the team and paying people.” [47:59]   Links: Join Grow Your Video Business on Facebook Sign up for the free Client Budget Workshop Core Storyblocks Find Anthony Seratelli online Follow Anthony on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter I Am Athlete Podcast   Additional Links: Check out the full show notes page Do you have something to share on this podcast? Fill out this form here. Be sure to take the Studio Sherpas survey for a chance to win some incredible prizes (if we do say so ourselves!) Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune in to our weekly Facebook Lives Follow Studio Sherpas on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, we'd love it if you would take 1 minute to leave us a review on iTunes!

It’s that time of the year again. Well, it’s the end of the year. That’s why I want to take some time to talk about how it went. There have been wins and there have been losses. Some goals were met and others weren’t. I hope that this will help you get some perspective on how 2020 went for you and set you up for an amazing year ahead. Key Takeaways The business and video landscape changed drastically this year. This meant that I had to shift my goals in real-time. Although there were many shortcomings, there were also many successes both expected and unforeseen. A Rocky Year Indeed As I imagine it was for you, this past year was a challenge. Plans went out the window pretty fast and we had to adapt very quickly. It’s no surprise that we fell short of our revenue goals. There was even a point when I wasn’t sure if my video production business would even survive. A Year of Pivots I’d spent years building my business on meeting and connecting new people. When everything went into lockdown, we had to get creative. That’s when we pivoted to webinars and virtual summits. This became a success that exponentially expanded my email list. Upon reflection, I've come to understand that while the pandemic and shutdowns have certainly been negative, there are still many aspects for which I am grateful.  While I enjoy the work that I do, I know I won’t do it forever. One of my goals for this year was to become superfluous in the sales aspect of my video production company. That’s why, from the start of the year, I worked to put all the pieces together so that my potential replacement could seamlessly come in and find new clients. This involved bringing on another virtual assistant to streamline the process and it has been totally worth it. New Goals for a New Year I’ve set some exciting goals going into the new year. We’re going to do more consulting and build out our own marketing strategy. I want to create a digital course to help people make their own videos according to our process. I also want to create a paid online community for my studio where clients can get the guidance they need concerning all things video. These are passive income ideas that have me really excited. So stay tuned over the coming year to find out how it goes. What are some of your goals for 2021? What pivots did you need to make this year? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In This Episode: Why popularity is overrated [2:50] Getting creative with webinars, virtual summits, and course creation during the shutdown [9:00] How offering video blueprint workshops have led to greater customer satisfaction [19:00] Building a company where you can be replaceable [24:50] Adapting a schedule for greater satisfaction [34:10] New and exciting goals for 2021 [37:40]   Quotes “Who cares if you’re popular? If you’re a business, you can be popular if that leads to more business. But if it doesn’t lead to more business, then who the heck cares? Then it’s all about ego.” [8:25] “My goal and hope is not to be required to run our production business. I want our video production business to be able to run without me.” [25:09] “If you’re not blocking off your schedule, I would challenge you to do that. Look at your schedule. Look at all the things that you need to be doing and heavily consider blocking off your days. You could be more efficient if you’re just thinking about one thing versus moving all over the place and trying to do all the things every single day.”[37:22]   Links: Join Grow Your Video Business on Facebook Get the free Budget Workshop Storyblocks Core The Video Blueprint Method SlingStudio   Additional Links: Check out the full show notes page Do you have something to share on this podcast? Fill out this form here. Be sure to take the Studio Sherpas survey for a chance to win some incredible prizes (if we do say so ourselves!) Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune in to our weekly Facebook Lives Follow Studio Sherpas on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, we'd love it if you would take 1 minute to leave us a review on iTunes!

