Grow Your Video Business

As creatives, we often think we have to do everything ourselves. But there’s usually too much to do without losing your sanity. I feel ya! I know I’d have so much trouble running Studio Sherpas without my own awesome VA. (Shout out to Tina!) What VAs give us is freedom, peace of mind, and the opportunity to slow down and remember what’s important to us. Trivinia Barber is the founder and CEO of the boutique virtual assistant agency, Priority VA. Her company matches entrepreneurs with highly-skilled assistants who help them make the space to run only the parts of their business that they want to. Today we talk about why hiring a VA is going to free up so much more room in your life and business. There are things that you might not know how to do, don’t want to do, or just don’t have time for that a VA can get off your plate. There are a lot of reasons why you might be hesitant to bring on an assistant. Trivinia shares her advice on how to work well with assistants so you don’t have to worry about having someone else doing the work you normally have done. A lot of this requires setting up repeatable systems. When it comes to managing your team, Trivinia always makes sure to encourage, equip, empower, and engage with them. That way they can get it done so you don’t have to. Have you hired a VA? How has it helped you? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode How to identify your needs when it comes to delegating tasks to a VA Trivinia’s tips for using a VA so you’ll get the outcomes you need How to know when you’re ready to hire a VA What to look for in a potential VA you are thinking of hiring The tasks that you are likely doing yourself that would be much better done by a VA   Quotes “Delegation is like exercise. You have to flex that muscle. You’ll get better at it and it’s going to hurt initially because you’re going to do it wrong and you’re not going to give enough direction and somebody is going to mess up. But once you find it, magic is going to happen.” [21:38] “You’re ready for a virtual assistant when you realize that your time is better spent doing the highest leveraged activities in your business.” [33:03] “Be open to defining what success looks like instead of being like ‘go fly little birdie!’ and then being pissed off by what comes back. You have to set expectations.”[44:59] “What you’re building is bigger than you. But if you don’t take it back to the whole reason why you started this in the first place, you kind of lose sight of it and you only chase that status and significance and it just messes it all up.” [53:32]   Links Build A Better Video Business With Our Exclusive Studio Sherpa Community Get your inbox management gift here! Priority VA Loom The Five Love Languages   Check out the full show notes page Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune into 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!

Have you ever worked hard to create an amazing video for a client and then nobody sees it? Maybe it’s not placed well on the client’s website or the client just doesn’t follow through effectively with their campaign. When this happens to me, I know my job isn’t over, but just how can we help? In today’s episode, I speak with Mike Schmidt, CEO, and founder of the digital marketing agency Anchor Wave based in Tucson. He and his 20 person team build websites, run Facebook ad campaigns, handle SEO, and all sorts of online promotions for many small, local companies. Mike has always enjoyed helping other businesses achieve their goals using technology. In this sense, what he does is not dissimilar to video production. We discuss how to build those important early client relationships that are so crucial when getting your business up and running. Once those trusted connections are established you can go back to the client time and again to offer them your services - a much easier prospect than hustling for new work. The key to keeping these relationships going is not just making great videos for your clients but helping them get results from that video. That way they’ll come back to you again and again. What do you do to get your clients small wins? Let me know in the comments on the episode page yo!   In this episode Why hiring a team of employees will make you more money instead of costing you more Deciding if joining a chamber of commerce is a good idea for you How helping businesses get 5-star reviews is the perfect opener for introducing your services to clients The impact of reviews on a client’s business and how you can help them Why you need to help your videos produce results for your clients so they come back to you again and again The benefits of sharing your knowledge and expertise with others in your field   Quotes “In order for someone to do business with you they’ve got to know you, they’ve got to like you, and they’ve got to trust you, and going to a chamber of commerce is a way to potentially build those three things.”  [36:21] “Most every local business has a problem with reviews that’s easy to spot, easy to point out, and then when you can show up to the party with a solution, at a bare minimum they’ll be willing to listen to you.” [54:24] “That’s really the economy we live in today. There are no trade secrets. There’s nothing that someone can’t do the research to figure out, so I challenge everyone to be on the side of being open, on being giving.” [1:07:24]   Links Build A Better Video Business With Our Exclusive Studio Sherpa Community Anchor Wave Mike’s Training Ray Edwards “Profits Aren’t Everything, They’re the Only Thing”   Check out the full show notes page Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune into 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!

