Grow Your Video Business with Ryan Koral

It's no secret that drones are currently one of the most hyped tools we have in our arsenal as filmmakers, and it's no wonder why. In the past decade, affordable drones have unlocked cinematic shots that we were only accustomed to seeing in huge Hollywood or commercial productions. The thing is, there's a lot more to the world of drone cinematography than just those cool shots. If you're anything like me, you might not be nearly as well educated as you think you might be, and that can end up costing you in a whole bunch of ways you might never have even thought of. Scott Stimple is a filmmaker, the owner of The Drone Flight School and CinemAerial Visuals, has been a commercial pilot with United Airlines for over 40 years and has been hacking together DIY drones since before they were cool. Needless to say, he is an expert in the arena of flight, and one of the top experts in the world of drone cinematography. He takes us to school today on how to use these amazing tools safely, responsibly, and effectively, to make our films the best they can be. Scott takes us on a journey through the do's and don'ts of unmanned aircraft flight, the legalities of flying a drone and the crazy level of importance on flying smart and safe and not being stupid while in the air. I learned so much from this episode that my notebook was full of critical information, including knowing how to operate your drone when the weather doesn't work out and how just because you've passed the drone licensing test, doesn't mean you know how to handle a drone properly. In this episode: The biggest mistake people make when flying drones Tips on how to get started properly once you pick up your first drone The importance of systems knowledge when it comes to high stress situations, and how this can save you thousands of dollars What your are risking by not taking the FAA test How to find liability insurance for drones, and why you need it Quotes: "You have to leverage that tool in order to make your work stand out and stand above other people's work, because everybody is using it." (23:44) "Sure, something went wrong, well let's go to the checklist. We've got systems knowledge, we've got procedures, so let's start running down the list of options that we have." (28:50) "To just go grab a book, study, and say I passed [the FAA test] and am now a licensed drone pilot is not doing you or our craft a service." (40:51) Links: The Drone Flight SchoolFollow The Drone Flight School on Facebook & Instagram CinemAerial Visuals Follow them on Vimeo UV Insurance Transport Risk Insurance Maine Media Workshops

We all have those evil little fears that roll around in our heads and try to get us to give up, or worse, not even try in the first place. These gremlins of doubt and uncertainty will keep us from achieving or even reaching for some of our biggest goals and dreams, often things we know we have the talent to achieve. Well in today's podcast we explore these fears and get actionable steps to conquer them. Amy Johnson is an Emmy winning filmmaker who specializes in both weddings with One Fine Day Productions and big sporting & corporate events including a ton of work with Fox Sports, the Milwaukee Brewers and others with Captivate Film Company. She was highly requested by our Studio Sherpas community, and we are so excited that she was able to sit down and talk to us. Amy is super honest about her journey, and we dig deep into how building your team with subcontractors according to each job's needs can open up your business to big jobs you might never have considered, why checking your ego can help you maintain healthy relationships with your clients, and why her favorite celebrity moments included Martha Stewart. If you want real insights into the world of filmmaking and sports, then this is the podcast for you! What fears have you allowed to hold you back? What fears have you conquered and kicked to the curb? Leave a comment below! In this episode: Tips & tricks on taking risks and getting over fears How making an investment in one job can lead to a ton of future opportunities How the competition mindset can destroy your momentum, and some of the practical reasons to consider other film companies as your allies How the heck you're supposed to budget for a job like working with Fox Sports. Amy breaks it down! Quotes: "You try to do everything and you can't. There is no physical way you can, and if that was all I was doing, I would never have any time to do anything else." [8:38] "It's the challenge of I am going to figure out how to do this and not be scared." [18:45] "It's okay to hire someone who is smarter than you that knows something more about this, and that's the only way you are going to be able to grow. Otherwise, you just limit yourself to what your capabilities are. There is so much more you can do if you can get past that." [26:41] "It's okay to get rejected, sometimes it [doesn't feel] the best, but you never know until you try." [40:08] Links: Captivate Film CoFollow Captivate Film Co on Facebook Milwaukee Brewers Game Day Experience Video One Fine Day ProductionsFollow One Fine Day Productions on Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Vimeo Check out episode 37 with Raj Dhillon and on how to break into the commercial advertising video world Check out episode 22 with Lighthouse Films for another strategy to get into the commercial world