Turning down opportunities can sometimes be a good thing for you and your business. It’s not easy to say no to jobs and money. Yet, strategically doing so opens up doors to what you actually want to do. Today’s guests have successfully built their studio around this idea. Key Takeaways It’s natural to want to branch out your business into many fields. However, this will dilute your talent and energy. Instead, create a narrow focus on where your skills and passions intersect. About Joshua Martin Studios Joshua Martin Studios is a small production company based in the United States. It is co-run by founder Joshua Martin and business partner Cody Wales who focus on telling stories of the human condition. Lessons of Starting a New Studio From the very start, Joshua and Cody knew what type of studio they wanted to run. However, like any new small business, they had debts to pay. They tell how they learned very quickly to leave their egos behind and take the work they needed to get their business off the ground. While they feel driven as creatives to keep doing more and more, they realize that success in business means narrowing your focus and skills to excel at something in particular. Asking For the Impossible Now that they are working towards a clear vision for their studio, Joshua and Cody are able to take just the jobs they want. As a result, both they and their clients truly appreciate the videos that they make. A large part of their strategy involves asking for what they want and seeing what they can get from brands they want to work with. When the worst that can happen is getting no for an answer, these low-risk high-reward ventures have the potential to lead to great opportunities that otherwise would not happen. How have you narrowed your focus as you grow your business? What impossibilities would you like to ask for? Leave a comment on the episode page! In This Episode: Building a studio around your interests with brand support [5:40] The challenge of ambition and how to overcome it [14:40] The unique advantage of knowing what you do and don’t want to do [19:45] What happens when you leave your ego at the door when growing your business [28:00] Why you should ask other companies for things that seem impossible [30:46]   Quotes “There’s this constant desire to explore and do something new and if you’re taking on too much of that and managing it yourself, there’s a strong possibility that you’re going to burn yourself out creatively and in life.” [15:38] “I reach out to people where it might seem impossible because they’re a big brand or company. I think people might be surprised. You should not have an expectation that they’re going to say yes. That’s the key.” [32:28] “Whatever it is you’re going to go do, make sure you’re in the position to be very appealing to them. It’s not like always throwing a ‘hey, can we do this?’ out of nowhere. It’s more of like ‘this will be beneficial to you because it’s what we’re already doing.’” [35:58]   Links: Join Grow Your Video Business on Facebook Get the free Budget Workshop Storyblocks Core Find Joshua Martin Studios Online Follow Joshua Martin Studios on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter Additional Links: Check out the full show notes page Do you have something to share on this podcast? Fill out this form here. Be sure to take the Studio Sherpas survey for a chance to win some incredible prizes (if we do say so ourselves!) Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune in to our weekly Facebook Lives Follow Studio Sherpas on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, we'd love it if you would take 1 minute to leave us a review on iTunes!

Many of us get into this work to feed our creativity. We love to create and see our visions become reality. But we still have clients who have their own visions and ideas. It can be a tricky balance creating a business with the structure to satisfy both your clients and your own creative needs. Today’s guest explains how he manages to do just that. Key Takeaways Your business is built on relationships. Getting them right from the start leads to better work down the road. Take the time to suss out the good relationships from the bad first thing in order to assure that you’ll have a good working relationship as the project progresses. About Josh Emerick Josh is a DP and Producer from Zanesville, Ohio who leans on structure and planning to manifest what people perceive as creativity. He is mostly known for his work in music videos, but still actively shoots a lot of commercial work, weddings, and recently narrative films. Creating Systems for Efficiency and Creativity Systematized efficiency is a large part of how Josh structures his business. By automating as much as he can and preparing in advance when possible, Josh is able to maximize his efficiency while meeting or exceeding everyone’s expectations.  Josh also explains how his personal work fits into his business. By making his own work where he has complete creative control, Josh hopes to show potential future clients what he is capable of. Doing this not only feeds his own creative needs, it will attract exactly the types of clients he hopes to work with. Harnessing the Power of Referrals The challenge will always be finding new clients. Josh describes how referrals have been the boon of his business. There’s no magic formula to getting referrals. Being easy and fun to work with while serving your client’s needs is what it all comes down to. This can be done by setting the right expectations from the start and not backing down from them. Throughout this interview, Josh describes all the ways that he does just that. How do you manage client expectations? Do you have a lead magnet? Tell me about it in the comments on the episode page!   In This Episode: Building a business that feeds your creativity while pleasing clients [10:04] How to get referrals by doing the right work and setting expectations [17:00] The power of an email list to grow interest in your work [22:30] Using blog posts to position yourself as an expert [28:30] Whether or not to post packages and pricing on your website [33:40]   Quotes “Whether we’re doing a personal project, whether we’re doing a project for a client, I’m always trying to look at how we’re using our time and how do we break that down and automate as many things as possible.” [12:33] “I think it’s easy as creators to be like let’s make the most beautiful thing with the coolest lighting and the coolest camera. That plays a role, but how does that make your client feel? If I make someone feel good, they’re going to want to come back to me and they’re going to want to actually have a referral.” [17:38] “I have no problem educating on how we make something possible. But I don’t want to spend time educating you on what cinematography really costs and what a real production actually costs. Either you value it and you want to work with us or you don’t and that’s okay.” [36:34]   Links: Join Grow Your Video Business on Facebook Get the free Budget Workshop Storyblocks Core Find Josh Emerick online Follow Josh on Instagram | Facebook   Additional Links: Check out the full show notes page Do you have something to share on this podcast? Fill out this form here. Be sure to take the Studio Sherpas survey for a chance to win some incredible prizes (if we do say so ourselves!) Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune in to our weekly Facebook Lives Follow Studio Sherpas on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, we'd love it if you would take 1 minute to leave us a review on iTunes!

