We were lucky to catch up with Kate Tran recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kate, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
The driving force of why I started my company and why I continue to pour my heart into creating it, came from a deep desire to help people feel valued & encouraged. In today’s fast paced world, with social media and all that comes with it, comparison, self-worth & imposter syndrome is at an all time high. Many people feel they don’t have a story worth telling, and my goal is to prove them wrong.
With each person I work with, I want them to know how deeply valued they are and truly help them see the value as well. My goal is to inspire them to get out of their comfort zone (which is hard with a camera sometimes haha!) and to keep going, keep changing and keep getting better. Having a really close relationship with God myself, I really want that to shine through in helping and serving each person He puts in my path… That’s my true mission and my true measure of success.
Kate, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Hi! My name is Kate Tran, and I am the owner and creator behind my company, KTVP, or Kate Tran Video Production. I have been in the industry for a little over 10 years now and have worked with professional production teams and as a freelancer! I finally made the leap to start my own company in 2022 after the pandemic. At that time, I was a stay at home mom of 3 kids and was freelancing on the side and, to be honest, thought I had no business running my own business. My husband was the one that really encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and “just try and see how it goes.” I remember praying and being like “Okay, God, if You really want this, You are going to have to show me!” and boy, did He show me! The clients that I had helped with freelance projects all those years started hiring me more and more and it picked up very quickly! Now, I am growing our team to accommodate and make sure every client gets the same level of care and help they need! It’s been a whirlwind, but it’s been so life-changing in so many ways. The appreciation I feel to everyone who has helped me is unparalleled.
Our services include planning, creating, filming and editing content for our clients, by project or on a monthly basis. We create website videos, speaker reels, social media content, educational content, business training videos, event videos, YouTube videos, commercials, literally the list goes on. What we do well is help businesses and entrepreneurs find the value they bring to the table and showcase their authenticity to truly and deeply connect with their ideal audience. With everything a business owner does, finding time to create content and figure out what would connect with their community and potential buyers seems to always be on the back burner – and that’s where we come in! We work with each person to be their cheerleader and help them create videos that will reach their goals and put them in front of the right people.
I believe what truly sets us a part is that we are a “client satisfaction” driven business. We guide them through the entire process from start to finish and help them feel confident & considered with each step, whether I’m just coming to film an event or we are creating a larger branding project. When we work with a client, we are not only thinking about getting a great shot, but if it truly conveys the story they are looking to tell and making what is important to them, important to us. We also come in with a “marketing eye” and capture the things that will, again, not only look beautiful, but help build trust and relevance with their audience. The goal is to make the environment we film in as easy and peaceful as possible. Sometimes people get too caught up in their own creative process & the busy-ness that comes with that, that they ignore the client’s desires, and we are looking to change that.
I have worked with bigger brands, like LTK, Kittenish, American Dream, Make-a-Wish, Cubicle to CEO, and helped with bigger projects for companies like Fender and Tractor Supply, but the thing that I am most proud of is when a client comes to me and says they are so excited because what we captured truly reflects them and they feel confident putting it out into the world. That’s what makes me excited – watching my clients breakthrough barriers they have built. Also, I am very proud to be in the 0.1 percent of woman-owned video production businesses. That’s a pretty overwhelming statistic and I really want to inspire other woman to pursue a passion, even if they may not be well represented in it.
What I would say to someone who is considering working with us is to be transparent with us about your vision and your goals and dream big! I am going to do the best of my ability to create something beautiful for you, no matter the budget, and help you create something you are really proud of. I have carefully crafted my packages to make it achievable for any business and not “priced out” my packages to make it undoable. I hope you reach out even if you don’t know what you want to create yet. Something that I want people to know about me is that if you work with me, you have just acquired your BIGGEST cheerleader! I am going to share your videos, like and comment on your posts, and be your biggest hype woman, even after we work together! (Ask any of my past clients and I am sure they will tell you! lol! ) That’s not technically part of my job description, but it’s just who I am!
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I help people build their audience all the time through their videos on social media. Although I’ve only been on instagram for about year and have about 1,600 followers, here’s what I see working.
1.) Authenticity Matters – Most people can see through when you are trying to “give the people what they want” – It’s funny because it actually is quite the opposite. In fact, it is called “social” media for a reason! People want to connect with you, the authentic person you are. Sharing vulnerable insight and even sharing mistakes makes people feel connected to you and that they aren’t alone, and more importantly, that they can do it too! Don’t fall for the lie you have to be “social perfect”
2.) When you are sharing about your business through video, you have to get rid of the fear of the judgmental statement in your mind: ” I don’t want people to think that I think I’m something special or that it’s all about me since I’m making videos.’ While there are people like this, don’t get me wrong, it all depends on your intention. You have to think of it as someone watching has a problem, and I have the solution with whatever your business offers or whatever service you provide, even if it’s just offering encouragement. Think about if your favorite speaker or business was too scared to start making videos because of this and how it would impact you! If your intention is to help, that will shine through. It quickly becomes all about serving them, what would help them, make them laugh and inspire them, and not about you.
3.) Start by building consistently and practice. No one was good when they first started out! I’ve worked an array of people, from well-known to lesser known, and every person makes mistakes and has to do a re-take here and there. Just start!
Have you ever had to pivot?
Starting this company was actually a very large pivot in my life! I tell people all the time that my husband is more of an entrepreneur than me and helps me so much with every aspect of the company. I actually went to school for Theatre /Theatre Administration because I loved the creative process of building sets, the organization and bonds you build with the people you work with, and, of course, the creativity invested into everything – why a specific color represented a specific character or a theme, why the lighting was a certain way for this scene & not the next, etc. I actually changed my major around 8 times. When I graduated, I really had no idea what I wanted to do and went into healthcare. I was not trained in film, or editing, just had a passion for helping people. I was given an incredible opportunity by someone who saw a creative gift in me that I didn’t even see in myself as a part of her production team and the passion for storytelling emerged. Working with her team, gave me so many life skills and the confidence to pursue something that I had never done and ultimately, gave me the confidence to build a company of my own. What I’ve learned is most business owners don’t have a “written out plan” for every step of the way, they just have the confidence to trust the process, step out in faith, and keep learning and pivoting with what works. That’s the true skill you have to have – the ability to change and never stop learning with endless optimism.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katetranvideoproduction/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Kate-Tran-Video-Production/100087674181241/?mibextid=LQQJ4d&rdid=VWmiT2cf0vxgmRIy&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2FzmGSU9eNMzcpPsMC%2F%3Fmibextid%3DLQQJ4d
Image Credits
Lifestyle with Leblanc, Misty Westebbe Photography, Photowalk Nashville