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

Josh, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s talk about innovation. What’s the most innovative thing you’ve done in your career?

Shorly prior to the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) hired my company to film training sessions at a conference center in Scottsdale, Arizona, and produce a series of training videos from the footage captured. Unfortunately, due to the small-business-crushing policies enacted to “flatten the curve”, the event industry was decimated and it was impossible for the training sessions to take place in public within a cetain and reasonable amount of time. Rather than completely canceling the project, the USDA kindly asked me for a solution. The solution I proposed included recording the sessions over Zoom and polishing them up with branding to make them look customized and professional. The USDA was happy with this solution and moved forward. However, during this process, the question of distribution came up. How would we get these videos to the viewers? These weren’t just any videos that you could put on a website or YouTube, they had proprietary information and only certain people were allowed to view them. Not to mention, DVD’s and thumbdrives are expensive, outdated, and unsecure. Thankfully, after some very in-depth research, I was able to propose a viable distribution method which solved all of their concerns. We offered to fully customize and brand an open-source hosting and delivery solution, which functions much like a DVD, but can be delivered online with a number of security features, including encryption and password authentication. This is a testament to the reason why organizations like the USDA would trust a small company like Josh Skehan Productions with such valuable projects. We’ll not only produce your video professionally, we’ll provide value as a partner who has your best interest in mind, always adapting, and always staying ahead of the latest technology to provide you with the best solutions for your situation.

Josh, 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?

I basically had a video camera in my hand since I was a child when, to my amazement, my beloved grandfather used to let me hold the old VHS shoulder-mount camera to record the family movies. I was immediately enthralled with the functions of the camera, zooming, focusing, being able to view life through a lens and sometimes from a distance. I used that camera, which I still own to this very day, and other photography and video cameras throughout my childhood. I naturally became proficient with newer cameras and mediums as they rapidly advanced throughout the ’80s, ’90’s and 2000’s. I joined the workforce at 18 years old providing customer service and technical support for one of the largest wireless carriers in the US., quickly working my way up to project manager by the age of 21 – by inventing and implementing company-wide best practices that transformed the department and saved the company over a million dollars annually by reduction of warranty replacements. In that position, I found video production to be an excellent way to disseminate important information and recognize team members. That experience ignited my passion to pursue video production as a career. I then set out on a never-ending journey of self-taught study and submitted a winning video demo which landed me an internship with a start-up video production company. I soon realized that video was not only my passion, but I was good at it! From researching and writing scripts to filming and acting, to the artwork and graphic design, to producing finished pieces and marketing them for retail sale, I once again quickly advanced within the company, earning the title of “Producer”. That company later dissolved but instead of looking at it as a set-back I saw it as an opportunity…an opportunity to create my own company that not only provided great video production, but one also formed on a strong foundation of service and problem solving forged by my years in the customer service industry. Most of all I wanted to create a company where I could deal with each client and vendor on a personal basis because I believe its the personal experience that helps create videos that meet or exceed the client’s vision. My interests outside of video and digital media include technology, nature, and self-improvement. Josh travels frequently but resides in Northern, Arizona with the wife and 2 children of his dreams.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Funding my business is an incredible story. Between working for the other video production company and starting my own video production company, I was a leasing agent at an apartment complex in Scottsdale, Arizona. One day I had an older gentlemen come in looking for an apartment. While he was looking at the apartment he seemed more interested in me. He sat down on the couch and said “you don’t look like you belong here”. I said “excuse me?” He said, “well you look like you were destined for something greater than a leasing agent”. I thanked him, then proceed to tell him that leasing was a stepping stone to my new video production business. Then he asked “how much money do you need?”. And long story short, this angel of a man, Brent, loaned me the money I needed to start my video production business. And the rest is history as they say.

Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)

I only know the basics about NFT’s. I am not sure if NFT’s will hold their value over time, just as we still need to see if Digital Currency, really is the way of the future. It seems so, but we still have yet to see. But currently, I don’t see an issue with NFT’s, I think of it as a modern way of owning and selling art.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.azvideopro.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/azvideopro
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/azvideopro
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/azvideopro/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jskehanpro
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/josh-skehan-productions-scottsdale

Image Credits
Image Credits to Josh Skehan Productions