We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Vance Smith a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Vance thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Early on in my first year of business, my best friend asked me to help do documentary style interviews with his Great-grandparents which was completely outside of anything Id ever done. While they are doing well, he had fears about the future and wanted to make sure their story was captured before any health problems came up.
One with his grandpa, then grandma, and then them together.
It was the longest project I’ve had to date. The shortest interview was 2 1/2 hours the longest was 4 1/2 hours. In those interviews with them I found out they were those once-in-a-lifetime couples who have been together since high school. I filled an entire 1 TB hard drive with JUST the footage alone. I had to fight to keep monitoring my equipment because the stories were so fascinating and wild.
More than the beauty of the stories was it was the ultimate test for my skill and my equipment. Several times throughout recording I had failed and I learned SO much in that process:
Memory management, sound design, mic placement, editing techniques, camera angles, overheating, natural lighting, tracking the sun, building rapport, and so many other things!
Sometimes its those moments where you step out into a complete unknown that you are going to learn the most.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Vance Smith and I own Truth In Image Business Media. My company specializes in creating cinematic and customized content for businesses whether photo/video/audio. From business headshots, to brand story videos, or business podcasts using my all-in-one mobile podcasting setup I aim to make an impact on a business, not just make a pretty picture.
I have known business media since a child, Im the son of a news broadcaster so I grew up in radio stations and TV News stations my whole childhood. Id play with toys while the broadcasters would come in and out of the recording booth reading off the news.
I got my start in photo & video back at the beginning of 2020. I purchased my first camera with a late scholarship check while I was in UNCW’s Cameron business school during the COVID-19 lockdown. I launched my first photography business not soon after which actually failed! However, the constant remarks from my coworkers and God’s perfect timing allowed me to do headshots at my old workplace. With much soul searching and prayer, I decided to try it again, marrying my passion and education. It was at that point I knew I wanted to do business media.
Truth In Image’s services are tailored to each businesses need. From businesses that know exactly what content, to others who don’t even know who is their target demographic, we make sure the content makes an impact in their business. We specialize in being mobile and providing premium services meeting the clients where they are at. In 2024 we continued to see needs in the business community for a way to make both video and audio content so we branched out into audio & podcasting with the all-in-one mobile podcasting setup! It has really been picking up traction ever since!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

I originally graduated Business school with a bachelors in business management with a focus in HR. My whole goal was to go into HR thinking that was it. It took me 7 years to get my bachelors. When I finally landed my “big boy” job, it was one of the worst jobs I had ever had in my entire life. It was nothing like what I had learned about and it was my worst nightmare. It was a soul sucking job to me because I didn’t realize how important my creative side of me was until that point. I got nothing but respect for those in the HR field! However I am not built to sit behind a desk filing paperwork and deal with red tape. I started my business and pivoted into a completely different field to help pay the bills in the mean time. I realized that just because you make a big mistake does not mean you are locked into it forever. It simply means your have to choose to face the fear of the unknown, because there is always another way if you look hard enough. The unknown is far better than a known hell of your own creation.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

The Power Of Broke by Daymond John was one of the most impactful books I have ever read. It is my first book I recommend to any and every entrepreneur. I learned you don’t need bank loans, venture capital, or large amounts of cash to start your business. You have to be creative, strategic, and look at the long game growing your business in ways that are sustainable and achievable even if it seems ridiculous to others. If you apply the concepts in that book it is life-changing.
I started my business in the middle of a pandemic while in business school with my second child having just been born and finances stretched as tight as the could be. I absolutely love that book!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://truthinimage.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truthinimage/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/truthinimage/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/truthinimage/