Getting your business up and running when you have 1,000 ideas and expectations of what to do, but no real roadmap to work with might be the most daunting task imaginable. Deciding what clients to work with, prices to charge and staff to hire is enough to scare many people away. Caleb Maxwell, the co-founder of Hebron Films, has figured out a way to work with clients he is truly excited about, that align with his values, but that also can pay the bills. Caleb’s company produces high-quality films in Bendigo, Australia. Although Hebron Films is only five years old, Caleb already has a process nailed down for working with the best clients for him and producing stellar videos. He started by literally walking into his favorite businesses and asking if they wanted a video. Now his company makes all sorts of videos from TV ads to charity camp videos to art films. Today we talk about what it’s like to be a small business working with other small businesses. We discuss how to create your business from the ground up while focussing on building the best processes you can for growth and sustainability. Caleb is also a Selling like a Sherpa “graduate” and he tells us what it’s like to put its lessons into practice. We also get real about why you need to be true to your own identity, interests, and values to be the best you can instead of comparing yourself to others and trying to be someone you’re not. Do you have systems in place that allow you to focus on being a company that is true to your identity? Leave a comment on the episode page!   In this episode: How to find clients that you are truly excited to work with instead of the ones you dread Why being passionate about your work as well as that of your of your client can get you the best type of work out there What it means to make videos that influence your community The messy business of having employees and why you need to be good at “cleaning up” if you’re going to be a leader Having an effective and repeatable process to landing the right clients and delivering a project Advice to filmmakers who are just starting out to help them decide what they are worth   Quotes: “As we developed a little bit and we got past getting dazzled by the big numbers and we were down in the nitty-gritty of day-to-day business, we were like, wait a second. Maybe what we need is not more people. Maybe what we need is to develop who we are, what we do, what our process is so that we can actually have a firm foundation to build upon if we want to build.”  [39:24] “Wherever there are people, there will be mess. So if you aren’t a professional mess cleaner then you have no business in getting a lot of people around you. Because more people just equals more mess.” [41:18] “It’s chalk and cheese from where we started. We went from sort of plodding along and getting a few things here and there to now having a solid and implemented process that we follow with every client.” [1:02:11] “Find what makes you tick, where you want to work, where you want to invest yourself, and then chase after that area.”  [1:10:20]   Links: Build A Better Video Business With Our Exclusive Studio Sherpa Community If Studio Sherpas has had an impact on your life or business, I would SO love it if you would take a minute to leave us a voicemail for a compilation we're putting together. You can do that here! Hebron Films Follow Caleb on Facebook | Vimeo Selling like a Sherpa course   Check out the full show notes page Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune into 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 you’re anything like me you probably started your business because you love making videos. Being creative might come naturally to you, but authentically selling your value to clients may not be your biggest strength. Sometimes we might put on a persona that isn’t true to ourselves, or we show up unprepared. It’s often a deal breaker, but all too common. My longtime friend, Jason McCullough is an expert communicator. He started +1 because he wants people to find clarity in what they do. Through his articles, courses, and coaching he helps people communicate better so that they can maintain the best client relationships that they can. He joins me in the studio today so we can discuss how creative entrepreneurs can communicate more effectively. We share some stories of when we’ve struggled to communicate well with our customers. If you are a person that needs to be able to sell better and more authentically, if you ever have a problem critiquing something or receiving criticism, or have ever been in an argument, you’re going to love this conversation. Did you do your “homework” and identify the problem that you are trying to solve that is central to your goals? Let me know in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode: How to respond to customers when they are unhappy with your work What can go wrong as a result of miscommunication and the best form of damage control Why being your authentic self is perhaps the most important thing to do in order to communicate effectively Why preparedness is the best way to avoid verbal diarrhea The importance of having a structure to the way you communicate with your clients so that they will buy your product over and over again The benefits of picking only the problems that you want to solve   Quotes: “There’s an art and a skill to communicating. A time and a place; the method by which you communicate to somebody or you respond to somebody. There’s no hard and fast rule. And I think that skill in today’s day and age is lost.”[14:32] “When you’re not yourself, people can sense that. When you’re trying to communicate something that isn’t authentic, it just doesn’t work, I don’t care who you are.” [18:13] “Focus on the things that you really really care about, and figure out all the rest of the stuff some other way. Somebody else can do it, or don’t do it at all.”  [34:17]   Links: Build A Better Video Business With Our Exclusive Studio Sherpa Community Become +1 Follow Jason on Twitter Ascend Method The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore   Check out the full show notes page Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune into 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!