Many of us started our careers focussing on the wedding film industry. And while many filmmakers eventually expand their businesses to include corporate and commercial films, getting established in the wedding in the first place is something that often gets glossed over. If you're looking to make the leap into the world of wedding filmmaking, maybe leaving your day job in the process (woot!) Matt Johnson has some great tips on how to grow a wedding film-based business. Matt Johnson is a filmmaker/storyteller and owner of FilmStrong, who specializes in stunning wedding videos. He also gives out a ton of free advice, and tips & tricks on his extremely popular Youtube channel which is a must watch for anyone wanting to break into the biz. We also talk about how getting the right people into the proper roles can be the thing that takes you from being in the hole financially to being profitable. Plus, Matt gives us actionable steps for all the people starting out and I mean genuinely just beginning. This is the perfect episode for newbies and for people who are looking to scale their business. In this episode: How to take your business from scraping by to profitable The extreme importance of having the right people in the right roles Should you ever work for free? Tips and tricks for scaling your business beyond yourself Quotes: "By pushing at a higher luxury market and getting a very good vision and direction of where you are heading in your business, you can make more money by doing fewer weddings." (26:46) "If you are not on the math side, like I am not, hire someone." (30:28) "Be very selective with weddings and with the work that you put on your website. Don't just have it be everything." (42:46) Links: Find Matt on his website Let Matt help you grow and scale your business FilmStrong Follow Matt on Facebook, Youtube, Vimeo, Instagram, Twitter

What do you do when the struggles get to be too much? How do you deal with the fears and frustrations of being an entrepreneur? We have all been there, and they will happen throughout your career, but today's guest Whitney Powell has some insight and inspiration to share that will help you break free. Whitney began her career in LA after graduating from film school but soon realized that the Hollywood life was just not for her. So she changed everything. Her love of travel, storytelling, and endurance racing lead her to create her own company that fuses those passions together with social media branding for clients. She opens up about how while her life might look amazing on Instagram and Facebook (and believe me, it does), that doesn't mean it hasn't been filled with struggles, frustrations, and fear. She gets brutally honest about all of this, including what she does to pick herself up and continue moving forward even in the darkest times. If you have ever felt like taking your business in another direction more in line with your deepest passions, then this is a podcast that you cannot miss. I learned a ton from this conversation, and I strongly suggest you listen to it twice because it is just that good. Have you ever felt like throwing in the towel? How did you get yourself past that point? Let us know in the comments! In this episode: What does entrepreneurial life really look like, and how does it differ from what we see on social media? Tips on how to recover when you are feeling like giving up Why it's so important to be honest and upfront on social media How to think outside the box when it comes to making a career in the film and video industry Quotes: "You need to know what you are worth and say no, 'I am going to stick to my guns and follow the path that I envisioned & not accommodate what other people's visions are." (34:13) "Get mad and get proactive." (35:29) "What do I want? Nobody else is living my life. I have to live my life, so what do I want to be doing with that time. We only have so many hours in a day to make those choices so what are you going to do with it?" (36:46)

