Grow Your Video Business

Most of us creatives get easily distracted by new ideas. Sometimes this is where real gems come from and are totally worth pursuing. Other times, they’re wastes of energy and time and should best be avoided. The tricky thing is knowing the difference. Larry Wiezycki is a producer, editor, documentary filmmaker, winner of five Emmys and is based in Tampa, Florida. He is the co-founder of Creative on Main Street Studio and Polyphonic Image. He’s also a student here at Studio Sherpas. Larry and I talk about some of the ways we can use our assets to connect with the public and potential clients. Whether it’s renting out your studio space or nurturing a particular relationship with a client, the important thing is to have clear goals so that you can really focus on what your company needs most. We also talk about our fears as video business owners. There’s a lot of risk in this line of work, but the rewards are what keep us going. Dealing with fluid timelines, disorganized client relationships, and all the other ups and downs can certainly lead to stress and inefficiency. Larry explains how he deals with these challenges and why it’s always worth it. How do you decide which projects and ideas to focus on? Let me know in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode Recognizing the assets that you have and their actual potential for profit The importance of focus for determining the priorities in your business The thing that keeps most video business owners up at night and how to overcome it How to hire for small tasks to improve your overall efficiency The challenges that come with hiring an editor and its benefits   Quotes “Business is about relationships. The fun part is interacting with people and getting to work with them and seeing what they’re doing and want to talk about.” [24:45] “Everybody knows how powerful it is to do video, but not everybody is doing it really all that well and not everybody is doing it in a high-quality way.” [27:12] “You just don’t know where stuff is going to come up and where you’re going to get a referral from.” [42:33]   Links Polyphonic Image Productions Follow Polyphic Image on Facebook | Instagram | Vimeo Creative on Main Street Studio Follow Creative on Mainstreet on Facebook Building a Storybrand Thumbtack RipplePop Blind Eyes Opened   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!

I often look at my business and wonder how it exists beyond myself. If we can build our businesses in a way that leaves a legacy for our children to benefit from, then I feel they will reach their most pure and ultimate goal. Today’s guest has a business that has done exactly that. Ian Murray is the president of SpotOn Productions and the second generation in a family-owned video production company celebrating 21 years in business. As he puts it, they help businesses solve business problems using video. Today, we talk about recognizing the most important product or service you can offer and not taking your business off-track by pursuing too much. Sometimes we want to offer our clients all sorts of things that really aren’t our specialty. Ian shares how he came to the realization that this wasn’t good for business and how he refocused. Ian is no stranger to hiring employees. Knowing when to start building out your team and hiring someone to do your sales is tricky. It’s very important to have a good project-flow system in place for this. Ultimately, having a dedicated sales staff allows the production team to focus on what they do and make your business more efficient overall. Ian is passionate about the importance of managing finances and cash-flow. Experience has taught him many lessons about making sure that you have the money to properly run your business without accumulating runaway debt. The key to this is getting good financial advisors and a business line of credit. Where do you see your business in 10, 20, or 30 years? Let me know in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode Recognizing the importance of not offering too many different services Using a dedicated sales staff to facilitate growth The undeniable importance of having a process in business Why it’s imperative to get finances in order early on The importance of being intentional in how you want your business to grow Using the power of your business to make the world a better place   Quotes “Sales is like fire. If you pour gas on it for growth, the same problems you had when you were small are going to get exponentially worse when you get bigger.” [10:31] “We got to that point where we could actually take a week’s vacation and the place isn’t going to burn to the ground. Stuff is going to get handled. It’s an awesome place to get to as a business.” [16:31] “If you’re just in business to make money, I think you’re missing the mark. We all have bills to pay, but how are you making the world a better place with what you’re doing.” [28:19]  “Follow your passion. It’s cliché, but it’s what drives you forward.” [37:04]   Links Find Ian Murray online Follow Ian on Facebook | Twitter | Linkedin | YouTube Patrick Lencioni Studio Sherpas Academy   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!

