We were lucky to catch up with Enrique Mendoza recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Enrique , thanks for joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

When my business partner, Sean Quinn, and I started Bowstring, our main goal was to help our clients tell their stories–no matter their company’s size or sophistication. And from the start, we were already kind of unique, given that we both had engineering backgrounds and no real experience in the production space. The industry was changing quickly and we saw a way to make an impact.

Over the years we have gotten accustomed to changing course. This is due to industry changes and sometimes just due to the natural learning curves of running a business and defining our areas of focus. Our biggest learning moment was realizing what we do best within the industry. In order to clarify this we kept having very frank conversations with our partners and clients to try to understand what they needed. That was the breakthrough–so many of our peers were reactive but we saw the advantages of being proactive, and planning for content needs well beforehand. This shift allowed people to see the big picture when it came to telling their story and how we could help them extend the ROI of their investment from the first engagement. We also started to understand more of the competitive landscape and found that many clients were working on TV and other large opportunities but not solving for the new and very necessary needs of digital content and other areas where visual storytelling was an opportunity (human resources, training, social media). So both–being proactive and solving for the newer needs of the day–helped us to approach production from a totally new vantage point and with very fresh eyes. It was a case of the less we knew, the more of an opportunity there was to approach this industry in a completely novel way.

There was an adventurous spirit about the whole endeavor, for sure. At that point in time, we also thought it would be best to be a jack of all trades, offering not just photography and video but also design and website builds. But this was a learning moment about our services because we soon realized that this offering only hindered the core strengths of our service. We were diluting our efforts. So we refocused. There was also a lot of trial and error when it came to our equipment and learning what worked and what we could afford at the time. Our staff was and remains pretty unorthodox but we knew from the beginning we were looking to hire people that were natural problem-solvers. Now with teams remote and hybrid distributed across the US and around the world we still meet the need for never-ending content with experts who elevate the story, always.

Technology was the biggest consideration during this entire time because when you think about how far video has come since 2001 when we began it is pretty astounding, and in that period of time the tech boom was already blowing up the industry. The whole time that we were getting a staff together and building our client base and learning as we went, technology was quickly changing the entire time. As we settled into a groove, we still ensured that every couple of years we were always evolving as many of us do in an industry that was getting more demanding and budgets were dropping. And we still do this. We are continually finding new ways to help clients do more, to find solutions, to consider new technology and connect the dots that advance our clients’ goals, no matter their situation–whether they are a small brand with a staff of 10 or a Fortune 500 company that has global needs. We are meeting them where they are.

Enrique , 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 grew up in Venezuela and developed an interest for creative early on. Growing up, I was always out shooting photos and even worked on professional photoshoots in the rainforest. I came to the states for college and attended Villanova University, where I studied engineering. It was at Villanova where I met my business partner, Sean Quinn. Both engineering majors, we became fast friends and recognized each other’s passions. Years later, after a dinner in Devon, our business was born and we were soon focusing on solving content and production challenges for some of the biggest brands in a variety of industries through photography and video content.
I admit it was an interesting jump to launch a creative content studio. Bowstring’s core function is to help businesses tell their story. Story First is our motto and it is something we take seriously. Through the creation of video and photography content, we help businesses big and small, stand apart from their competitors and communicate with the audiences that matter.
We are different from other production entities because we act proactively instead of reactively. We help teams long term. We aim to elevate the story before we even talk about deliverables. Whereas our industry has long been focused on creating a defined deliverable, again, we offer a more holistic approach. We start with engagement– conversations about their overall goals, what they have on the horizon, and (the most fun part) what is on their wish list. With all of that info in mind, we can then work from an informed place to plan for the future as we capture content, and create opportunities that will save money as we go.

When I pause to reflect, I am most proud of where we are today. From humble beginnings, our team has expanded, and with that, our ability to serve our clients and provide expertise. We have always approached things differently, employed new workflows, and fostered a culture of innovation. It is so rewarding to see that reflected in this bigger organization.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Every business has moments when their resilience is tested. Personally, the biggest one for us was COVID. Everyone was affected in some way and it changed us all forever. Suddenly we were put into a situation where our teams couldn’t go out and tell our clients’ stories. Production stopped. We lost contracts and we had to make some hard choices with our staff. Daily life was challenging. We were not only hunting for new opportunities at this time but also trying to keep team moral high and navigating an ever changing landscape each day.

Although not ideal, this forced us to stop thinking about what everyone wanted prior to COVID and instead change up our strategy and be the partner that helps them figure out what was needed now. We already had expertise on our side because we had deployed remote teams around the world over the last 20 years. There were a lot of positives we could draw from: a strong team, effective workflows and a deep understanding of the many challenges that remote work can pose.

The result is we persevered and discovered new ways of doing things that continue to serve us and evolve as new needs arise with our clients. We learned how to navigate a changing world. And we realized that our clients weren’t looking for just one offering but needed more to meet the needs of that moment. This allowed us to reemerge with a new awareness. Our workflows and processes are constantly evolving so that allowed us to help our clients navigate a really tough moment and tell their stories despite the challenges. It was a very important lesson in trusting our team, and our structure. And it worked.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The word pivot has, unfortunately, gotten really watered down. In the past, only leaders had to pivot but now we all have to do it. It’s a daily part of life and a lot more so thanks to COVID, politics, AI, and other factors. For me and our team, it’s really technology as a whole that has forced us to constantly pivot, evolve, rethink – and now even more so. Technology, in a lot of ways, is simplifying our life. And that’s a good thing. It’s streamlining many of the tasks that are part of our industry. And I love what it’s enabling us to do – to simplify our life and tell incredible stories.

We are then responsible for learning these tools and using them armed with our industry knowledge to guide clients in their journey. We see ourselves as stewards of the story in that regard. And through that process we not only assist our clients but empower our team to do the best work they can.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bowstring.tv/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/enrique-mendoza-8210076/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bowstringstudios

Image Credits