Your business will be made or broken on relationships. Building trust and being passionate is central to this. Whether it’s your team, your clients, or your competition, these relationships are crucial. Today’s guest has not only built an amazing business based on relationships but clearly loves what he does every day. Key Takeaways Finding opportunities to take on side-gigs will keep your skills sharp and allow you to do exciting work you otherwise couldn’t. There’s a lot of learning and inspiration that comes from branching out and trying new things that will help you constantly level-up as a filmmaker.  When building a team, start with trust and passion. Knowing that your people will faithfully and enthusiastically get the job done whether you’re there or not is central to a well-functioning business. About Chris Ray Chris is a filmmaker who got his start in action sports filming skateboarding videos. Since then, he has done a wide range of work with companies such as DC Shoes, NFL Films, Ford, GoPro, ESPN, and many more. Imbuing Your Work With Passion Chris has a great perspective on everything that he does. For one thing, he doesn’t view other filmmakers as competition. Instead, they’re an inspiration and possible collaborators. Chris loves his work so much that he seldom passes up an opportunity to make videos. When he doesn’t have a project, he makes one for himself. This passion to keep working on many different projects has allowed Chris to keep his skills well-honed as a filmmaker. Building an Amazing Team Chris doesn’t do it all alone. He has built up a solid team of filmmakers to help make and produce their videos. I know many of us are hesitant to hire people, but it is an essential part of growing your video business. Chris knows that the most important place to start when taking on new people is trust. You need to be able to trust your people to get the job done without you. That’s why you brought them on to begin with. When you find the right people who are passionate about the work, you’re well on your way to building a winning team. Have you hired team members? What qualities do you look for in them? How do you build trust in your business? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In This Episode: The many sources of inspiration in filmmaking [4:45] Taking on side-gigs to refine your craft [7:30] The characteristics to look for when building a team [12:35] Learning to manage the work-life balance [13:40] The power of respect to make jobs run smoothly [17:30]   Quotes “I get inspired by others. I’m inspired by other filmmakers. I’m inspired by my team. Those are the people I want to work with. I’ve definitely learned that you can't do everything by yourself. I try to surround myself with other filmmakers that are great because it makes me better.” [5:30] “I still get scared every single time I get hit up for a freelance job. It’s still scary every time and I think that’s because I think I’m scared of failure. I just say yes and we go for it and we figure it out. That’s always been my advice to people: just say yes. Just do it.” [10:10] “Being respectful to people no matter what the role is, no matter what their level is, treating everybody with respect is a huge thing.” [17:39]   Links: Get free access to the Budget Workshop Storyblocks Core Find Chris Ray online Follow Chris on Instagram | Facebook Inovativ 10% discount code   Additional Links: Check out the full show notes page Do you have something to share on this podcast? Fill out this form here. Be sure to take the Studio Sherpas survey for a chance to win some incredible prizes (if we do say so ourselves!) Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune in to our weekly Facebook Lives Follow Studio Sherpas on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, we'd love it if you would take 1 minute to leave us a review on iTunes!