In this solo episode, I share with you what I’ve learned while dealing with this challenge. Sometimes I feel very uncomfortable asking for a sale. To help, I’m sharing some tools and advice for making those conversations less awkward and make you more confident in the end. I discuss some tips for finding the clients that are the best match for you. You’ll hear why it’s not that different from dating. These relationships take nurturing and active listening if they’re going to develop. Building a repeatable process inside your business for finding and keeping the right clients is totally possible. I discuss three things you can do right now to make this happen. It starts with building a lead-magnet. Second, you need an email-capture system. Finally, a CRM is crucial. What kind of lead-magnets could help you find your ideal client? Let me know in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode Why it often feels uncomfortable approaching a potential client for a sale How finding the best clients for your business is like finding your soulmate Why the best systems for your business involve consistently nurturing client relationships 3 things you need to do to build a repeatable process for getting the right clients   Quotes “We should never be in a position where we feel like we’re trying to convince someone to hire us.” [3:52] “In business, we need to be thinking what’s in it for them. Why would they care to have a conversation with me?” [10:43] “To build a business you have to have systems in place that are repeatable. We need to be hell-bent on creating something that is predictable in our business.” [15:34] “If you can create content that adds value to their lives, do it! That is a great way to build a relationship.” [25:37]   Links How to Make Videos that Convert Kajabi   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!

Are you waiting for the perfect time to start your filmmaking career? I hate to break it to you, but there will never be a perfect time. Right now is the next best thing and today’s guest is going to explain why and how to get into the game, even if you feel that you’re not ready. Les Gaddis is a Texas-based cinematographer, blogger, and podcaster. He runs Gaddis Visuals, a production company that offers a full array of services, including concepting, scriptwriting, storyboarding, filming, motion graphics, and editing. He strongly feels that helping other filmmakers grow and learn adds value to everyone in this business. Les shares his lifetime of experience in the world of film. He’s changed a lot since he started out helping his family make videos as a child. Now, as a business owner, Les shares how he built the confidence to take the risks necessary to make it big. As a jack of all trades, we talk about how Les decides when he can do a task himself, and when he feels it’s better to delegate it out.  For any aspiring filmmakers who haven’t started their video career yet, Les drops some great advice: just get started. Use your current job, if you have one, to bankroll your filmmaking and get out there and do it! Start making something and start sharing it. Even if you don’t have any clients yet, there is work to do. Les’ advice is to start constructing your brand and working on your reel right away. With that, you’ll be better positioned to attract the type of clients that you’re looking for. What can you do today to build your brand even if you don’t have any clients? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In this episode Knowing when to outsource and delegate and when to do the work yourself Staying motivated when work is scarce The importance of starting your career even if you don’t feel ready yet Creating for yourself versus creating for the world What it takes to build a lasting business from the start   Quotes “Whenever there’s slow times or I’m wondering what I’m going to do with my life, I instantly just go to creative mode.” [18:14] “The best filmmakers are the ones where you can see their life experiences in their films.” [20:27] “The end goal of having a complete video is just not enough anymore…. You have to have some type of distribution plan that makes sense for either your brand or the company’s brand.” [36:24] “Even while you’re building a reel or doing video work, set yourself up brand-wise. Put your content out there in a way that’s smart.” [41:47]   Links Find Les Gaddis online Follow Les on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Vimeo | YouTube Capturing Light Podcast Studio Sherpas Academy   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!

