Grow Your Video Business

If you’ve been listening to Studio Sherpas for long, you know we believe that the greatest investment you can make is in the people you surround yourself with. As creatives, many of us get an uneasy feeling when we hear the word “networking” but as today’s guest explains, real networking can be filled with heart, personality, and true, genuine connection. Mike Kim is a marketing consultant, communications strategist, and copywriter who loves nothing more than giving back to the world through his podcast and conferences. His insights into what the number one thing you need to do to properly market yourself, his tips and tricks on connecting with influencers right from the start, and how you can stand out from the crowd to get yourself remembered, are priceless. Mike also dives into why being a “connector” can ultimately lead to your biggest successes, and how you absolutely need to learn one critical skill every year if you want to level up your business. You will love hearing Mike speak because everything he says is actionable today and can lead to results quickly. What is the critical skill you are learning in 2018? How will this skill help your business overall? Leave us a comment below!   In this episode: How learning a new critical skill each year will truly level up your business The power behind forward oriented questions in conversation (and what the heck those are) How to connect and build relationships with influencers Why giving back can lead you to more success than you can imagine Mike’s “Strategic Selfie” trick to standing out and getting yourself remembered at conferences and networking events The #1 thing you need to do to market yourself properly How do you begin telling your story as a brand   Quotes: “Everyone who is in business for themselves in a thought leadership brand or creative brand, they have mastered at least one thing. It doesn’t mean that you’re the best in the works but that’s the best thing that you do. And, money flows towards mastery, that’s how you make your living.” (6:46) “Business is really, really simple. Business is nothing more than solving a problem for profit. And, if you are going to go into business for yourself you might as well solve a problem that you want to.” (14:05) “It’s all about that story. It’s all about letting people know how you got into the business, what is it that drives you so that they can get to know you so that they can trust that you’ll be around them shooting video. They are intimidated enough by the camera or any other creative pursuit.” (41:24)   Links: Mike's Website Follow Mike on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram   Mike's Podcast, Brand You Influence and Impact Conference How to Market Yourself Blog Post   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

It’s safe to say that as creatives, most of us absolutely we love what we do. But how much time to do we set aside to work on our businesses and not just solely focus on the work inside of our business. We would all love it if our work sold itself, but the fact of the matter is that we need to put just as much work into promotion, marketing, and maybe most importantly relationship building, as we do producing amazing work. Jason Wallis is the owner of Central Standard Productions which showcases his compelling still and motion images and his commercial films. He began his career as a commercial photographer but he fell in love with filmmaking when he was forced to make a pivot in his business. These days, his diverse skill set allows him to offer both services, often to the same clients, on the same projects. Jason gets real with us about the need to be authentic in your work and relationships with people, the importance of always to bettering yourself and your portfolio with spec work, and how to attract the agencies and clients that you really want to work with. Jason has some great insights into how you can cultivate your relationships to make them referral magnets for you, and shares with us some tips on how he’s built up his incredible network. While relationship building and selling yourself and your skills can seem daunting and often overwhelming, Jason breaks it down so that you know how to come at it with professionalism and authenticity. How do you go about building your relationships in the industry? What do you find works the best and what has utterly failed? Let us know in the comments below!   In this episode: The importance of professionalism on and off the set and why how you present yourself matters Jason’s process to attract the right agencies and clients for you and your brand How to cultivating great relationships that lead to more and better work How to use your network to make connections that will lead to opportunities How to choose spec work projects strategically to get the work you want down the road   Quotes: “We knew, #1, we wanted to take care of our crew, we wanted to take care of our client, and take care of our talent that is on set. So, there is a general way of treating people with respect and dignity and honor, and we want to take care of you, that was our #1 goal, always. And, with that mindset we always were successful.” (10:56) “The local and regional stuff, it does become completely about trust. Most of my work was hired because someone knew me and trusted me versus, ‘Hey this is an awesome piece of work that you have done.’ In fact, a lot of people don’t hire based on my work; they hire me based on me.” (21:32) “I have learned from creative geniuses and some really bold clients that did some things that I just had a lot of fun doing and I was kinda along for the ride. So, now I want to take all that experience and say okay, who do I want to present myself as on a national stage.” (32:49)   Links: Jason Wallis Central Standard Productions Follow Jason on Facebook | Twitter Studio Sherpas Episode 44 w/ Gnarly Bay   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

