We were lucky to catch up with Brannon Criner recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Brannon thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

Most of my clients reach out to BCP for drone services. In the beginning any project was a big project. From Real Estate shoots to progression projects, they all seemed “to be a big deal.” As time went on I realized I was not seeing my self worth. Almost every drone pilot that has became licensed has done the same thing. We all are very excited to get out first job and then we realize there is a lot of work to be done, from setting, expenses, equipment, insurance, licenses, etc., that $75 “big job” is not so big anymore. With that in mind I was stuck working for peanuts, then I realized something was not right. In 2019, after being in business for only a year, I started to really look at my profits, my pricing and my expenses and realized I was not going to survive if I did not start pricing things accordingly, which made me seek out bigger clients.

Now I realize the potential of my business and even though I am not the most expensive or the lowest priced, things have changed. Working through each client based on their needs and their expectations has really changed my business. I used to give out RAW files like they were candy and I was on a diet! haha! You live and you learn.

The bottom line is, going into business for yourself is an absolute blast but if you are going to dive in, 100% , you have to realize what you are worth and don’t let anyone tell you any different. Be confident in you work and you will go places! Reach out to people you can trust in your industry and find a mentor! Best advice I was ever given.

Brannon, 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 own a Media Solutions company called Bravo Charlie Productions, out of Central Ohio. I have been flying drones and photographing sunsets, events, landscapes, and architecture since 2016.

Since 2018, after starting BCP, I am a drone photographer turned into a videographer/photographer and specialize in Commercial Construction Progression photos and videos, as well as 2D mapping and 3D modeling. It may sound a bit daunting at first, but to break it down, large general contractors reach out to BCP at the preplanning or initial stages of their projects and we have a very lengthy discussion about the details of how they want to document the progression of their work sites, starting from the ground up! We discuss which part of the project is most important to see, which areas will be developed in the future and how BCP’s services can provide solutions in tracking the project, which impacts budgets and timelines.

Imagine you live in California and you have a project in Ohio (or anywhere in the US for that matter) and are looking for alternative solutions for seeing the site. Usually they would travel to see the site first hand but Airline tickets and hotels are a huge expense! That is where BCP comes in. We are able to take photos and videos that are almost real time, meaning we have a 24 hour turn around time. We fly, edit and send the files directly to the project managers and in some cases directly to the stakeholders. This saves so much time and money for developers across the country.

I am sure you have heard of Amazon, Behr Paint, OSU among 0thers that are building some fantastic facilities around the Central Ohio area…. those are some of the biggest projects BCP has been involved with. Seeing these facilities start from the ground up is stunning to say the least. Watching the work that goes into these buildings is absolutely amazing.

By being 50ft to 400ft in the air, I am able to capture these marvels all at different angles and heights, And with the help of the technology that goes into drones as of current, they are the best machines for the job. Drones have almost replaced airplanes for capturing commercial construction projects. Drones are not only safer but cut down on the time it takes photographing the job site.

In turn, my clients not only appreciate the work but usually their first responses is “WOW, these are amazing shots!” They don’t often get to see their work from a birds eye perspective. After they have passed the wow factor is when the real work begins. They are able to track the progression of the site week by week to ensure the job is happening on time, the safety of their crews are being observed and is able to be addressed when needed, and they can do most of that from their office by using the photos and footage I provide. That is win win situation!

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to stay involved in my journey. In order to become better I have to stay curious, not only on the changing trends in the photography industry but in my own creative techniques and style. I have to be able to use my imagination at all costs. My changing style, tools, and ideas are what really keeps me going. For example, FPV drones are the new thing! Flying FPV drones can be very challenging but they have their place in a lot of different industries including showing off work sites, real estate, interior buildings, etc. They allow you to fly safer inside of structures and really capture some amazing footage.

Does your business have multiple or supplementary revenue streams (like a ATM machine at a barbershop, etc)?

BCP has multiple revenue streams and by that I mean my services are not limited to commercial construction. I learned early that it takes many hats to be successful. Just being a drone pilot was not going to cut it. I had to transition from drone pilot, to photographer, to editor, to lighting technician, to sound engineer, to office manager, etc. and I had to be fairly efficient at all of those things. Being able to wear different hats has enabled me to reach out to a larger client base. For example I film a cooking/lifestyle show every week called “Lifestyle with Kim Litvak.” Kim is a real estate agent who loves to cook and visits many amazing places around Columbus. She wanted to reach a larger client base as well so we partnered on an idea and made it a reality.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bravocharliepro.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bravocharlieproductions/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bravocharliepro
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brannon-criner/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bravocharlieproductions