We were lucky to catch up with Travis Matheny recently and have shared our conversation below.

Travis, appreciate you joining us today. How did you scale up? What were the strategies, tactics, meaningful moments, twists/turns, obstacles, mistakes along the way? We’d love to hear the backstory the illustrates how you grew your brand.

Five Stone Creative started as a video production company. Event production became a larger part of the business over time as clients trusted us with bigger projects and broader responsibilities. There was no grand master plan. We focused on doing great work, building relationships, and making sure people knew who we were. We invested real time and money into marketing long before we knew if it would pay off.

For our first five years, we doubled revenue every year. Then the pandemic hit, and like many companies connected to live events, it felt like we were starting over from scratch. We had to adapt, reinvent parts of the business, and rebuild momentum.

Looking back, the biggest factor in our growth wasn’t a strategy or a piece of technology. It was relationships. Most of our best opportunities have come from clients who trusted us, referred us, or brought us along when they moved to new organizations.

If there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s that growth isn’t always a straight line. Sometimes you’re scaling, sometimes you’re rebuilding, but strong client relationships will carry you through both.

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.

I’m the Executive Producer and Managing Partner at Five Stone Creative, a Texas-based event production and video production company. I’ve spent more than 20 years helping organizations create conferences, meetings, live events, and video content that connect with people in meaningful ways.

I didn’t set out to work in the event industry. What drew me in was the combination of creativity, technology, storytelling, and problem-solving. I love that no two projects are exactly alike. One day we’re producing a corporate conference, the next we’re creating a brand video or helping a client bring a big idea to life on stage.

What clients are really hiring us for isn’t equipment or production services. They’re hiring us for confidence. They want a partner who can help them navigate complexity, solve problems, and deliver an experience that reflects well on their brand.

What I’m most proud of isn’t a specific event or project. It’s the relationships we’ve built over the years. Many of our clients have been with us for a long time, and that trust means more to me than any award or recognition. At the end of the day, our business is built on people, and that’s what continues to motivate me.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding part of being creative is helping turn an idea into something real. I love the process of taking a concept, solving the challenges along the way, and watching it become an experience that connects with people.

Whether it’s a live event, a video, or a piece of content, there’s something satisfying about creating a moment that makes people think, feel, learn, or see something in a new way. In the end, that’s what keeps me excited about the work after all these years: the opportunity to create experiences that bring people together and leave a lasting impression.

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

I’ve read a lot of business and leadership books over the years, and many have been valuable. But if I’m honest, the biggest impact on my entrepreneurial thinking hasn’t come from any single resource.

What has shaped me most is the ongoing work of becoming a better human being. The skills that matter most in business, things like self awareness, curiosity, empathy, communication, and resilience, are really life skills first.

So rather than recommending one specific book, I’d encourage people to stay curious. Read widely, listen deeply, and invest in your own growth. In my experience, personal growth and professional growth are deeply connected.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.fivestonecreative.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_fivestone/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fivestonecreative/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travismatheny/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@fivestonecreative