You know how your to-do list just seems to keep growing endlessly, to the point where you know you’ll never get everything (or even anything) on it done? Many of these tasks you know would move your business forward if you could only get to them, and yet there are never enough hours in the day or days in the week to sit down and knock them out. We feel ya, and today, we (Matt & Ryan) want to share with you how we’ve used creative hiring in our businesses to free up our time to focus on our strengths, while also taking care of the small things that are necessary to keep the businesses running smoothly, profitably, and effectively. When you think about hiring, you might immediately think about editors, shooters, and producers, which can seem daunting - and expensive. The truth is that there are probably 100 tasks in your business that could be hired out incredibly cheaply without committing to a monthly salary, which will save you time, and be done better than you would have yourself. We share some common misconceptions that keep video producers from hiring, how we got started building our teams, how we use virtual assistants and freelancers to take care of the minutiae associated with running a business, and how hiring out work could actually save you thousands and thousands of dollars.   We’d love to hear what tasks you routinely hire out, or what’s keeping you from outsourcing if you haven’t yet. Let us know in the comments!   In this episode: Different ways to hire that you might not have thought of before and the values of each role Our experiences of how our teams have actually saved us thousands of dollars Where to get started with your first hire, and how it’s easier and cheaper than you’re probably thinking How to hire a VA and which tasks you should consider outsourcing   Quotes: Are you charging what you want to charge, are you making the kind of money you want to make? What is your hourly rate? And if you don’t know that, then it’s really easy to say, ‘Well, of course I’m not going to hire an accountant, to do my accounting, because that’s going to cost $1500 at the end of the year.’ But, when you start thinking about how long does it take you to get all those papers together, and to start punching numbers into QuickBooks. If you want to charge $200 an hour for your time, would you ever pay an accountant $200/hr?” [7:53] What I was able to experience life wise, by not having to think about the numbers, and not having to keep track of all these things, but to have someone that was doing that for me was incredibly freeing, super life-giving. It’s hard to put a number on that.” [11:38]   Links: Upwork Fiverr Studio Sherpas Episode 55: How To Set Goals That Will Grow Your Business In 2018 Check out the full show notes page Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas

What are your tried and true ways to gain new clients? We’re often so desperate for income that we grab at anything and everything without really asking “Is this project right for me?” or “Do I even really want to do this work?). Caleb Wojcik shares some tips on lining up work with clients you really want to work with, in his case, Pat Flynn and ConvertKit. Caleb Wojcik is the founder of the DIY Video Guy, Caleb Wojcik Films, and co-founder of Fizzle.co. His background includes a degree in business, and he can include Chris Guillebeau, the NFL, MLB and the Rose Bowl as clients. He started as a wedding film photographer but slowly grew his business to include a film production company, a podcast, and the many amazing courses he offers on DIY Video Guy. On today’s episode, we dive deep into how to connect with the people you really want to work with, the different versions of networking and which will work best for your goals, and how to get recurring clients as opposed to one time gigs. Caleb’s insights into the business mindset are priceless and can definitely help you to scale your business according to your needs while charging what you’re worth. Things like raising prices can be scary and often intimidating but Caleb breaks it down in a way where you can do small things to help raise your perceived value so that you can increase your prices without the client batting an eye. What is your go-to method for finding new clients? Do you do more business through direct to client marketing, agencies or referrals? Leave a comment below! In the episode: How to connect with people you really want to work with How to make smart gear purchases When and how to grow your team sustainably Some great online tools to help your business How to get recurring clients instead of one-off’s Steps you can take to increase your value and prices Quotes: “The biggest thing for me has been knowing the right people and building relationships years in advance of ever working with them... Try to get introduced but putting yourself in the same physical location or at events, like conferences, as other people that are doing cool stuff that’s how I have built my network of clients even before I needed them.” (7:02) “Two of my favorite things to do at a conference are to introduce people: So when you start to meet people and you meet a new person, introduce that person to someone that might overlap well with whatever it is they have going on because once you become that connector at an event, then people will kind of reciprocate in the same way and introduce you to people. And when I am ending a conversation with someone at an event or conference, I try to ask do you know of one person here that you think I should meet that would be perfect for X, Y or Z and then that gives you the next person to go talk to.” (13:10) “Really investing in your peers, certain people at your level, in a few years those people are going to be speaking at events and those people are going to be starting companies that can hire you. So, that’s kind of the process I have now.” (14:35) “I think it is important to be confident in your pricing and if you do play the low pricing game you’re just setting yourself up to compete with a bunch of other people as opposed to if your pricing yourself higher, typically those clients are better and you have less competition at that price point.” (32:07) Links: DIY Guy Video Caleb Wojcik Films Fizzle.co Follow Caleb Wojcik on Youtube | Twitter | Instagram Asana Active Campaign Boomerang for Gmail   Check out the full show notes page Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas  

