Grow Your Video Business with Ryan Koral

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!

One of the biggest mistakes filmmakers tend to make nowadays is forgetting the importance of storytelling. Storytelling has a rich human history and it is something that today's returning guest, Patrick Moreau, is passionate about helping other filmmakers discover. In this episode, Patrick walks us through why we need to understand the science of storytelling and how that knowledge will help us land bigger and better jobs. Patrick is the founder of Stillmotion and Muse Storytelling, and has recently launched a free course for filmmaking walking through the effects story has on the human mind. The 'Expert of Storytelling', Patrick has a highly esteemed portfolio including work for Canon, the United Nations and the NFL and is a master of delivering results-based content to his clients. Patrick takes storytelling to the next level, explaining the concept of narrative transportation and backs it up with hard scientific facts behind the reason storytelling works (when its done right, of course). By strategically planning how to achieve an objective and become a storytelling expert, you can increase the amount you make per job, open up new revenue streams through consulting, and instill more confidence in your clients. He also digs into why we need to challenge ourselves to become more than 'pixel pushers' and to truly connect with our client's message and in turn, connect deeply with the human emotion in your consumer. Patrick believes it's more important to go beyond the filters and the drones of today's filmmaking scene to actually emotionally connect with a specific story. How do you connect with your client's stories and help them make 'more than just a video'? Let us know in the comments! In This Episode Going beyond being a filmmaker to become a storyteller The science behind how and why storytelling works How to properly communicate your goals with your clients Adding value to the way you tell stories Positioning yourself as an expert in the industry Quotes "That's where you want to be with your clients, a trusted expert who can execute and deliver results, and you're just giving them clarity on how you're going to do it." (6:32) "We are making videos for humans to watch so we kind of have a responsibility to understand how humans work. What actually creates connection? Why would somebody actually watch this? Why wouldn't they watch this? And that's really the premise of all of it. If you are making videos for humans understand what gets their attention, what drives them to action, what would get them to actually watch your content? And once you understand that you unlock a whole new world of how you can create and how you can interact with your clients." (13:24) "They want a video, they aren't sure how they want to get there, they don't even necessarily communicate why they want to do it, but by us positioning ourselves as the expert and walking them through a different way, all of a sudden they're like 'yeah I get why we would pay you way more, because the guy down the street is just making a video" (32:32) "[The training videos] go through in detail how to actually apply these ideas to your business right now so that it's like tangible value that you can walk away with." (43:53) "All of a sudden, you're the expert. And you get the rooms and the budgets and the time, and you just fall in love with it. You just get excited to get back out and get on the field and create things that you believe in. Things that you want to see made. And that's powerful. (47:02) Links Build A Better Video Business With Our Exclusive Studio Sherpa Community Level Up Your Filmmaking Muse Storytelling Stillmotion Follow Stillmotion on Twitter | 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 leave us a review on iTunes!

When I first started out with my business, I thought that branding meant little more than having a cool label and a good looking website. Yeah... I was wrong about that. Through the years, my branding has both hurt and helped my business, as I'm sure it has for many of you. Today we're diving into the art and strategy of branding, and how you can put it to work for your business. In this episode, I want to share some of the highs and lows (and embarrassing relics of past iterations of my businesses…) of my branding journey, tips and tricks of how to avoid getting lost in your branding, and how to figure out what makes your company different. Proper branding can give your company a stronger sense of direction, help you access your target audience and secure larger and more profitable projects. It's important to keep refreshing your brand over time to make sure it is still speaking your language to your potential clients, and figuring out what your company's overall feel and vibe is your first step. Where are you at your company? Have you branded yourself? Leave a comment on this post with your thoughts on my second solo episode! In This Episode Learning from your mistakes to make your branding better The stories behind the branding of my companies and some of the mistakes I made What a brand looks like today vs 15 years ago How to clean up a confused brand and why it matters Understanding the branding learning curve Quotes "My hope is that we can all just understand that if we are learning, we are in a good spot, if we are open to change, we are in a good spot. And back then I was learning and I was open to change, and I just wish I would have changed sooner, I wish I would have understood what a brand was sooner." (9:53) "When we did the branding process I finally felt like, 'oh my gosh!' My confidence went up. And I wasn't ashamed anymore." (15:42) "With a solid brand, when you go to sleep at night, your brand works for you. When people are emailing you, your brand should work for you. When people are talking to you on the phone, meeting you in person, you should know how to say what it is you do and who you are doing it for. And that is who you are and that is actually what your brand is. Your brand is who you are." (17:30) "It was more about the conversation about where the brands need to go as opposed to what they needed to look like." (28:41) "That's really where branding comes in. Branding is that piece where if you have solid messaging surrounding you and you are inundating yourself and just embracing the brand then you can go anywhere, whether it's online or going to a networking meeting. You can be the brand for other people." (38:44) Links Build A Better Video Business With Our Exclusive Studio Sherpa Community Deep Canvas DJ Hurula & One Brand Studio Building A Story Brand by Donald Miller Story Brand Level Up Your Filmmaking 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! My First Business' "Branding" *Cringe*: