We recently connected with Lorenzo Leyva and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Lorenzo thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I am happy as a business owner but it can be overwhelming at times. I suffer from burn out pretty consistently, and a lot of the time I feel overworked and underpaid. It’s hard to be accountable to yourself when you’re doing it alone, my success is largely dependant on me and the discipline I have to continue my business while trying to grow and improve. It’s a delicate and difficult balance. Sometimes I feel like I’m doing too much, then it feels like I’m doing too little. I’m constantly battling myself. But then I think what would it be like if I had a regular job? I think about this all the time. It happens every time things get really tough. Or something falls through, or there’s not as many jobs this month as I would hope, or a project doesn’t quite come out how I wanted…And I think it would be easier. I think it would be a lighter workload. I think it would be better pay, probably, maybe worse depending on my role… I think it will have benefits, pension, paid vacation days… but it also would be boring, it’d be frustrating, I’d get less respect, have less creative freedom, less say, I’d start to feel slow, stagnant, soulless. I wouldn’t have my heart or head in it. I wouldn’t get to decide what jobs I take on. I’d have to go to meetings I wouldn’t want to. I’d be told how to do my job. I’d have to deal with office politics. Fight for promotions…Everything has its pro’s and its con’s. That’s what I tell myself. I can always get the regular job if I need to. And now I’ve just put myself in a position where I’ll most likely get an even better job because of my experience, skills, knowledge and portfolio. So, I don’t even have to worry. If all else fails, I can have that. I can find success in so many jobs that are out there now because of all that I know. So, that makes me all the more emboldened to continue what I’m doing for myself. There’s no negative to doing it. And if it gets to be too much or too difficult, then I have plenty of options. But I don’t think about actually giving up, I only do that to strengthen myself to continue. Choose what perspective you want to believe in your life. I choose to believe things will always turn out well, so long as you work towards that. I have faith in my belief. And I act accordingly.

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.

I am a videographer, filmmaker, and photographer specializing in creating impactful visuals through video and photo. My work spans events, restaurants, commercials, short films, documentaries, and storytelling in all its forms.

I run a production company called “Chicago Valley” with my friend Marius Rudzevicius.

What sets us apart is our ability to help clients define their brand, identity, and visual presence. Many of our clients come to us with a strong vision for their story, but no visuals to match. That’s where we come in, crafting unique content tailored to their goals.

Our process begins with understanding what they want to achieve—whether it’s promoting a new product, driving sales, or telling a creative visual story. From there, we design videos that align with their objectives, balancing creativity with strategy.

Looking ahead, I aim to expand our services into full-scale video strategy, where we not only create videos but also plan entire campaigns that deliver meaningful results. It’s a collaborative approach, starting with understanding the client’s current marketing efforts, future goals, and potential tie-ins. Using that foundation, we pitch concepts that feel purposeful and aligned with their broader vision. It’s akin to how an ad agency operates, but on a more personalized scale. And we don’t just do ads. We’re storytellers.

We’re not just building videos—we’re building a portfolio that reflects our values. I’m especially passionate about working with local Chicago businesses, nonprofits, and brands. While we’ve collaborated with national companies, I find the greatest fulfillment in projects that connect deeply with the Chicago community. Whether it’s a commercial, short film, promo, or live event, I’m energized by stories that are uniquely tied to the culture and heartbeat of this city.

What truly sets us apart is our style and approach. Unlike large agencies with hundreds of employees and endless layers of approval, we operate with a smaller, more nimble team. This allows us to maintain creative freedom and a personal touch in every project. My business partner and I are a great team—two minds with different perspectives but a shared vision. Our yin-and-yang dynamic fuels our creativity, which helps us to deliver ideas and solutions that stand out.

We’re not reinventing the wheel, but we’re doing something distinct—something that resonates. Our work has a voice, and people notice. That’s the energy I want to keep channeling as we grow: creating impactful visuals, telling important stories, and staying true to the communities we serve.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I met Marius, my business partner, through a friend. I was trying to hire someone to shoot a small project for one of my clients.

