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

Christine, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with a fun one – what’s something you believe that most people in your industry (or in general) disagree with?

I believe in the abundance mindset—as in, there’s plenty of work for everyone to go around. A lot of people operate with a scarcity mindset and I just can’t get down with that. They think their competitors’ success means less to go around at the table, but I’ve found quite the opposite to be true.

Momentum is a powerful thing. If your competition is experiencing it, my advice would be to lean into it, not resent it. Introduce yourself and get to know them if you can, ping on their radar. I’ve taken this approach and have landed a number of referrals from my “competition” who couldn’t take on clients for one reason or another, but didn’t want to turn them loose to a stranger. Support your community and it’ll support you back in ways that will surprise you.

Christine, 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?

In Line Management is a production accounting and bookkeeping firm servicing all types of businesses in the entertainment sphere. Our clientele includes production companies, directors, photographers, photo and talent agents, performers, set designers, hair and makeup teams, and much more. We also take on clients outside of the film and TV industry if I can add value to their company and they are a service-based business. It’s all about fit. I am extremely proud of the team I’ve built and I do everything in my power to guard ILM’s reputation since vendors in this industry live and die by word of mouth. We handle things quickly and efficiently to keep up with the breakneck pace of production and are capable of actualizing budgets in real-time so everyone under our umbrella knows where they stand and can confidently report to their investors, studios, clients, etc. I also believe we have an edge in terms of personability. Production accountants can be stodgy and rigid–the last person any producer wants to talk to. We’re quite the opposite of that without sacrificing quality. We’re the kind of people our clients want to get a drink with outside of work and that means the world to me.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

One of my last jobs before I started my business was a freelance on-set producer. High stakes, high budgets, high stress. My boss at the time (who is now a client!) would insist on hearing news, good or bad, as soon as it broke. It helped him think around corners and stay ahead of trouble.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Treat them like people. They’re not your property because you pay them. They weren’t born to help you build your company—they’re choosing to do that because you’ve given them something to believe in. Foster that.

Positivity begets positivity. Recognize how much of a gift their help is, remind them how much they’re contributing, and never stop pointing out when you’re impressed by them. Bosses who pick out every mistake make an employee wonder, “What am I doing right?” which is the last stop before resignation. Compliment publicly. Course correct and offer critique privately.

Most importantly, protect their time off. Don’t backtrack on approved vacation days because something came up. Don’t ask them to hop on their emails at 9pm because one of your clients decided to have a meltdown. It’s not their company, it’s yours—those are your problems to shoulder until work hours.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.everythinginline.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inlinemanagementllc/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-salvatore-3ba6716a/