We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jason Schuler. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jason below.

Jason, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love for you to start by sharing your thoughts about the pros and cons of family businesses.

Most families navigate through the quirks of dysfunction, but the challenge intensifies when running a family business. It can seem like a plot straight out of a horror movie.

At Awakened Films, our foundation was built on the principles of servanthood and striving to be the type of humans others aspire to work with. We recognized early on that while investing in top-notch equipment and executing successful marketing campaigns is straightforward, sustaining our business in the long run depended on maintaining an immaculate reputation and securing repeat customers.

The journey began in 2008, amidst personal milestones and economic hardships. My wife was expecting our first child, and resources were scarce. I was deeply involved in every aspect of the business – capturing every image, editing every frame, and managing all invoicing. It was a phase filled with equal parts exhilaration and fear.

Soon, the need for additional staff became evident – not only to manage the growing volume of billable work but also to handle the essential, yet non-billable, operational tasks. Starting a small business comes with its unspoken challenges, including balancing multiple roles with limited resources.

Gillian, my remarkable partner in life, rose admirably to this challenge. Amidst caring for our newborn, she diligently managed the bookkeeping and invoicing. During brief moments of respite, she tackled compliance issues, opening doors to larger business opportunities. Our evenings were spent exploring new sales avenues, requiring meticulous administrative coordination. And, she found a previously-unknown passion; interviewing for our documentary films. Not only did she enjoy this pursuit, but she’s also pretty damn good at it!

Fifteen years on, it remains my honor and privilege to work daily with my best friend. Our journey through life and business has seen its share of highs and lows, and we haven’t always agreed on every decision. However, the joy and satisfaction derived from growing Awakened Films into what it is today are immeasurable.

Integrating family and business successfully hinges on several key practices: establishing clear roles and responsibilities, understanding and leveraging the unique traits of each team member, celebrating successes, learning from setbacks, ensuring regular downtime, and maintaining a healthy balance between work and personal life. It’s crucial to remember that family involvement in the business should be a choice, not an expectation.

As our children have grown, their involvement in the business has naturally increased. It’s exhilarating to witness the synergy of family in business, fostering the hope that one day they might choose to carry on the legacy. For now, we focus on making the experience enjoyable and cohesive, steering this ship far away from the shoals of dysfunction.

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.

From a young age, my passion for storytelling was unmistakable. Gifted an old VHS camcorder by my parents, it wasn’t long before I began weaving tales through short films, capturing the essence of life in the quaint, rural town of South Jersey where my journey began.

Awakened Films was born from a deep-rooted desire to narrate stories in innovative and captivating ways. Our ethos, encapsulated in our tagline ‘Creative Visual Storytelling™’, transcends the conventional boundaries of video production. We don’t just create videos; we infuse creativity to weave compelling narratives, using video as our canvas.

Our journey has been graced with opportunities to narrate stories for some of the world’s most iconic brands, leading corporations, and profoundly impactful nonprofits. Our work has not only been instrumental in marketing millions of products to eager consumers but has also played a pivotal role in raising millions of dollars for noble causes.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Social media is a funny thing. While it may seem secondary to the core processes of building a business, its importance in today’s digital landscape cannot be overstated. As Entrepreneurs, pressed for time and juggling numerous responsibilities, we need to be careful with how we burn through those 480 minutes per day. Yet, the necessity of a social media presence in 2024 is undeniable for business owners. Ignoring the trends and the opportunity of social media marketing is a significant oversight.

Our own experience with social media mirrors that of many businesses. In the early stages of our venture, we established a social account or two, made a few posts, and then, caught up in the demands of our business, let it fall by the wayside. Consistency and dedicated time for social media are challenging, even for us as a video content company. Honestly, we probably embody the proverbial cobbler’s children with the worst shoes in the neighborhood. We get so engrossed in crafting exceptional content for others that our own social media presence suffered.

However, our recent commitment to taking social media more seriously has begun to yield results! And it’s become easier as we have found simple tricks on how and when to focus.

For businesses and brands venturing into social media, our advice is straightforward: Simplify, plan, and maintain consistency. Aim for at least 2-3 posts per week, with a preference for video reels, and engage with your audience, both existing and potential, around the time of posting. While professionally curated content for each post is ideal, there is value in the authenticity of a simple iPhone picture or a spontaneous vertical video. This approach lowers the barriers to entry, enabling more consistent engagement that resonates with both your audience and the platform algorithms.

It’s crucial to understand that the primary goal of social media is not immediate sales or closing deals. Instead, it’s about sharing valuable insights, celebrating successes (both yours and others), and being an active, positive participant in the online community. A hard sell in every post or incessant self-promotion will likely lead to a loss of followers. Focus instead on providing value to your ideal customer, and watch as they naturally gravitate towards your brand.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

Two years ago, Awakened Films faced a pivotal moment when we vied for a commercial contract with a national food brand. Unfortunately, we didn’t win the bid. Upon seeking candid feedback, we learned that our portfolio lacked a sufficient number of food-specific commercials, leading the client to choose a seemingly safer option.

This situation presented us with a critical decision: should we continue our current trajectory, hoping for a similar opportunity to emerge, or should we proactively develop high-quality, food-focused videos to enhance our portfolio? As you can imagine, diverting resources to a nonbillable project is risky (and video ain’t cheap). But it was painfully clear that in order to play in the bigger sandbox, we needed to make this investment.

A year later, an opportunity for redemption arrived when the same client approached us for another commercial. This time, our portfolio was enriched with a diverse range of work, including compelling content in their specific sector. I am thrilled to share that not only did we secure the contract, but the production was a resounding success. The client expressed great satisfaction with our collaboration, and we eagerly anticipate future projects together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://awakenedfilms.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awakenedfilms/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NJCorporateVideo/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/awakened-films/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheAwakenedFilms
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/awakened-films-madison
• Other: Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/awakenedfilms We also have a really cool video we created about our team: https://vimeo.com/856910630

Image Credits
All images were taken by our team. Copyright Awakened Films LLC.