The times we grow the most are often the times when we push our boundaries and get into new situations where we don’t completely know what we’re doing. There’s a real value in this. It’s what gets us, our craft, and our business to reach new and greater heights. My guests today, have taken this leap and are still reaping the rewards. Paul and Kelley Gilster are a husband and wife cinematography team and owners of 618 Studios based in Southern California. They've grown their company to serve the high-end wedding market over the past nine years. In 2018, they began to move into the corporate world and now serve both wedding and corporate clients where they’ve seen their profits skyrocket. Today Paul and Kelly describe their story of building their business strictly around making wedding videos and how they transitioned into the world of corporate promotions. When branching out, they learned some valuable lessons around creating work for free which they share for us here. Paul and Kelly have really nailed their process of client communication. It certainly varies significantly between wedding clients and corporate clients. They talk about the different languages for speaking with various types of clients and how this saves them time and money. Do you serve multiple kinds of clients? How do you talk to each one differently? Share it with me in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode When it pays to do work for free and when it doesn’t Some of the surprising things that come up when moving to corporate work from shooting weddings The importance of recognizing which clients care about how stuff looks and which clients care about how stuff feels How actually hearing what your clients have to say will save you time and make you more money   Quotes “It took us eight years to book our first five-figure wedding package. Within nine months of pursuing corporate work we booked our first five-figure corporate gig.” [12:14] “You have to learn to pull out what your clients are looking for and certain aspects of what they need.” [29:45] “When you’re in those moments when you’re pulled out of your comfort zone, it’s where you want to be because you’re only growing from there.” [35:00] “It’s just listening. Through the listening, you know what kind of follow-up questions to ask to get to the mutual understanding of what to create.” [44:42]   Links Find 618 Studios online Follow 618 Studios on Instagram | Facebook | Vimeo Learn about the next Studio Sherpas workshop   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!

In this gig-based business, it often feels like we’re jumping from one job to the next just to keep afloat. But what if there was a system you could put in place that would eliminate this urgency? Today’s guest has figured this out by discovering her unique value and it has given her the clarity needed to find and keep the right clients coming back over and over again. Diana Castro is the Co-Founder of ForProductions, a small but powerful video production company. She’s focused on working with leaders and changemakers who are serious about making an impact by reaching thousands with the power of video. Today, Diana shares her company’s journey into discovering what it is they can offer that truly helps her clients. She’s built a system into her business so that her clients have a program that gives her repeat business. This saves her from constantly chasing down the next job as soon as the last one is finished. We also discuss how finding your tribe will not only give you clarity on running your business but will also help you identify who you can best serve. When you know your value and who you serve best, you gain the confidence to do the work that’s best for you. Diana describes how this knowledge has helped her in numerous ways. From making connections with would-be competitors to creating personally meaningful videos, the payoffs have been huge. How can your unique identity be your company’s superpower? Let me know in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode How you can get your clients to come back to you on a consistent basis The power of workshops to bring in more business The ways in which finding your tribe will benefit you and your company Why passing work off to your competitors can sometimes be the right thing to do How discovering your own unique magic will set you apart Why your intuition is your best guide   Quotes “By little baby-steps, you warm people up. Then once they know you, you win their trust.” [14:41] “Because they don’t understand their value, their behavior is contracting. They become a commodity. In trying to serve everyone, they devalue their service.” [26:23 “Everybody goes through the same struggles and we all have to own our own space.” [33:25] “How do you bring value? The only thing that’s different between your business and my business is you. It’s who you are.” [40:10] “Be attentive to your intuition. There’s infinite wisdom in it. If you listen to it at the right time, your path will unfold in front of you.” [45:29]   Links Find Diana Castro online Follow Diana on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Linkedin Holistic Chamber of Commerce Start With Why StrengthsFinder Join the next Studio Sherpas Workshop   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 creatives, it can be all too easy to overlook our mental health and wellness. Sometimes we even feel that this better helps us tap into our creative side. Today’s guest is not only a wildly successful filmmaker, but she also comes from a background of mental health counseling and helps others learn the importance of taking care of themselves. Shivawn Mitchell is a producer, director, and writer as well as the founder of Sam Studios and The Creative Outsiders. Since committing to her filmmaking career, Shivawn has gone on to work on production teams that have won the accolades of the Official Winner of Women’s Only Entertainment Film Festival, Top Indie Film Award, two