As a freelancer or small business owner, buying gifts for your clients may feel frivolous and wasteful. The truth is, it can be a small investment with a huge reward. However, we often get it wrong when it comes to determining the best gifts to give. If you are hesitant to spend a little extra to treat your clients, this is the perfect episode to change your mind. Key Takeaways Showing up and giving with no strings attached attracts genuine reciprocity. Give these gifts at unexpected times. It leads to growth in relationships that may take time but will be stronger in the end. A world-class gift should focus on the recipient, not the giver. Thinking from the other person’s perspective and trying to understand what they really want forms strong and lasting bonds. About John Ruhlin John is the world’s leading authority in maximizing customer loyalty through radical generosity. He is the founder of and author of Giftology. John has been featured in Fox News, Forbes, Fast Company, Inc., and The New York Times. The True Power of a Proper Gift We all have the power to make other people’s lives better. John explains how going all-in on generosity creates the relationships to improve not only the recipient’s life but your own too. People remember when you go out of the way to be generous. When generosity is genuine, people are eager to reciprocate. It may not happen right away, but eventually what you give others will come back to benefit you. During that time, relationships will grow in depth to last for a lifetime. A Story as a Gift As filmmakers, we are uniquely positioned to give the most meaningful gifts of all: stories. John says that a thing you give is just a token. But, if it has a story behind it, something that explains its meaning, then it becomes a cherished artifact. Use your power as a storyteller to imbue gifts with personal meaning. Give people gifts that are not only meaningful but that keep you top of mind. This is the stuff that forges bonds between you and clients that are valuable beyond words. How can you create moments for your clients that make a difference for them? What meaningful and memorable gifts have you given or received? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In This Episode: The power of radical generosity to change everything [4:30] What it means to invest in giftology [9:30] Why we need to make gifts about the people we give the gift to and not about ourselves [18:40] Why promotional products are not gifts [26:24] How to invest in something that makes you truly memorable [32:00] What you should do instead of wasting money on holiday gifts for your clients [36:03]   Quotes “Every business, and really every life, rises and falls on relationships…. When you show up powerfully for people and are radically generous, no matter who they are, if they’re human beings, relationships flourish if they show up powerfully and go all-in on things.” [4:41] “Language and word choice matter….. Based upon how it’s presented, it matters and makes somebody value it.” [17:50] “A gift showing up just out of the blue says I was thinking of you, versus it’s Christmas and I made money this year and feel like I should probably say thank you. Saying thank you the other ten months out of the year is way more effective. As a small business owner, that’s how you can spend less money than your competition and have 100 times more impact.“ [38:41]   Links: Join the Free Budget Workshop! Storyblocks Core Find John Ruhlin online Giftology System Giftology by John Ruhlin   Additional Links: Check out the full show notes page Do you have something to share on this podcast? Fill out this form here. Be sure to take the Studio Sherpas survey for a chance to win some incredible prizes (if we do say so ourselves!) Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune in to our weekly Facebook Lives Follow Studio Sherpas on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, we'd love it if you would take 1 minute to leave us a review on iTunes!

