Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Erica Jaffe. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Erica, appreciate you joining us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I worked for a company as a full-time editor for about 8.5 years before deciding to go out on my own as a freelancer. As soon as I decided to quit my job, I starting networking. I attended networking event, industry events, and became active on social media in several industry groups. Luckily it paid off and I was able to make enough connections and pass my name along that I slowly started getting work. I think another thing that helped me is that I wasn’t a newbie in the industry, nor was I a 30+ year veteran, so I fit kind of in the middle. I was experienced enough to be taken seriously and knew enough to deliver high quality work and was at a price point that fit well with my new clients.

Erica, 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?

I have always loved video production, so I knew at an early age that’s what I wanted to study in school. I studied Media Production with an emphasis in Broadcast Journalism. After graduating, I freelanced around for a year before landing a full time video editor job. I learned so much in my role as an editor. I’ve always been tech savvy, but I learned how to be creative and push the boundaries for the videos we were producing. After 8.5 years, I decided to go back to freelancing with both videography and editing. It’s been an amazing 10 years now that I’ve been working for myself!

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think that communication is key. I’ve been able to keep a good reputation with my clients because I’m open and honest with them and keep them informed throughout the video production process.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

For me and my business, it’s all been word of mouth. Before I even went freelance, I was always having. lunch or coffee meetings with industry folks to try and build up those relationships. I still do that to this day. You have to stay top of mind so when there is a need for a videographer or editor, you are near the top of your potential client’s list.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.staccatoproductions.com/

Image Credits

Diana Odem