How much do you focus on relationship building, not just with potential clients but with other vendors, filmmakers, and photographers? Do you use collaboration as part of your business strategy? Today we’re talking to Josh and Serena Gooden about being a couple who works together, the power of collaborations, and setting yourself apart as a luxury brand. Josh is a luxury cinematographer and Serena a luxury photographer. Both focusing on luxury weddings and corporate videos, they have separate businesses but also collaborate frequently. They travel the world for high end projects and clients, and are known for the unique style and special skill when it comes to color. We talk about how they make working together as a couple work when it has backfired for so many others. We also get into how they were able to break out of their small market in Charlottesville, VA and begin attracting clients from bigger, higher-end markets. We also discuss their view on collaborating and building relationships and how that has contributed to their success. Are you part of a photography/videography couple? What are your thoughts on breaking out of a small market? Let us know in the comments!   In this episode: How they work together as a couple and stay together The importance of building relationships with other videographers in the industry as well as with vendors, and how that can lead to new opportunities Breaking out of a small market into the larger global scene How they set themselves apart as a luxury brand   Quotes: “Because we own our own separate businesses, we understand how much time it takes to run a business and how much energy it takes to run a business, so we value that with each other” [9:39] “I was terrified but I brought along someone i’d worked with in the past who was an amazing interviewer. I think that was the biggest thing I learned, just to seek out people that are better than you, with similar parallel skill sets that will take you to the next level.” [20:18] “If you’re in a small market and you want to travel, you basically have to reach out to people in those markets and see if you can collaborate with them or get coffee with them and just try to establish a relationship” [18:19]   Links: Josh’s Website Serena’s Website Follow Josh on Facebook | Instagram | Vimeo  Follow Serena on Facebook |  Instagram Check out the full show notes page  Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas  

What does your marketing strategy look like? So often as creatives we spend all of our time creating and never end up marketing those creations. Caleb Peavy is not only a creative like us but a master at marketing as well, and in this episode, he walks us through the five mistakes he sees creatives making in our marketing and how to fix them. Check out the full show notes: http://studiosherpas.com/59 Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas: http://www.studiosherpas.com   

If you’re a corporate or wedding filmmaker, are you setting yourself apart with your style? A lot of filmmakers, especially wedding filmmakers, feel they don’t have the freedom they want with weddings, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Today we’re talking with luxury wedding filmmaker Kevin Shahinian about having a vision and being directorial as well as finding high-end clients who are willing to pay you what you’re worth. Check out the full show notes: http://studiosherpas.com/58  Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas: http://www.studiosherpas.com 

How are you approaching growing your client base? Are you focusing only on what your needs are? Often when world searching for our ideal clients we tend to focus solely on what we need, and not what we can do for others. This is a big mistake. Today we’re talking about the power of community, and how there are more important skills than simply being good at your craft that will keep your pipeline full. Haley Akins is a motion designer with 9+ years of experience which includes 4 years at Google’s internal production company in the UK as Senior Motion Designer. She’s worked with clients from the BBC to the United Nations, and has made the shift to a thriving freelance business, most recently launching the podcast and community Motion Hatch. We get into why choosing clients who match your values can lead to amazing (and lucrative) relationships, how putting yourself and your work out there will help you build a community, and why we should never be afraid to get paid what we are worth. It can be scary to raise your rates but the more open and honest we are within our communities about pay scale, the more power there is in doing just that. When was the last time you raised your rates? If you haven’t recently, what is the biggest thing standing in your way from raising them? Leave a comment below!   In this episode: The power in peer and community referrals, and why you shouldn’t be afraid to recommend a “competitor” How to reach out to the clients you want to work with to start a relationship How to stand out from the crowd in whatever you do Hayley’s “Occupy Inbox” strategy for getting in front of big potential clients   Quotes: “I think it is really important to get the message out there that you should build your client base up so that you can say no, so that you have opportunities to do projects that you really want to work on.” (18:36) “Building your business up isn’t just about making money, it’s definitely about improving yourself and then if you have more freedom to choose your clients, then maybe you can choose clients whose values align with your own and hopefully have a more positive impact on the world.” (19:10) “The most important things that I think about in freelance and business is to not just go out there and do things for yourself, try and think about other people because you will find that people will want to help you and they will want to work with you. Just be a nice, cool person.” (37:29)   Links: Motion Hatch Follow Motion Hatch on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram Email Hayley at Hello@MotionHatch.com Hayley Akins  Follow Hayley on Facebook | Twitter   Bingomation http://www.bingomation.com/ Stay up to date with everything we're doing at Studio Sherpas