Those of us with a YouTube channel know this frustration. You put in a ton of work into creating amazing content, but no one sees it. It may be because of your naming strategy, scheduling, title, image, or something else entirely. With so much to keep in mind, wouldn’t it be nice to have the right information on your side? Key Takeaways Even if you’re busy with client work, find the time to shoot your own content. By showing people the behind-the-scenes of what you do, you are naturally and easily promoting your business. For best live streaming results, focus on having good audio by investing in a quality mic. Have a plan in place in case things go wrong, like losing a signal or connection. Investing in the right equipment will help ensure that everything goes smoothly once you go live. About Rob Balasabas Rob is a partnership growth manager at TubeBuddy. He is an active content creator on his own Linkedin, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook channels. Rob works hard sharing a lot of video and content creation strategies, live streaming tips, as well as software and tool reviews. Getting Noticed to Promote Your Business on YouTube This week, Rob explains many of the ins and outs of getting seen on YouTube and other platforms.  Even if it doesn’t feel like it, there are countless opportunities to make content to promote your business. It doesn't have to be much. Even a short explainer video or live stream goes a long way. By putting a little time away each week to make your own content and do your own marketing you’ll stay relevant and discover new leads. The Power of Livestreaming Rob and I dive deep into the new role of live streaming in today’s world of video. Just about every social media platform has this feature and it presents many opportunities to promote your business. Rob describes how live streaming is allowing creators to stay regularly engaged with their audiences. From weekly live shows to course creation, live streaming can build communities and grow an audience. As such a simple yet effective tool, live streaming is something any content creator should consider. What could you live stream on video today? How can that help you engage with an audience? How can you use YouTube to regularly engage with your audience? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In This Episode: Best practices for starting and growing your own YouTube channel [4:10] How collaboration with experts leads to more opportunities [13:10] Advice for the new role of live streaming [17:57] The best gear for live streaming [27:10] How to effectively schedule your uploads to YouTube [30:56] The most underrated feature on YouTube [34:00] Building a community rather than digging for clients [37:51]   Quotes “As creatives, you need to treat your business as your best client.” [7:43] “The main thing is your audio when it comes to live streaming. If you’re limited on budget, I always suggest investing in a mic first because people need to hear you even if they can’t see you very well.” [27:56] “You want to put out as much content as you can so that you can build up your portfolio so that YouTube has some things to share and suggest to potential viewers.” [31:59] “Don’t use it as a commercial….People don’t want to be sold. They want to be taught. Answer their questions. That’s what people are searching for on YouTube; they’re searching questions.” [36:00]   Links: Get Access to the Free Budget Workshop Storyblocks Core Follow Rob Balasabas on YouTube | Instagram | Linkedin | Facebook   Additional Links: Check out the full show notes page Do you have something to share on this podcast? Fill out this form here. Be sure to take the Studio Sherpas survey for a chance to win some incredible prizes (if we do say so ourselves!) Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune in to our weekly Facebook Lives Follow Studio Sherpas on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, we'd love it if you would take 1 minute to leave us a review on iTunes!

Tax planning. Just those words make me shudder. Over the last 17 years, I’ve learned some hard lessons on this subject. I really wish I knew what I know now when I got started. It would have saved a lot of worry and frustration. While this is not the most glamorous topic, this is the kind of stuff that makes or breaks a business. Key Takeaways It’s well worth the upfront costs of having an expert do your books. Not only can they save you money at tax time, but they will help you avoid making costly mistakes in the first place. About Jeremy Doorn As a ten-year-plus employee of Core Wealth Management, Jeremy Doorn helps small businesses do a better job of tax planning. In addition to firm administration, he handles business advisory services and business succession planning for his clients. The Importance of Expert Help Jeremy tells us that you don’t need to be a tax or accounting expert to run a successful business. But you might want to find one to help you out. Getting at least a basic education on how to run your numbers will save a lot of trouble further down the road. Furthermore, having an accountant or other tax expert on your side will help identify tax benefits that you may have otherwise missed and avoid costly mistakes. Bookkeeping as Business Strategy In some ways, proper bookkeeping is aligned with the strategy of your business. When your revenue and expenses are truly known, you can identify your profit. You can’t make the best decisions for your company without this knowledge. This is your business that you’ve created. It’s your responsibility to make the most informed decisions that you can to make it profitable. That doesn’t mean you need to be an expert on all things. But you do need to find the right advice to make it a success. What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned about taxes or bookkeeping since you started your business? Has a tax expert saved you money and helped you grow your business? Tell me about it in the comments on the episode page!   In This Episode: The peace of mind that comes with having an expert look over your business’ numbers [5:00] What a tax expert can offer that software can’t [10:10] How to avoid tax planning mistakes before they become a problem [16:00] Common mistakes in overlooked tax savings opportunities [20:45] Software and apps to make your bookkeeping easier [26:32] The most important financial metrics to pay attention to [32:40]   Quotes “It’s about knowing where your business is at and not having to put all the work in yourself. It’s this whole peace of mind that you have somebody looking at your numbers.” [6:34] “A tax return is just a scoreboard for last year’s score. That’s fine, but you can’t do anything with a tax return this year that’s for last year. You gotta do it currently while you’re going through it.” [12:18] “You need to go do creative stuff. Go tell stories. Go do all that stuff. You don’t need to be doing bookkeeping. Once you get to a certain point, you got to start looking into unloading that onto somebody else.” [17:22] “Every business is different. You need to pick out what is most important for your business depending on what you’re actually doing… and track those.” [33:30]   Links: Storyblocks Core Profit First by Mike Michalowicz QBO   Additional Links: Check out the full show notes page Do you have something to share on this podcast? Fill out this form here. Be sure to take the Studio Sherpas survey for a chance to win some incredible prizes (if we do say so ourselves!) Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune in to our weekly Facebook Lives Follow Studio Sherpas on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, we'd love it if you would take 1 minute to leave us a review on iTunes!

