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

Hi Greg, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with inspirations and heroes. Are there any historical figures you look up to?

My hometown is Grand Rapids, Michigan – the same place where former U.S. President Gerald R. Ford grew up. His presidential museum is there, and he and Betty Ford are buried there, too. I really admire his integrity, although I didn’t always understand how remarkable his character was.

I visited his presidential museum many times as a kid, and even saw him there a few times. When he passed away, I was in high school and was interning in the newsroom of a local radio station, and I helped cover events leading up to his funeral and burial. Still, it wasn’t until early adulthood when I started to understand just how tumultuous the circumstances of his presidency were, and how much he was committed to his values particularly with the decision to pardon Nixon.

Specifically, I’m inspired by his conviction to do right although it meant losing his bid for another term. It’s an example for me to stick with my principles even (or especially) when it comes with a short-term cost.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I do video production, photography, and podcast production through my business Ghering Media. It’s not what young me thought I’d be doing!

High school was when I began interning and then working in local radio, and then in college I studied broadcasting (focusing on radio) and political science while continuing to work in radio. My aim was a career in talk radio. After finishing my degree, I continued working in radio news until I decided it wasn’t a good fit after all. I jumped into local TV news to see if that medium was for me. After a few years, that also wasn’t quite right and I stepped into marketing.

Working in marketing, I began to understand that what I liked about broadcasting was creating content. As much as I could, I spent my time in marketing making videos and taking photos when other tasks allowed. I also started a podcast on the side. I began picking up clients beyond my day job, and after several years, I leaped into my business full-time.

I like to tell my clients that we make “videos, photos, and podcasts that touch the souls you serve.” Many of my clients are religious organizations or nonprofits, but I also work with others like large corporations, small businesses, and ecommerce sites. Whatever I’m working on, the human element is at the core of it.

Clients choose me because I take the time to get to know their organization really well, so it doesn’t take long for the project to reflect their culture in aspects like tone and wording. And particularly with testimonial projects, my background in broadcasting makes me a great interviewer who sets subjects at ease and draws out compelling soundbites. Add my marketing experience to that, and I’m able to provide strategy input as well.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the lesson that the way to compete is delivering for the lowest price. Especially in creative fields, it’s very tempting to believe at first that if you charge what your work is worth, then clients won’t buy. In the worst-case scenario, you end up lowballing yourself. I learned from experience that this leads to a lot of frustration. As my time filled up with projects that weren’t financially realistic, I’d get disappointed with myself for accepting this situation, and resentful of clients who took advantage of it. What helped me beyond it was friends’ and mentors’ encouragement that it’s ok to charge what my work is worth, and listening to and reading perspectives from folks who taught me that pricing tells a story. Your clients want to believe they’re getting a quality service or product, and if your pricing is lower than what they’re expecting, they won’t take you seriously. (Hat-tip to Seth Godin especially.)

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I love helping my clients see themselves in new ways, particularly helping them feel like rockstars. I truly believe one of the reasons I exist is to help people tell their stories. More often than not, the act of sharing one’s story affects oneself, in addition to anyone else who encounters it. It’s a gift to assist that process through videos, photos, and podcasts.

Contact Info:

• Website: gheringmedia.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/gheringmedia
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gheringmedia
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/76187041/
• Other: https://vimeo.com/user127699201

Image Credits
Andy Miller (Greg Ghering with camera), Sam Granger (feature headshot), Greg Ghering (all others)