time Africana Independent Film Festival and the Hollywood Screenings Film Festival, Semifinalist. As a speaker, Shivawn focuses on developing the voice of other storytellers, using your influence as a filmmaker, and the mental health wellness of creatives. Shivawn covers many crucial topics in today’s episode, starting with the effect of networking with people who are at the same level of success as ourselves. Instead of trying to work with those who have achieved a much higher level of success, working across the table helps everybody level up and grow together. As Shivawn explains, this gives everyone a chance to succeed and contributes to more talent and skill in your field overall. Shivawn also explains the importance of perseverance and focus in order to achieve success. Rather than being too caught up in what others are doing and thinking, we can all best move forward by focusing on doing the work that’s most meaningful to ourselves. With her background in mental health, Shivawn shares some really important advice for how filmmakers and other creatives can support themselves in this area while still creating great work. The power of community, self-care, and practicing mindfulness are a big part of this and can help sustain your career in the long run. Do you regularly carve out time to focus on taking care of yourself? Tell me how it’s going in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode Why networking up is the wrong approach in business The power of understanding that our skills are just as valuable as our experience The dangers of getting side-tracked by what others are thinking, saying, and doing The importance of taking care of your entire self in order to build a business that is better than just “good enough” Why you need to make time for yourself to avoid burnout   Quotes “I found that there are people in your direct vicinity who are across the table from you and on the same level as you. They just have a different skill. Instead of trying to bypass everybody, why can’t we just work together?” [14:15] “Sometimes we care too much about the crowd and not enough about the craft and doing the work. If I keep doing the work and putting in the time, success is going to happen.” [19:46] “I think creatives think that they have to create from this toxic place in order to be amazing. I want filmmakers to recognize it’s okay not to be okay.” [27:41] “Say no. We say yes too many times to things we know we really don’t want to do. That creates resentment and then we don’t have time because we’re always saying yes to other people. It’s okay to say no.” [38:00]   Links Find Shivawn Mitchell at The Creative Outsiders Follow The Creative Outsiders on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter The Creative Outsiders Podcast SAM Studios Learn about our upcoming Studio Sherpas workshop   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!

This may sound crazy at first, but humor me if you will. Doing nothing will help your business. That’s right. Take a step back, start meditating, and don’t get so caught up in that busy calendar of yours. As my guest on this episode is about to tell you, it will make you a better business owner and help your company succeed. Rob Dube is the president and co-founder of imageOne, one of Forbes’ best small companies in 2017. He is also the author of Do Nothing, and contributor to such prestigious publications as Forbes, Thrive Global, and Octane Magazine.  In this week’s episode, Rob shares some great advice for small business owners. By valuing the people he works with, he has built a strong company culture that encourages his employees to best serve their customers. Rob recounts the story of his business’ evolution and his realization that a bigger company is not always better. Throughout all this, Rob discovered better styles of leadership and organization for his company that have allowed it to weather the ups and downs of business and made it the success that it is today. Are there ways that you include your team members in determining your company’s mission? Let’s talk about it in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode How putting a focus on the people in your company will lead to great things for your customers Realizing the advantages that a small company has over a large one The challenges of top-down leadership versus collaboration Letting go of control so that you can relax and focus on what’s really important for you and your business Involving everyone in the company when it comes to setting your business’ vision for the future How meditation and “doing nothing” will help you be fully present for your company   Quotes “We found as we went along that people were really the key to what was making great things happen at the company. We had more fun caring about the totality of the team members’ lives than looking at the, as a vehicle to making more money.“ [8:42] “We started to see how amazingly smart and talented our team was and that the decisions really didn’t need to be made by us. They all knew the right things to do every single time.” [18:38] “When people understand things they make better decisions because they are educated. You can’t make good decisions if you don’t understand the full picture.” [24:23] “Often we may not see eye to eye with things with our team members. It’s received much easier when you feel heard and when you feel like all that energy was being given to you.” [39:11] “To know what something feels like versus knowing it in your head is a big difference. That allows you to slow yourself to pause between stimulus and response. In that moment we get to choose.” [45:40]   Links Find Rob Dube online Follow Rob on Twitter | Instagram Do Nothing by Robe Dube Learn about Rob’s next retreat The Do Nothing Podcast Small Giants by Bo Burlingham The Great Game of Business Entrepreneurial Operating System® Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman   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 entrepreneurs, we have the opportunity to be true to ourselves in our personal lives and use that to shape who we are in our business lives. You are your business’ brand and that is something to be cultivated. leveraged, and appreciated.  