How often do you feel like you are overworked and underpaid? I'm sorry to say this, but you only have yourself to blame. Today on the podcast, Matt and I (Ryan) are opening up about the struggles we've faced in our businesses, both early on and more recently, and how we overcame them. We cover a lot of the info you probably never though about when you got into business in the first place including hiring, firing, pricing, and the fine art of setting boundaries for yourself. We also talk about the insane importance of allowing yourself time to recharge and that working 80 hours a week isn't impressive, it's stupid. And, how you are setting yourself up for failure if you don't carve out time to work on your business and not just in your business. As we discuss, there are always new challenges to tackle at every stage of your business, but with this episode we're hoping we can help you avoid some of the pitfalls that held us back early, and give you a look into the future of a growing film business so you can plan ahead! Have you been struggling with how to grow your business past a one-person band? What have you tried to help you scale it? What worked and what didn't work? Let us know in the comments below! In this episode: Some of the things that stunted us early on and kept us from growing our businesses? How do you raise your prices without you losing all your clients? The necessity of having an end goal in sight when you first start out. The reason that 96% of creative businesses fail. Quotes: "Make some boundaries, make some rules for yourself, know when you are turning off and turning on. Get some recharge time with your family and friends. Get some sleep." (29:04) "But having that end in sight and really saying in a year from now how can this business look different so that I am working a little less inside my business and a little more on my business, so that I am not pulling my hair out." (27:48) "We knew the clients that we wanted, we knew what we were worth and we attracted those people." (37:16) *** For even more insight into how we grew our businesses and price what we know we're worth, make sure to check out our free ebook, 7 Habits To Consistently Book 5-Figure Corporate Video Jobs *** Links: Check out Studio Sherpas online Follow Studio Sherpas on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook Email Matt & Ryan Hey@StudioSherpas.com Podcast Interview with Colleen Bezich Evernote Expensify Gusto The E-Myth Revisited (Book) Necessary Endings (Book) The Four Hour Work Week (Book)

We all want to be big business moguls like Mark Cuban or Steven Spielberg. We all want to scale our businesses to the upper echelons. But first we have take tiny steps before the big leaps, and to do that, we need to surround ourselves with people we can lean on, rely on, and laugh with. Do you have those people? Dan and Dana of Gnarly Bay are a team of young and ambitious filmmakers that make unique, honest and quirky videos that evoke human emotion and inspire. Today we discuss where they started from and how they have grown their business to the stage it is today. We speak in depth about how slow growth can be more beneficial to a company then the fast track effect and how passion projects can ultimately lead you to high paying clients. Do you want to grow your business? Do you need to make that next move but are fearful? Are you super passionate about your personal projects but don't see how it can lead to big paying gigs? Leave a comment below the post! In this episode: How can passion projects turn into real money? Why is slow growth much better for you and the business? Is it beneficial to go into business with your best friend? How to approach risk taking with your film business? Quotes: "Letting go of some of the reigns that we held on so to tightly, we started to realize that 'Oh, this is actually amazing, to have some people to lean on, to help." "If you tell an interesting story that can connect to a brand with their viewers in some sort of abstract, unique way, then there is an opportunity to do more work of that sort that you can kinda control the creative process of." "You have to do things that may be difficult but at least when you look back, those things just stand out amongst everything else." Links: Check out Gnarly Bay's work online Follow Gnarly Bay on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook Rambo Day Paper Towel Artist Video Tape Artist Video

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

What's the first thing you think of when I mention the word "lawyer"? It's ok, you can come out from under the bed. I know most of us creatives are easily scared off by the thought of lawyers, contracts, accounting and the like. We've all heard about hourly rates that are waaaay out of our price range, and we work with such great people that we'll never actually need a contract to enforce to protect ourselves. Right? Colleen Bezich is not only a practicing attorney specializing in helping creatives with legal issues pertaining to their business, but a filmmaker herself. She knows how we think as creatives and is joins us on the podcast to bust some of the myths most of us have around the legal aspects of our business. I can't even believe how many notes I took during the recording of this episode, covering everything from what type of business structure we should be set up as, what to include in our contracts to not only protect ourselves, but actually earn more money, to how to find cheap or even free legal services. Colleen also shares some eye-opening stories about creatives she's worked with who were bailed out by having their legal ducks in a row, and some who faced some severe consequences as a result of relying off of supposedly cheaper online or crowdsourced legal advice. This might be one of the most important episodes we've put out to date, so strap yourself in. What's your experience with contracts or legal services? Do you have any crazy stories of times when you were either glad you were protected or wished you were? Let us know in the comments! *** We just want to mention again, that all of the information Colleen provides is general knowledge and is NOT specifically tailored to your personal business. Alway get a lawyer familiar with your situation to help with any specific questions you might have! *** In this episode: Sole Proprietorship vs S Corp vs LLC: Which one is best for your business? How to view freelancers/interns/employees, and where many of us get it wrong Some specific clauses you might want to consider adding into your standard contracts, some of which can even help you earn more money! What to ask a prospective lawyer when looking for legal advice How to find cheap or free legal services Soooooo much more amazing information that doesn't get talked about enough. Just listen to the episode! Quotes: "Sole proprietorship is the route that most people go to because it involves literally no real filings with the IRS or otherwise, it's easiest, it's the least costly way to operate. That is until you get sued. I don't advise anyone who's looking to turn their side gig or hustle into a legitimate business enterprise to sit as a sole proprietorship for long at all" [14:54] "How the IRS make their classifications [on freelancers/employees/interns] is very different than what most small business owners look at when they're classifying people." [19:42]

