We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Joe Mpanugo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Joe thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
I started my company in the midst of the Covid pandemic. At that time, agents were understandably skeptical of hiring a newcomer to film their listings. However, that did not deter me, as I knew what I had to offer was different than the norm.
At the time, creating native social media listing videos was a relatively new idea. I spent the first few years of my career helping forward-thinking agents pioneer this new trend forward.
Today, my mission to help those innovative agents continues, as my team and I have dedicated ourselves to helping real estate professionals expand their reach as business owners. We do this through tailored content creation, and via a “Pro Guide to Real Estate Content”, which teaches people how to film and edit professional listing videos.
Through the ups and downs in the market, it’s rewarding to see how the agents I work with adapt to meet the needs of their clients. And I have personally seen how an effective media presence has helped them do so.
Joe, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Joe Mpanugo, aka “Joe from Focus Pictures”. The path that led me to create my business started way back in high school when I started dabbling in photography.
Back then, I would photograph my outfits while learning the fundamentals of composition and lighting. Fast forward a few years during my University education, I was furloughed from my part-time job due to the pandemic. At that time, I decided to take a leap of faith and put my creation skills to the test. I figured I had nothing to lose, and had no idea that this decision would change my life forever.
As the years progressed, my work ranged from food to concerts. But I had a deep love of real estate and decided to dedicate my career to helping local real estate professionals grow their business through highly tailored content. Today I specialize in providing specialized media services to leading agents in the Houston area.
That hyper fixation to a single niche has allowed me to deeply understand the wants and needs of those who choose to work with me. That intense focus and my attention to customer satisfaction is one of the major reasons why people choose to work with me over others.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
I’ve been blessed with a plethora of educational sources. That includes time spent earning a university degree, as well as free and paid learning platforms. The book that started me on my business/financial journey was the book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” where I learned the difference between assets and liabilities.
That book impressed me because I learned that it’s important to focus on purchasing assets, as they are avenues to build wealth rather than liabilities, which can put a person in poverty.
I’ve also paid for content creation courses, such as the one from Full-time Film Maker, which helped me hone my skills. That exposure inspired me, and helped make my business more profitable.
Have you ever had to pivot?
As I alluded to earlier, I recently received a university degree. That degree was in science, which I planned on using to go into the medical field. However, while I was in school, I also decided to start my business. My plan was to give it a few years and continue my healthcare path if it wasn’t successful.
Even though it was scary, I’m glad I took the leap of faith. That experience taught me that in life, the most risky decisions are often the ones that are the most fulfilling.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thefocuspictures.com
- Instagram: JoefromFocusPictures
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@joefromfocuspictures5894?si=3EaXi4hpY0MIkjKa