Have you ever put any thought into where you’re allocating your time as a business owner, and how that investment will help you continue to grow your business in the future? As creatives we’re often either hyper-focused or scatterbrained, which, if we’re not careful, can lead to stagnation or subpar work. This episode is chock full of good information, but among the most important topics we cover is the 80/20 rule of growing your business, and why it might piss you off. Brett Culp is a filmmaker, social entrepreneur, cinematographer, and speaker whose passion for charity and documentaries has lead to his work being featured on Netflix and Hulu in addition to having a chapter of a college textbook dedicated to his production style (wow). He is also the co-founder of The Rising Heroes Project which produces amazing films that focus on uplifting, real-life stories with messages of hope, courage, and commitment while also allowing them to be screened around the world with proceeds go to charity. We talk about how he continually evolves as a filmmaker, discuss why you need to find a way to move past the need for external validation, the reason you should always question why you think you need that new tool or gadget, and how to not take things personally in any situation, especially when sharing your work with others. You may not always feel comfortable hearing what Brett has to say but that doesn’t mean that we all don’t need to hear it. He is honest and upfront with no BS, and he’s helping us kick off the new year right. There’s so much in this episode we’d love to hear what stood out to you the most! What did Brett say that motivated or challenged you? Leave us a note in the comments!   In this episode: The art of reinvention and hustle, and how Brett ensures he is constantly evolving How to not take things personally when sharing your work and why it is imperative The importance of being involved in communities that are safe places Brett’s life hack for the quickest way to get your 20% to become your 80% When & why you should hire on additional contractors   Quotes: “My general practice is that with my heart, my energy, my time, my resources, my money, whatever it is, I put 80% of it into my main hustle, which is the thing that us paying my bills, but I reserve 20% of it for my side hustle. And, my side hustle is whatever is next or whatever I am excited about.” (19:16) “I don’t need the external validation of a five thousand dollar camera to feel like I am doing good work.” (47:37) “What I have learned over time was that the good leads never came passively. They always take work and hustle and aggressiveness and relationship building and contacts.” (56:27)   Links: Brett’s website  Follow Brett on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn Legends of the Knight  Look To The Sky  A Voice That Carries (Coming in 2018) The Rising Heroes Project   

When did you last set aside some time to think strategically about the direction of your business, assess what you’ve been doing well (or not) and set goals for where you want to head in the future? We know that this can be a difficult commitment to make, but Matt and I both believe it’s one of the best things that you can do for both your business and your personal life. We’re guessing that if you’re anything like us, once you start the goal-setting process, you’ll quickly get addicted to it. Today, we are talking all about what did and didn’t work in 2017 and what our goals are for 2018. We break down how to come up with them, how to achieve them, and how clarity and reflection can ultimately help you succeed and move your business forward. We also dive into the necessity of accountability, whether that comes from friends and family, community-driven, or a coach. Whoever it is, having accountability is one of the best things you can do to keep moving forward and progressing your business in the way you want. As always, we give some real-life examples from our businesses to help illustrate the do’s and don'ts, so you can avoid some of the hurdles we have struggled with. If you want to push your business to the next level, this episode will lay out the game plan that we’ve used to gain traction with our businesses and grow consistently. Do you write out your goals? If so, do you prefer yearly or quarterly? How have they helped your business or life? Leave us a comment below!   In this episode: Why both goal setting and reflection are essential for the success and growth of your business How to come up with goals, and what makes a good goal. The four questions to answer for clarity on any subject matter The importance of having accountability to your goals   Quotes: “When you can create these goals, whether its every 90 days or once a year and say “what do I want to achieve this year and who can I invite alongside me to keep me accountable for these things?” That is how we move forward as people. That’s how we grow as people. When we work on our person instead of just in our ordinary lives.” (7:54) “Set some goals that are achievable, attainable and start small. That’s okay to do if you're not used to setting goals.” (10:40) “If you want to build a business that is sustainable and that's growing, you have to be learning. You have to be growing. You have to be moving forward. You have to be figuring out what am I doing that’s not working as well as it should. If you’re not creating that time and that space then what’s going to happen is fast forward a year, five years and you are going to be the business that is out of touch.” (23:16)   Links: Studio Sherpas 90 Day Plan Find Traction on Amazon or Audible  Check out Studio Sherpas Episode 43 with the author of Traction, Gino Wickman   * Some of the above links are affiliate links, but as you know by how much I gush about this book, I really believe it can help you and your business!