Do you ever feel like if only you could convince your wedding clients to get rid of the photographer on the wedding day your job would be so much easier, and your films would come out better? As videographers, most of us have felt this way at some point. But as today's guest, Sachin Khona points out, the problem is not that there's a photographer there vying for the same angles and moments as we are, it's the fact that we don't communicate and collaborate enough to help the day flow smoothly. In fact, approaching the day collaboratively with another creative can often lead to different angles and shots than we might capture on our own. Sachin is a Vancouver based wedding, portrait and street photographer who also puts on an annual conference in his hometown called The ARC Experience geared towards wedding photographers. He's heard all the complaints from both videographers and photographers about working with each other, and shares some of his tips for how to ensure the wedding day goes smoothly and everyone gets what they need. He also breaks down how he transitioned out of his corporate job into photography, after realizing that while he was supposedly working the perfect job at one of the best companies in the world, he still wasn't happy. What's the best experience you've had working with a wedding photographer? What made it so great? Let us know in the comments! In this episode: Some tips to ensure the wedding day goes smoothly when working with other creatives How to set the the tone for the rest of the wedding day right off the bat, and why this is essential The blueprint for how Sachin left his corporate job to pursue wedding photography Why you NEED to educate the client on your style and what it takes to achieve it Quotes: "What I'm trying to when I first meet a couple is, I don't really want to try too hard to sell what I do. It's really about us connecting, and seeing if our personalities and our vibe and our energies match. I'm definitely not trying to convince them at that stage to like my work as a photographer." [18:31] "I feel like the really critical part definitely is the morning, because it sets the tone. Making an effort to connect with the photographer, videographer etc. [beforehand] is cool." [28:11] "There's people who do amazing work, but I can't really refer them because I've working with them and I know actually how they are on a wedding day." [32:47]

I know as well as anyone that it's only too easy to focus on the tactical, hands on aspects of dealing with clients, chipping away at the never-ending to do list, and practicing our craft in an effort to maintain and grow our businesses. The thing is that when we do this, we often tend to get sucked in, overwhelmed, and burned out. Adrian Koehler is a performance coach who helps high-level entrepreneurs and teams improve their mental fitness and approach to business so that they can achieve the results they're working towards. He has a history working as a crisis responder, and working with inmates in the prison system to improve their outlook on life. He's found that with all of his clients, much of the struggle comes from the filters they view life through, and the stories they construct to explain their reality, many of which are not only not true, but are actively limiting our potential. Today we talk about how to maintain a healthy outlook that will not only help us achieve our business goals but help us lead a fulfilling life as well. We also talk about what burnout really is and how we can combat it, along with a ton of other insights from Adrian. Have you struggled with burnout, comparing yourself to your competition, or mental fitness? What did you do to work through it? Let us know in the comments! In this episode: How to identify false stories we might be telling ourselves and the filters through which we view and engage with the world The value of intergenerational friendships and relationships Why comparing yourself to your competition will only drag you down and keep you from success What is burnout really and how can we deal with it? The small practice that Adrian does every morning to set the tone for his days and keep him on track throughout the day Quotes: "If we can get our minds right we can get our actions right, and when we get our actions right we get new results in our lives" [6:57] "I always assert that whatever we have in our lives, we want it on some level. Otherwise we'd do something else." [23:44] "I don't think your highest potential will come out if all you're trying to do is replicate what somebody else is." [35:17]