Scaling up your business without sacrificing quality and customer service is a complex, daunting challenge facing any business owner (yup, I’ve been there). You have the potential to grow, make more money, find new clients, and create a larger impact in the world, but setting up the systems you need to do so is a minefield. It doesn’t have to be though. Kate Erickson knows just how to help you implement these systems. She is passionate and gifted in project management and has lived the entrepreneurial journey herself. Kate knows that this is one of the hardest parts of scaling up a business. As a creator, engager and implementer at EOFire she helps break down this process so that you can build the business that you always wanted have. On today’s exciting episode, we discuss how you can grow your business into something you are passionate about. We discuss what it means to take hold of your dreams and how to grow your business while also discovering how to effectively provide great customer service. I personally know the struggle of growing a business without sacrificing quality service. I sure wish I knew then what Kate talks about today. What are you doing to grow your business these days? What challenges are you facing? Let me know in the comments on the episode page!   In This Episode The challenges of scaling a business and how to overcome them How to break out of your routine in order to find the ideas that you are truly passionate about The importance of setting time aside to reflect on your business and your career Why scheduling really provides you with the freedom to do what you need and want to to do for your business Why it’s crucial that you delegate the tasks that you don’t want to do yourself   Quotes “I like to think of a project manager as being an orchestrator. It’s different when it’s you as the video producer who is responsible for that.” [6:35] “The motivation or drive that I think people need to dig down and find is wanting to serve your clients bad enough. The awesome thing is is that when you can do that, you get to start charging more money. You’re going to be setting yourself apart from the other people out there.” [8:26] “Are you living your perfect day? When you get up in the morning and you go to your studio and you do what you do, is that your perfect day? And if it’s not, then I challenge you to figure out what your perfect day is.”  [14:15] “Challenge yourself. Take a step back. Get outside of your daily routine and think about what it would look like if you did something different one day” [15:25] “For every time you have to do something that you don’t want to do, it’s taking time, bandwidth, energy, emotion away from what you’re truly meant to do.”   [21:53]   Links Entrepreneurs on Fire Kate’s Take podcast 3 Hours to Your Big Idea   Check out the full show notes page Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune into 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!

Identifying your ideal customer sure is an overwhelming process. So is crafting a clear message that shows them that you understand and empathize with their problems and needs. My friend Mark Wallenwine understands that problem as well as anyone and I am so thrilled that he joins us today to discuss his step-by-step process of helping you craft the message you need to grow your business.   Mark is a StoryBrand certified guide and copywriter. He helps million dollar companies craft clear messages, clarify marketing assets, and discover the character of their brand and their target audience so that their business can grow. I am so thrilled that Mark was good enough to join me to share his proven methods for achieving this.    In this episode, Mark explains the steps of his workshop so you can see just how he helps brands narrow down their picture of their ideal client and clarify their message. It’s truly exciting and brimming with aha moments.    Have you been struggling to define your brand’s message and your ideal client? What's seems to be the sticking point for you? Leave a comment on the episode page!     In this episode Why identifying your target audience is perhaps the most crucial part of building your brand The reasons why looking to your past clients is much more profitable than searching for new ones Why your clients don’t need to be in the same industry or in even remotely similar types of business Why a having a clear message is so much more important than a cool tagline The importance of creating a sales funnel that ends in landing clients who know that you can solve their problems The reasons why having good copywriting is essential to getting your ideal client and growing your business   Quotes   “Everyone is talking about the next best camera or thinking that that will solve all these problems. But your customers don’t even know about the next best camera or care…. That doesn’t solve their problems at all. Actually, that’s the greatest way to divebomb your profitability.”  [10:07] -17:46   “In a business matrix, new products and new customers are the most dangerous places to be because you have no data on them. So when we’re talking about customers, old customers with products you’ve made, are the safest place, because you know how long the projects take, you know how much was invested in them, you also know why they came to you, what problems they have, how you solved those problems.” [14:25]   “If you can resonate with how someone is feeling about a problem and talk about that in a way using language in a video or copy that is exactly like how they are thinking, then their brain literally goes ‘Oh my goodness! They’re speaking exactly what I’m thinking. They must have a solution for me.’ When you follow that up with a solution to their problem they go, ‘I have to buy this. Please take my money!” [36:32]     Links   Schedule a call with Mark Get Marks free ebook and questionnaire   Follow Mark on Facebook | Youtube | Linkedin   Building a StoryBrand by Don Miller How to Write Copy That Sells by Ray Edwards   SSP 082: The Truth About How To Build An Effective Brand   Check out the full show notes page Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune into 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 week we're throwing it back to one of my favorite interviews I've done, featuring Mark Winters. Rocket Fuel, the book he co-authored with Gino Wickman is one of the most impactful books in my entrepreneurial journey and I highly recommend you check it out.  If you’re like me, and most other creative business owners, you’re really good at starting projects, but not always at finishing through on them. You have a ton of amazing ideas but most of them never get acted upon, and it feels like if only you could find the time to actually implement these thoughts your business would be unstoppable. If that sounds familiar, this is completely normal. You’re most likely what Mark Winters calls a visionary. Mark is the co-author of a book called Rocket Fuel, where he and his co-author Gino Wickman detail the two essential roles that need to be filled for any business to truly thrive. As we discuss, most business owners and entrepreneurs are Visionaries, people who excel at coming up with ideas, but often lack the focus to follow through on the details and execution. That’s where the Implementer comes in. As visionaries, these are the people we need to hold us accountable, and who excel at seeing that the grand ideas get put into practice in our businesses. Mark and I talk about how to know when it’s time to seek out an implementor, how to find and make use of one in your business - even if that business only consists of you, and some common hiring mistakes small businesses make, along with a ton of other insight. Does the visionary role resonate with you? Have you ever hired someone who fit perfectly into the Integrator role? What results did that have on your business?  In this episode: The difference between visionaries and implementers and why both are essential in successful businesses and partnerships How to know when you need to start looking for an integrator, and what characteristics you should be looking for How to make the integrator/visionary model work even in a small 1 or 2 person company Why you can’t only hire people that you like and resonate with, and some of the consequences Quotes: “It’s so hard for us to realize that all the stuff that drives us nuts, there’s actually somebody out there, that’s what they love!” [14:19] “It’s the simple math problem that says, ‘If I can pay $25/hr to have somebody do that and I can get an hour, what can I do with that? What could I generate with that hour?’ It’s probably way more than $25, and worst case it’s an hour of freedom.” [17:56]   Links Find Mark online Follow Mark on Twitter @markcwinters Find Rocket Fuel on Amazon and AudibleTraction by Gino Wickman 

Being a filmmaker often means chasing the clients and the work while leaving your passion projects on the backburner. It’s often easier, even “safer” not to do the work that truly speaks to your creative side, even though that work can open more doors and help you grow as a creator and artist. Lee Morton is the founder of Mozell Films, a company that helps brands tell their stories through video, while also doing freelance work as a director. In today’s episode, he not only shares his knowledge on how to build successful business connections, but we also go deep into what it means to create work that you’re truly passionate about. Lee’s entrepreneurial journey is truly inspiring. He built his company from scratch by making gutsy decisions and snagging the best opportunities that came his way. Today, we discuss how to chase your dreams without regret and how to grow as an artist while also building and running a successful business. Do you have a passion project you’ve been putting off? Or, has such a project paid dividends you never expected? Let me know in the comments on the show notes page!   In This Episode: How to make your brand stand out from the crowd by being unique in the way you hustle The importance of having a sales process, making the right connections, and having patience in order to land work with the big brands. What passion projects mean to the industry and why they should be an essential part of your business Taking control of the production process so that the work that your not fired up about makes the work you are excited about possible The importance of keeping your team passionate in the work you’re all doing How having trust in your creative process and that of others will help you overcome so many struggles   Quotes: “I think the one thing that I've been inspired by the most is simply opportunity. You can do anything you want in this world. You can create a project and make something and put it in front of anyone. And that is incredibly inspiring.” [13:22] “I want to be the best at whatever I do because I know I'll be more fulfilled that way and I’ll be able to serve people better than being a mediocre something.” [31:25] “This is an orchestra of people serving a story, so they’re all independent relationships. Serve them and their human spirit because that is what humanity is about. If you do that we’re all going to be one hundred percent into this story and this project” [42:22]   Links: Don't Forget to use the code "studiosherpas10" on last week's guest's Kristine & Calen's upcoming Masterclass Find Lee Online Follow Lee on Instagram Mozell Films Follow Mozell Films on Instagram    Check out the full show notes page Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune into 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!

Striking a balance between your creative side and developing your business is tough. How do you stay true to your artistic talents while also growing a successful business? Videographer power-couple Kristine and Calen Rhome join us today to talk about how they’ve built up a successful videography business without compromising their artistic visions. Kristine and Calen run White in Revery which they started six years ago. While they specialize in wedding videos, they do a lot more as well. Ask them what they do and they might just answer “millennial jobs.” Traveling around the world to shoot in some amazing locations, these super-entrepreneurs have found the sweet spot in running a successful business that showcases their talents but still leaves them the time and energy to focus on their family. Not wanting to keep all their knowledge to themselves, Kristine and Caleb now share what they know with one-on-one workshops and have created a comprehensive masterclass on video editing. In this podcast, we also talk about the importance of establishing an efficient workflow, how to cultivate personal relationships in different sectors of the industry, and how to let your work sell itself. Perhaps most importantly, we discuss why investing in yourself is essential. If you feel that your business is stagnating because you’ve reached the limits of your skill-set or are taking on too much yourself, then get prepared for an illuminating episode. How do you build your business while maintaining your artistic mindset? How have you built beneficial relationships with others? Leave us a comment on the episode page!   In this episode: Why it’s important to hire an employee even if you don’t think you need one yet Why building relationships and nurturing connections with all sorts of people will get you more work How prioritizing family and your personal life will be reflected positively in your business The importance of always learning and improving your game, even though it may seem too expensive and time-consuming   Quotes: “It has always been really difficult to let go and have someone else in place of you that represents your team, who can film your style well. The biggest part is having really good character, so they connect with the couple on a great level.” “It’s really important, for me personally, to be spending money on myself, on the knowledge I have.” “Love what you do … Enjoy the process, do your best, but put out things that you’re proud of.”   Links Build A Better Video Business With Our Exclusive Studio Sherpa Community   Don't Forget to use the code "studiosherpas10" on Kristine & Calen's upcoming Masterclass White in Revery Follow Kristine and Calen on Facebook | Instagram | Youtube Venture Workshop for Wedding Filmmakers  Tony Robbins Studio Sherpas Interview with Colleen Bezich on Legal Advice How I Built This Podcast   Check out the full show notes page Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune into 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!

Sometimes your clients just don’t know what story they have to tell. They might know what their brand is, but not how to get their values and ideas across beyond a simple list of keywords. Of course, it’s your job to find that story and tell it for them. Clover Carroll, founder of New Story Media, has built a company that does just that. He helps his customers define their brand through authentic video storytelling. Not only does he have a lot to say about ways to help and nurture relationships with clients, he also shares how he has grown as a successful entrepreneur. Clover started off shooting videos for luxury farms and ranches (hear why he hates drones), and today he helps his clients tell their stories with strategic video marketing campaigns. He’s not afraid to ask deep questions about their company’s core values in order to get the message across. In this episode, we discuss successful marketing practices to grow as a company and how to create a system that weathers the high and low seasons of business. We also discuss the power of community. Clover reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles and the best way we grow and succeed as entrepreneurs is to learn from each other. Have you learned any valuable lessons from a community? How do you dispel a potential client’s fears with the authenticity of your brand? Let us know in the comments on the episode page!   In this episode: How the power of community can help us learn and cope with our struggles. Why it’s critical to generate leads well in advance of when you need them through a nurturing campaign. How to put potential customers’ fears to rest by being our own awesome and authentic self. Ways in which a video production business can transform into engaging marketing strategy company.   Quotes “From an entrepreneur's standpoint, I’m always analyzing success. What you have done, whether you realize it or not...you have created a lead generator of value where you don’t even put in all the content entirely yourself. The group is generating the content for you, and that’s incredible.” [9:33] “There’s the business system that has to happen. Whether you’re selling video or marketing or cheese, you have to have business systems in place. That is why it is imperative that you read all the time. You've got to be learning. You got to have new processes. You got to have new ideas.” [28:36] “People say ‘I need a video to explain my business.’ But what they really need is strategy.” [35:25]   Links: Build A Better Video Business With Our Exclusive Studio Sherpa Community New Story Media Follow New Story Media on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter   StoryBrand Minimalist Marketing Dotcom Secrets The E-Myth by Michael Gerber Teamwork ActiveCampaign Story & Heart DigiMarCon South   Check out the full show notes page Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas Tune into our weekly Facebook Lives Follow Studio Sherpas on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram   If you haven't already, we'd love it if you would leave us a review on iTunes!