Amina Moreau is the co-founder of Emmy Award-winning Stillmotion and Sway, companies that are committed to the meaningful impact of storytelling. As part of Muse, she helps others make a positive impact with their stories. With a background in psychology, Amina uses stories to help people connect on deep and meaningful levels. We cover so many great topics in this interview. Amina launches right into how we present ourselves and craft personal and business brands to showcase who we are. There’s a value in knowing what makes each of us unique and making that an indelible part of your business. This won’t only help you find the best clients for you, but it will help set you apart in a crowded field. Amina gives some great yet simple advice for how you can craft your business’ image so that you attract your ideal clients. By only showcasing the work that you want to do, you’ll find that you won’t have to go chasing every possible lead. Instead, they’ll come to you. We also discuss the ways that you can use your gift of storytelling to do good in the world by empowering others. Everyone has a voice and something to share. By helping others share it, we play a part in the process of bringing people together on so many different levels.  How does your business represent who you are on a personal level? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In this episode How we can craft the way we present ourselves in our business in subtle ways Knowing where your values stand so that you can find meaningful work for both you and your clients Why sales isn’t about convincing people to hire you The power of storytelling to empower others The ways that your storytelling can have a positive impact in the world   Quotes “If your personal brand also overlaps with your business brand, then that’s kind of a cool thing and can go a long way.” [3:55] “We built a friendship in a very short amount of time because it was about not just getting to know his business, but getting to know what makes him the man he is today.” [12:43] “What if we look at ourselves as the main characters in the plot of our professional journey?” [15:40] “The more personal that you are, the more emotion-driven a story is, the more intellectual impact you can make with whatever your initiative is.” [30:27]   Links: Find Amina Moreau online at Sway Storytelling Follow Amina on Instagram | Twitter Stillmotion Muse Storytelling   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!

If we didn’t have to do sales in this work then everything would be so much easier, right? There are ways to make sales easier, more natural, and ultimately more profitable. Today’s guest has only been in the video business for a short time, but his dedication to sales has led him to success after success.  Jon Morgan’s passion is selling. He is the owner and founder of JM Films, one of the top production companies in St. Louis. Jon has worked with such clients as Microsoft, Mastercard, and the NHL. He and his studio are passionate about producing engaging cinematic quality videos for companies and businesses that not only tell their stories but also get results. Jon takes us through the humble beginnings of his marketing business as he forged his own path in an already crowded market. Recognizing that an opportunity existed in making videos, Jon shifted gears and has been finding success ever since. Jon explains how he found the right sort of clients for him and how to assess the profitability of potential work. We talk a lot about how we learn and grow as entrepreneurs. Succeeding for Jon and me both came from learning from others and being open to receiving advice. It also involves putting yourself out there for others so that we can be of help to an entire community. Finally, Jon lays out some great advice for managing all your potential customers and using a CRM platform. This allows you to keep track of the customers who may not be ready to buy right now but will be in the future.  How do you followup with clients who are not ready to buy from you at the moment but might be later on? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In this episode Finding the right niche for your business in a crowded field What it means to be “front of mind” in your work The value of finding community and mentors to learn from How to stop wasting time and energy selling to the wrong audience Why it’s important to have a clear plan for your business from the beginning What CRM is and why it’s crucially important for your business’s growth   Quotes “I realized early on that selling video services to someone who’s a lot more expensive than you are is a lot easier of a conversation than selling to someone whose product or services are a lot less expensive than yours.” [14:42] “If I know that it’s easier to sell a video to an industry that we’ve already worked in, then why don’t I just focus on these industries more instead of trying to pioneer new paths in every possible industry out there?” [17:12] “Really try to soak up as much information, learning, and wisdom as you can from other people. You’re going to learn a lot, not only from your mistakes and what you do well and maybe didn’t do well but also from asking others.” [30:51] “Whether or not you have a plan, you’re still going to make a lot of mistakes…. Things are going to evolve. You’re going to have to be able and willing to adapt.” [40:09] “Only 3% of the market is ready to buy right now. That means the other 97% is not now. A lot of people make the mistake of only looking for that 3%.” [43:10]   Links: Find Jon Morgan online Follow Jon on Instagram | Linkedin Learn about the upcoming Studio Sherpas workshop here   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!