We recently connected with Andrea Gordon and have shared our conversation below.

Andrea, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

You 100% miss every shot that you don’t take.

Andrea, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Andrea Gordon and I am a Creative Director and owner of Aspired Dream Productions, llc. (dba A.D Productions, LLC.).

Always submerged in the arts I believe my adolescence was God molding me into the servant I am today. Realizing that passion can meet profit my first experience of such I was in 11th grade when I wanted to go to a Journalism conference that was so expensive. I know I couldn’t just ask for a couple thousand bucks so I got creative. I asked my journalism teacher if I could shoot the class of 2015’s graduation ceremony, edit it down, and sell DVDs to their families. After an extensive amount of needed approvals (no one had ever done it before) next thing I knew I was headed to Disney world for that conference. This taught me that I could not only help document some of the most amazing and important moments for people but also that I could support myself while doing it.

I started out just making visuals for people but as I progressed through college I realized that I could offer a better experience to the client and a better wage by bundling my services together. So, I started offering photography and videography together for clients as a one stop shop for media services.

Most of the time clients rarely know what they need when it comes to production work. They just know they want more than phone photos or videos. Part of creating a positive experience for my clients is helping them map out what’s necessary, what would scale the project, and what would just make reliving the experience so much better. I always try and meet clients where they are, even in my current tenure knowing I now have 10+ years in the game. Not every project has a great budget but I believe if it’s giving a voice to the unheard, documenting milestones of ones life, or is adding back into the community I have a duty to serve regardless of the payout.

Looking over my career I’d say that I am most proud of
1. The fact that I am still going.
2. My willingness to learn from previous mistakes.
3. The number of stories and lives I’ve gotten to document.
4. Staying true to my moral compass.
5. Challenging myself to have a higher standard for my work

I believe the value of the client comes from their heart posture. If I have a healthy work environment it truly makes all the difference. I’ve worked with actresses, comedians, musicians, schools, corporations, funeral homes, and families alike and the one thing that I truly believe is that the best projects were created when everyone was all hands on deck and met at the table with grace and an open mind.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

This question for me has a two fold answer very simple yet, very effective.

1. Do great work!…and when you do have mishaps be accountable and offer a solution.

2. GET IN THE ROOM! One of my previous mentors from Hot 103 Jamz- Generation Rap taught us to “throw elbows” and “NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK” till this day what Miss India continuously preached to us has stuck with me and helped me to reach higher ground and much success. Knowing how to network can make or break a business. It doesn’t matter if you have a great product/service if you cant talk about it or aren’t willing to continuously try new ways to get it out into the world.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a Creative Producer/Director is knowing that your work will reach rooms you never will. It will touch hearts, change minds, provoke thought, and inspire. Sometimes as a creative I think it can be easy to go into autopilot when projects are piling up. But remembering that to that family, or to that business, or artist you’ve just helped push their story much farther. You have documented a wrinkle in time for them that they can always go back to. That is bigger and better than any other aspect of my creative journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.aspireddreamproductions.com
• Instagram: dreax.2
• Facebook: andrea gordon
• Youtube: @ADPTEEV

Image Credits

Portrait of myself- Jereme Pierre-Louis (Atlanta, GA)

8 work photos (myself) Andrea Gordon | A.D Productions, LLC.