We were lucky to catch up with Kevin Sullivan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kevin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

One major thing I believe in when it comes to starting a business and making sure it’s successful, is using your source of income to fund your business & your lifestyle. By that I mean having a full or part-time job so that paying the bills is taken care of… While also using that money to fund part of the business or to even have that sense of security knowing that you can put time into your business without feeling like you need to find money elsewhere.

When I started my business I was one week out of college and my car just broke down. I didn’t know what I was going to do to make sure I could take that next step. What I did was find a serving job where I worked 4 to 5 days a week in the evenings and I used the daytime/off days to try and do client work to build a portfolio and also use the off time to film, take photos, or edit. II spent this period at the restaurant really trying improve on my skills, grow a more consistent client base, and find out more of what I wanted to do in my business.

Fast forward two years later I accepted a full-time position at a tech company doing their photo and video production and that also allows me to increase my skills in the field. I had a great creative team around me to learn from, branch ideas off of, and just figure out more of the business/marketing side as well. While I was at this company my business started to take off and I pretty much stayed full-time until I couldn’t do both anymore. So I was able to continue to save up and continue to fund my business with personal funds because I was working full-time but still doing plenty of work outside of that career.

When you’re a creative a lot of the client work and business side of things come as you continue to grow. You may think that your success will have to do with how good your work is when in reality it’s more about meeting the right people, taking the right opportunities, and making sure that you are not setting yourself back in anyway. That may be bad gear purchases, working for the wrong exposure, anything that isn’t in your best interest. There are plenty of hurdles that every creative business owner will hit but that helps you in the long run because you know what each of those things did to set you back and you have a better idea of what worked for you in the journey.

Kevin, 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’m a 28 year older filmmaker, photographer and business owner born and raised on the south-side of Minneapolis, Minnesota. From a young age I discovered my love for cameras, documenting my daily life with friends and the neighborhood that surrounded me. Fast forward a few years I attend Mankato State where I majored in Mass Media & Film Studies before starting my own production company in late 2017 after graduating. My company Kevin Sullivan Films & new company Fifth Avenue Media have been a part of many projects including work with the Minnesota Vikings, Insulin 4 All, Devean George’s affordable housing initiative in North Minneapolis, over 100 weddings, Thrivent Financial, and most recently Showtime’s new 4 part documentary Boy’s In Blue.

My brand is personal, as I feel like the client experience is one of those things that can’t be forgotten about. When someone comes to me and asks if I can create a video for them, the answer is never simply yes. You have to know their ‘why’. What’s motivating them to create a video or capture these photos? Who’s their target audience? What do they want to achieve? It’s in these conversations where they may realize they need something completely different than they originally thought.

It’s extremely important to use our strengths to help others however we can. The power of a voice that carries across the world is priceless. My biggest goal is to use photo and video to tell stories, capture moments, and create an image in people’s mind that lasts forever.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think one of the most rewarding aspects of being a creative in my job is seeing how what I created impacts others. Whether it’s the client and their initial reaction when I send them the final product – or when they post it and everyone talks about how powerful or how moving it is. Those little things keep me going in my business. I can create as much as I’d like for my personal use but when it comes to client work you really need those outside factors to make you feel like you’re doing something positive instead of just doing it for the money. When I’m happy with a clients photos or a mini story that we filmed for them, it brings me joy to know that I could tell their story in a way that was complete and resonated with them.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

One thing that helped build my reputation in the industry is that people like me as a person, not just as a business. You have to be fun, memorable, reliable, and give people a good experience. I tell business owners this all the time when they’re starting, don’t worry about the work. You’ve chosen this field because you know you can do the work. What will make you successful is if others want to support you.

You see it throughout life in general. We will refer people to a business for someone who we like over someone whose work may be better than theirs. Both companies may be able to get the job done, but the experience that the customer has after working with you will be remembered. This is why networking is as important as it is. And to some that may seem like some scary word or that they have to go out and meet random people and sell their business. In reality you just have to be kind to people that you meet on a day-to-day basis, be thoughtful in how you approach each interaction with your clients, and be efficient in the way that you’re going about your business. You never know where that one positive interaction will get you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kevinsullivanfilms.com
• Instagram: @kevinsullivanfilms
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevinsullivanfilms
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/Kevin-sullivan-films
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/HjFzqil4TV8

Image Credits
@eleven11photos.mpls @gigidunnphoto