We were lucky to catch up with Samuel Berger recently and have shared our conversation below.
Samuel, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?
Next Cut Media was born out of my passion for storytelling and my desire to break free from the constraints of traditional journalism. The spark ignited during my time in Kansas City, where I aimed to do more than standard producing and sitting behind a desk in order to explore the stories others weren’t covering.
That’s when it hit me. Why not combine my passion of storytelling with my love for all things food?The culinary scene has an unlimited number of untold stories, and I felt a desire to tell them. This curiosity gave rise to “KC Served,” an Instagram page where I interviewed chefs, delving into their experiences, backgrounds, and the unique stories behind their culinary creations.
However, that quickly fizzled out thanks to the pandemic.
Fortunately, upon relocating to Charlotte, this vision was reignited. “CLT Served” emerged, allowing me to interview over 70 chefs and restaurant owners. This let me truly show that food could be a vehicle for connecting individuals across cultures, backgrounds, and experiences.
The transition from “CLT Served” to Next Cut Media was the natural evolution of this journey. It was the realization that storytelling was a universal language, transcending industries and mediums. I recognized that the skills honed in journalism – the ability to capture moments, evoke emotions, and build meaningful connections – were transferable to content creation, coaching, and beyond.
My experience as a supervising producer in broadcast news had equipped me with an acute understanding of what makes a compelling story. Furthermore, my successful track record of curating engaging narratives for “KC Served” and “CLT Served” reinforced the potential for this endeavor’s success.
Starting your own business is anything but a breeze. It was and remains both daunting and thrilling. However, the people I met and continue to meet along the way make it all worth it.
The ethos of Next Cut Media is rooted in relationships – not just transactional collaborations, but authentic partnerships built on shared values and a mutual desire to share compelling stories.
Samuel, 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?
Hello there, I’m Samuel Berger, and my professional journey has been an exciting blend of journalism, storytelling, and making up as I go along. My first true experience into the world of media began with a journalism class during my freshman year of high school. This early exposure ignited my passion for storytelling. Fast forward to my role as a supervising producer in the broadcast news field, where I gained invaluable experience shaping compelling narratives for a broad audience.
It was during my time in Kansas City that I stumbled upon a captivating subject: the local culinary scene. I founded “KC Served,” an Instagram page, to interview chefs and share their stories. This not only deepened my love for storytelling but also expanded my understanding of how stories could connect people and communities. From a grandma’s secret recipe being passed down to immigrants finding a home in a new community, I got to see a wide spectrum of experiences.
With my move to Charlotte, the vision grew. “CLT Served” followed, casting a spotlight on chefs and restaurant owners in the area, each with a unique story. This ultimately led to the birth of Next Cut Media, a platform that channels my storytelling into a more diverse avenue.
At Next Cut Media, we offer services that encompass content creation, coaching, and storytelling. Our mission is to uncover the stories that deserve to be heard and bring them to life in impactful ways. Our services include:
Photography: Capturing the essence of people, events, and moments through compelling visuals that resonate with audiences.
Video Storytelling: Crafting dynamic videos that engage and immerse viewers in narratives that matter.
Social Media Videos: Creating concise yet powerful videos optimized for social media platforms, delivering messages effectively.
Social Media Coaching: Guiding individuals and businesses on how to effectively harness social media for brand growth and storytelling.
What truly sets Next Cut Media apart is our emphasis on building genuine relationships. We’re not just in the business of creating content; we’re in the business of understanding people’s stories and bringing them to life authentically. We take the time to connect with our clients, to delve into their journeys, and to translate their essence into powerful visuals and narratives.
I’m immensely proud of the Kansas City Chiefs pre-game show that I produced during their super bowl run. This experience allowed me to me to experience my first passion, sports. Having hundreds of thousands of people experience a show I crafted that was anchored by my best friend was more than I could ask for. I’ll admit I still watch clips of it back now and then.
Overall, Next Cut Media is here to collaborate with you, to share your story, because everyone has one.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Building an audience for CLT Served, now known as Next Cut Media was anything but easy. Starting from scratch in a new town with no following all I could ask for was an opportunity. That’s where casting a wide net came in. Doing the leg work and outreach I finally found some clients willing to let me get photos, videos, and interview them for free to share about their business. It started off slow but I began to get more and more content. From maybe one shoot a week to at one point even six or seven shoots in a five day span.
Crafting and creating content is only part of the recipe. I learned engagement and getting to know others in the food scene was vital. The more content that I posted the more others reached getting to know me, wanting to meet up, seeking insight into this niche storytelling vehicle I created. This led to “foodie” meetups that was essentially networking with a better happy hour.
Overall I would say be authentic, put yourself out there, and the worst you can do is fail and what’s so wrong with failure? Get right back up and try again, the only thing stopping you is well you.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
I am fortunate to say that my business partner is not only a best friend but like a brother to me. From working together at a day job, to hitting the gym daily to running Next Cut Media we have proven to be on the same wavelength. Despite all those things there was one reason I brought him on. His tenacity, while he is one of the most creative and best storytellers I know (and an emmy winner) he doesn’t back down. He isn’t afraid to take on a challenge and knows how to fail. I have always believed it is vital to surround yourself with people smarter than yourself (not saying he is smarter than me) and my business partner, Julian, knows how to succeed in the areas I lack and vice versa. We actually first met at our day job at a news station. His desk was put next to mine. I told him unprompted, “don’t take it personally, I don’t usually like new people so give it some time.” Now two years later the guy is on the phone with me daily talking business. Goes to show, give anyone a chance, even if they are the person sitting right next to you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nextcutmedia.com/
- Instagram: https://nextcutmedia.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nextcutmedia/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClYQDEVAA1Gu-0m8y3DSsNA
- Other: https://www.google.com/search?q=next+cut+media&oq=next+cut+media&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBggAEEUYOzIGCAAQRRg7MgcIARAAGIAEMg0IAhAuGK8BGMcBGIAEMgcIAxAAGIAEMg0IBBAuGK8BGMcBGIAEMgYIBRBFGDwyBggGEEUYPTIGCAcQRRg80gEINDc3NmowajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8