Making smart gear purchases can help grow your video business. It can also be an expensive distraction. With such a large variety of choices and features, it’s easy to get lost down a rabbit hole of gear. To help shed light on this, I’ve brought on a true expert to this episode. If you are new to live streaming, make sure to test it out thoroughly before you go live. Get the right gear, but don’t go overboard. Once you are comfortable with what you have, try it out and get familiar with all the settings. When it’s time to do the real thing, you’ll know what to expect and come off as a pro. Key Takeaways Be proactive with your customer service. Being quick to respond and communicate reduces anxieties and makes customers feel heard and valued. This is what ultimately leads to repeat business and referrals. About Chris Monlux Chris is the multimedia editor for Videomaker and their magazine. He conducts and writes all of their reviews and produces all of their learning videos content. This guy knows his gear! The Essential Gear for the Modern Videomaker Get ready to nerd out on a lot of gear in this episode. Chris describes why many different cameras are in his collection and why he enjoys them for their different features. However, just because a camera has all the bells and whistles doesn’t mean it's a good investment. Before you get your hands on an expensive piece of equipment, you should consider whether or not your clients would actually benefit from it. For obvious reasons, live-streaming has become more popular than ever this year. There’s a lot of tech to consider if you do live streaming and having the right stuff can really make a difference. Overall, Chris recommends keeping it simple. Just a couple of cameras and the right software should get the job done. Where you succeed or fail will hinge a lot more on your content and marketing than it will on the tech that you use. The Best Approach to Customer Service Of course, gear is only one part of being a successful filmmaker. Customer service is a huge part of the rest of it. Chris describes how being quick to respond to your customer’s needs is central to this. Overall, your ability to anticipate their needs, communicate promptly and clearly and exceed expectations will keep them coming back for more. What is the most essential piece of gear in your collection? Have you ever regretted buying a piece of equipment?  Tell me in the comments on the episode page!   In This Episode: Why Chris doesn’t have a favorite camera [4:28] Finding creative fulfillment in your work [8:40] How gear can both help grow or sidetrack your business [15:20] The best gear and strategies for live streaming [29:10] Anticipating the unpredictabilities when shooting live events [42:00] How good customer service can save the day when problems arise [43:45]   Quotes “I’m getting my creative juices out at work. I’m getting paid to have fulfillment creatively and that was always so valuable to me.” [9:22] “I like to get inspired by my equipment, but to covet those new features when there isn’t a need is unfortunate” [17:27] “We want those things that look really neat, but if someone didn’t tell you what it was shot in and it did the job, how much are you really going to care?” [26:46] “If you underpromise and overperform, your client is going to be so excited about what they get because it’s more than they expected. All it is is setting expectations.” [51:19]   Links: Download the 30-day guide to jumpstart your video business! Storyblocks Core Find Videomaker online Follow Videomaker on Facebook | Instagram | Linkedin | Twitter | YouTube The Videomaker Podcast Fuji X-T4 Review Cheapest live streaming setup for home professionals Liveview Blackmagic ATEM Mini Pro Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh   Additional Links: Check out the full show notes page Do you have something to share on this podcast? Fill out this form here. Be sure to take the Studio Sherpas survey for a chance to win some incredible prizes (if we do say so ourselves!) Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune in to our weekly Facebook Lives Follow Studio Sherpas on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram If you haven't already, we'd love it if you would take 1 minute to leave us a review on iTunes!