I had just started freelancing as my own company. I had been working for several production companies around Chicago for a few years until I thought it was time to do it on my own. This project was small, and I was still learning, so I only hired close friends who were kind of doing me a solid rather than being hired as a contractor. It was still handshakes and nods, not really “professional” yet.

Anyway, I had asked my friend to do the job, but he felt comfortable only doing photo work, not video work. But he told me about a guy he knows who does great video work. The job I needed done was a simple interview and b-roll shoot for a small home renovation company, which is kind of irrelevant, but when I got the footage from Marius, I was floored. It looked far better than I thought it was going to be. It was better than what I could have done by a long shot. I was highly impressed. So, I immediately knew I had to get to know Marius better. We got each other’s contact info and very slowly I kept hiring him for jobs.

I think the second job he did for me was for a rap music video that was…let’s just say it was terrible, but we did all that we could to make it decent. I think it was only like $500 or something, and I gave most of that to Marius. At that point I was so hungry for jobs I would do almost anything, I didn’t care how weird or strange it was. And Marius had a similar attitude. He was down to work. Most of my friends or colleagues are very choosy and dismissive. They constantly find reasons and excuses for why they don’t want to do certain jobs or certain work. They find it beneath them or not in the direction they want to go or just don’t find it interesting, but I honestly get annoyed at that.

You’re not a storyteller, you’re not a creative, you’re not skilled or talented, if you can’t be challenged and express your style and craft with constraints and limits. It fuels creativity. It makes you a better storyteller. If you don’t have a mind for it, then you won’t ever get it. And Marius was just as versatile and hungry as me. He wanted to shoot weddings, music videos, events, clubs, promos, commercials, whatever. It’s all fun and it’s all challenging. So, we just kept working more and more together until we decided we needed to combine forces and start doing things together. Together from the inception. From conceptualization to final export. That’s the origins of Chicago Valley.

That was like 3 or so years ago. We met each other in fall 2021. It’s been a fast growth, and I’m thankful for it. Now I have a brother, friend, and business partner.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

This journey has been anything but easy. I started as full-time UNPAID intern at two editing companies. I wasn’t making any money despite working 40 hours, so I had to work another job after spending all day at the first one. I relied on savings from working through college, but even with that, I still had to take on part-time work after my internship. That period of my life was non-stop—working constantly just to stay afloat.

Even when I transitioned to paid editing work, the pay was low, and the workload was heavy. Around that time, the pandemic hit, which completely derailed my momentum. I had to take a three-month pause, which felt like starting over. I came back to Chicago with no prospects. I started doing camera jobs out of desperation. I wasn’t qualified at all. When I began shooting, I barely knew my way around a camera. Every job felt like a test, and I had to prove myself again and again, constantly pushing my limits to catch up and improve.

Running my company has brought its own set of challenges. Every month feels uncertain—some are fully booked, others are terrifyingly empty. You’re always at the mercy of clients, whether it’s a late-night club event that runs until 2 a.m. or an early-morning school testimonial at 6:30 a.m. There have been times when people I trusted flaked on jobs last minute, stole clients behind my back, or left me scrambling at the worst possible moments.

Clients can be another challenge altogether. Some have yelled at me over minor disputes or tried to manipulate me into doing more work for less pay. Many don’t understand the effort or costs involved and push back on things they don’t fully grasp. It’s exhausting having to constantly explain your value and advocate for fair treatment.

On top of that, the workload can be overwhelming. Shooting, editing, producing, scouting locations, prepping and testing gear, conceptualizing ideas, pitching to clients, drafting contracts—when you’re doing it all yourself, it feels like everything rests on your shoulders. Burnout is real, and it’s easy to feel like you’re losing your mind when there’s no one else to fall back on. You have to hold yourself accountable, stay responsible, and keep going, even when it’s overwhelming.

This kind of work isn’t for everyone, and honestly, I’m still figuring out if it’s for me.

But I don’t stop. I don’t give up. I’m still having fun. I have no regrets. Times can be difficult, they can be challenging, but I’m in control. I strike the balance. I determine how far I want to push myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.chicagovalley.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enzo.shootz/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorenzo.leyva.96
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorenzo-leyva/