We were lucky to catch up with BrAd Steiner recently and have shared our conversation below.
BrAd, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?
When I worked for a previous video production company, we shot a lot of french fry processing video. I’m not talking about being at a fast food restaurant, dropping a basket of fries; I’m talking about training and marketing video for one of the largest french fry producers in the world. Their own clients ranged from the biggies, like McDonalds and Red Robin, to the small town restaurant down the street. they have a dozen giant factories where raw potatoes go in, and bags of frozen fries come out, by the billions. Miles of conveyor belts with automated equipment to make sure you, or someone on the other side of the world, was getting the best fry. But in these vast industrial spaces, there were often human elements along the line, doing checks and measurements that only humans can do. My co-worker and I would often wonder what it would be like to JUST be in charge of checking peeled potatoes, cutting off bad spots and sending it down the line. And while that might seem tedious, I am 100% sure that those workers are not taking potatoes home at night, testing out ways that they might do their job more efficiently. They aren’t kept awake at night, wondering if they produced enough fries that month to make payroll for the others in the company. I bet they end their shift, leaving work at work, and go on with their lives.
And parts of me long for the simplicity. Owning a business means I DO take work home with me, physically or emotionally, or both. I make so many decisions in a day that don’t just effect one potato, or one person. And sometimes the stress can carry over from day to day, week to week, hanging over your head.
I’ve invested so much of my life learning to do what I do now, that I am a specialist in my job. I often tell people that I have no other marketable skills outside of the video production field. I can’t hope to quit it all and go to sort potatoes.
So what is the learning lesson here? What conclusion can be drawn for this (admittedly a very entitled and ungrateful) tail of woe?
People without kids often say, “I love that I can give the kids back to their parents.” They mean that they are glad to play with the children, and maybe share a little of their joy, but they don’t have to deal with the negatives; diapers, injuries, middle school drama, or college tuition. They don’t have to take that work home with them, or stay up late worrying about their success.
But to that I say, they’re missing some of the best parts. Being there, encouraging them on, when a toddler first starts to toddle; that’s amazing. Shaping them, so that occasionally they grow to enjoy some of the same things you do, that’s fantastic. Sharing your child’s struggle, and then watching them overcome and flourish. That is joy. It’s the fact that the kids ARE yours, that make the joys so much better than anyone on the outside could experience. You can say, “I made that,” either figuratively or literally. Your children are succeeding because of all that work and worry.
And eventually, you will send them out on their own, to, hopefully go in bigger and better directions than imagined.
So while I often wonder what it would be like if I never became a business owner, or never became a parent, I don’t regret it. I wouldn’t wish all of that away. The journey has been great, for all its ups and downs. Because I made that, and it will go on after me.
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 BrAd Steiner, co-owner and senior video producer with Allied Video Productions. I’ve been working in the video and film business since 1993 in one way or another. I was one of the rare kids that knew what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I pretty much did that. Not exactly, but close. I’ve traveled all over the country shooting video. I’ve worked on movies, TV shows, commercials, training and marketing videos. And even the occasional wedding (though I don’t do weddings anymore). I describe my his job like this: I herd cats, shoot them, and then arrange them in a pleasing manner. Herding cats is Producing. Shooting them is the Director of Photography job (not a big fan of the term videographer). And Editing is arrange it all in a pleasing manner.
I think what sets me and my company apart is our attention to the producing part. Producing is the organizing and planning of the whole project, and guiding it from start to finish. It usually isn’t very glamorous. It is often tedious. But it is essential. Pretty much anyone can pick up a camera and shoot some great video on a day when the weather is perfect and the stars align. But what happens when the weather isn’t so great? Producers plan for that. If you haven’t thought of parking, bathrooms, and every other contingency, you aren’t really a producer. And that’s just for the shoot. How does the shot impart meaning for the project? What comes before and after, and how does it all tie together?
We work with clients from the very beginning of the project to guide them through the whole process, planning, organizing, and bringing it to life. All of our staff have years of experience behind us. I often say this… “We don’t do just what the client asks for, we do what they need.” And there’s a difference.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
Maybe you’ve heard that old commercial, I think it was for a razor company. The TV spokesperson says, “I liked the product so much I bought the company. That’s kind of how I felt about Allied Video Productions. I really liked the company and I liked the company leaders. So when a chance came to buy into a partial ownership, I jumped at the chance. It’s a great company with a great 40 year history, and I’m so glad I get a chance to shape it into the next 40 years.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Allied Video Productions has been around for 40 years. And I know it might seem terribly cliche to say this, but we get a vast majority of our new clients from referrals. To be fair, A vast majority of our clients are repeat clients.
We don’t advertise or market our business much. We often provide some kind of sponsorship or discount for non-profits, and this has put our name out in front of the community. And we’ve been doing that for 40 years.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alliedvideo.com
- Instagram: @alliedvideoproductions
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlliedVideoProductions
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AlliedVideoProd
Image Credits
Allied Video Productions