There’s a lot to consider as your business grows. When I started my studio, I was my only employee. It wasn’t too long before I realized I needed to hire some people on to keep things running. I was hesitant. It costs a lot to take on employees. But what I soon realized was that a larger team led to more and better work in the long run.

Key Takeaways

There’s a cost in hiring employees. However, having a team allows you to focus on the work you need to. When done thoughtfully and intentionally, growing your team leads to more clients, higher quality work, and more overall satisfaction in the end.

It’s important that clients understand how you build your budget. Itemizing the gear you use will help convey the value of the work they receive. It may be useful to ask them their budget from the start and let them know what you can realistically offer within that.

Attitude is everything when working with clients. You’re there to help your clients achieve their goals. Staying positive and supportive while offering your expertise will lead to high levels of satisfaction and repeat business.

About Ariel Martinez

Ariel Martinez is a Miami-Based documentary filmmaker specializing in storytelling, cinematography, commercial video production, and conference videography. With over 10 years as a freelancer, he has specialized in operating as a one-man-band without compromise.

Considerations About Growing Your Team

As someone who handles all aspects of production, Ariel strives to offer his clients quality work at a lower cost. With the right vision and gear, he is able to get clients, shoot video, edit, and deliver outstanding films. But it’s a lot of work, not all of it what he’d prefer to do. We discuss what growing a team looks like as a business expands and the benefits and drawbacks of doing so.

Presenting Your Gear and Attitude to Clients

Ariel owns a lot of his own gear. Of course, there are quite a bit of upfront costs in acquiring it. We talk about building those costs into your pricing models. Ariel has found that by itemizing the gear used and presenting that to clients in a budget, they’ll better understand the value of what they pay for.

Perhaps the most important asset to growth and longevity is a positive attitude. Ariel and I have seen this in action. Remember, you are there to serve your clients and their vision. While you should still offer your expert opinion, it’s crucial that you do so in a positive manner. People will remember your attitude as much as they remember the work itself.

Have you grown a team? Let me know how it has paid off in the comments on the episode page!

How do you bring a positive attitude to the set every day? Tell me in the comments on the episode page!

In This Episode:

• How Ariel got into freelance video production [6:00]
• The challenges and advantages that come with working by yourself versus building a team [13:52]
• How to charge for jobs while serving clients at a high level [25:30]
• What happens when you own your own gear [35:10]
• The importance of positivity to grow your business [42:38]

Quotes

“It’s really a dream come true for me that I can do what I love, enjoy it so much, and have flexibility.” [13:16]

“I don’t think there’s a wrong or right way to do things. There’s what you enjoy. There’s what makes more money. There’s what makes less money. There’s different tactics that you can take on every avenue that you consider.” [24:20]

“You might be the professional that they’re looking for. But at the same time, you have to serve them for what they’re looking for. They might want to go in a certain direction. Whether you agree with it or not, you’re there to serve them and their vision, not your own.” [43:46]

“Just keep pushing. Love the passion. Love the work. Love the process. Just never stop learning.” [49:53]

Links:

Download the 30-day guide to jumpstart your video business

Find Ariel Martinez online

Follow Ariel on Instagram | Vimeo | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

iFilmmaker Podcast

Additional Links:

Check out the full show notes page

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