We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Marc Strong a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Marc, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

My journey into video production and animation wasn’t a sudden leap—it was a gradual process, sparked by a passion I didn’t initially recognize as a career path. At the time, I had a stable and intellectually stimulating job as an intelligence analyst. I had gone to a top graduate school to get there, and by all logical measures, I was on the right track. But something was missing.

In my free time, I would create family videos on my white MacBook laptop (are you old enough to remember those?) and I’d completely lose myself in the process. Hours would pass in what felt like minutes. I was in that elusive state of “flow” where time and space faded away. One day, while visiting my parents for the holidays, when I casually mentioned the idea of working in video production, my mom responded with a simple but profound question: “Why not?” That moment stuck with me. It was a question I had never really considered seriously—and it ultimately inspired the name of my company, Wienot Films (pronounced “Why not”).

As a kid, I had always been creative, drawn to art and storytelling, but I never saw it as a practical career. My work as an analyst was logical and structured—mostly left-brained. I felt like I was neglecting an essential part of who I was. I wanted to be more creative.

Then, an opportunity arose to make a video for a new technology at work. At the time, whiteboard explainer videos were still relatively new and had been used to introduce tools like Dropbox and Google Docs. I pulled inspiration from those who had gone before me. I wrote a script and drew storyboards and then got to work making the video come to life. It involved using my Canon PowerShot suspended on a mini tripod held down by books on top of a piano bench overlooking my kids’ small whiteboard. I recall kneeling down for so long drawing the images for the video that I would lose feeling in my feet. I recorded the voiceover in my closet for better acoustics. Despite the video only being minutes long, it took hours to record in an effort to get my delivery just right. In the end, the production quality was very rudimentary, employing stick figures to help tell my story, but the video was a hit. It helped people have those “aha!” moments. My boss asked me to make another one on a different topic.

Shortly thereafter, I started making explainer videos on the side. I built an online presence, set up social media accounts, and started posting relevant content. I enrolled in local film and animation classes, studied professional editing software, and read everything I could about storytelling in film. With each new video, my skills improved. I discovered the subtle but powerful techniques that make a difference—like how a character’s movement on screen can subconsciously suggest a positive or negative direction.

I also asked myself: What would make Wienot Films unique? I realized it wasn’t just about the animation—it was about storytelling. Anyone could learn the technical skills, but not everyone could craft a compelling narrative. I focused on making complex ideas clear, engaging, and fun. Like great films, the key was in telling powerful stories that resonated.

My side business slowly gained traction. Around that time, I met a friend who was the former CEO of Fuddruckers. Over lunch, I told him about my idea and the challenge of knowing whether I should make it a full-time venture or not. His advice was simple but invaluable: Start it on the side, that way, you’ll have a longer runway to see if there’s real demand before you take the leap.

So that’s exactly what I did. I continued my day job while building Wienot Films in my spare time. I posted content on YouTube and Vimeo. Then, one day, I received a message on Twitter from someone who had seen my earlier work and was interested in hiring me for a video. She became my first paying client. Her budget was modest, but it was a start. From there, another project came, then another. Slowly, I started gaining recognition and clients.

Eventually, I faced a pivotal decision: return to my stable job and abandon my entrepreneurial dream or go all in on Wienot Films. It wasn’t easy, but I chose to take the leap. That decision changed my life. Over time, I built a team of talented creatives—writers, illustrators, animators, voiceover artists, composers, and sound designers. My role evolved from doing everything myself to directing all kinds of projects, whether they’re videos for sales, marketing, or education.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that you don’t have to have everything figured out before you start. I jumped in, learned by doing, and improved over time. Looking back, my early work was rough, but it allowed me to grow. Today, Wienot Films creates all kinds of high-quality 2D and 3D animations, all while staying true to our core principle: telling great stories that make complex ideas easy to understand.

Starting a business is hard work. But if you’re passionate about what you’re creating, I believe it’s worth it. At Wienot Films, our mantra is: passion, story, and dreams. We believe in following your passion, telling your story, and living your dreams. Some ask, “Why?” We say, “Wienot!” Life is short, so find a way to live your dreams!

Here’s a video about our founding and the origin of our name: https://youtu.be/mpgsnO6mlnE?si=R2hluv2Dq4BS_vSo

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Marc Strong, I’m the founder and creative director of Wienot Films. We are a team of passionate storytellers who specialize in creating animated explainer videos. Since 2011, we’ve been helping clients turn complex, confusing, or even mundane topics into clear, concise, engaging narratives. We’ve produced videos in over a half a dozen languages for clients around the globe.

In today’s fast-paced world, people are inundated with information and often don’t have the time—or patience—to sift through lengthy websites or documents. That’s where we come in. We specialize in distilling complicated topics into concise, digestible, and visually compelling explainer videos. Whether it’s helping brands like Gatorade break down nutritional concepts, assisting BlackRock in sharing financial insights, or teaming up with Sesame Street to teach parenting skills, we bring clarity to every project we touch.

We’ve had the privilege of working with some of the world’s leading educational institutions—like Stanford, MIT, and the University of Texas—on topics ranging from disinformation and AI to money laundering and lobbying. Beyond corporate and academic projects, we’ve also been honored to support nonprofits tackling critical issues, from aiding mothers in Africa to supporting addiction recovery efforts in the United States.

In 2024, our work was recognized with seven Telly Awards for excellence in education, training, and public policy. As we look to the future, we remain committed to helping companies explain their products and services effectively. But beyond that, we are dedicated to using our craft to create meaningful content that educates, inspires, and amplifies the voices of individuals and organizations working to make the world a better place. Whether through collaborations with educational institutions, nonprofits, or mission-driven organizations, we aim to use storytelling as a force for good.

Here’s our Telly Award-winning educational video about the disinformation threat to America:

Here’s our Telly Award-winning training rap about data privacy:

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

One of my favorite marketing experiences happened early on when I was trying to get Wienot Films noticed. At the time, whiteboard explainer videos were still a new format, and I wanted to create content that would both showcase our work and provide real value.

I had always been fascinated by great presentations, especially after enduring my fair share of mind-numbing PowerPoint slides. One of the best presenters I had come across was Guy Kawasaki. For those who may not know, Guy was the former Chief Evangelist at Apple, a Silicon Valley legend, and a best-selling author. He had written extensively about marketing, entrepreneurship, and effective communication, and he was known for his engaging, no-nonsense presentation style. I had seen him speak at SXSW, and his ability to captivate an audience was incredible.

Inspired by Guy and other experts I had studied, I decided to distill their best advice on giving compelling presentations into a short whiteboard explainer video. Once the video was complete, I took a bold step—I emailed it to Guy himself. I knew he had a famously busy schedule and had even mentioned publicly that he regularly deleted emails after two weeks. Timing was everything.

I sent my email on May 11, 2011, at 8:54 PM PST. To my absolute shock, just 15 minutes later—at 9:09 PM—he replied. Not only had he watched the video, but he also posted it on a viral link website he was running at the time. That one post gave the video serious traction, and before long, it had been viewed millions of times. To this day, it has been used in corporate meetings and university instruction around the world.

For Guy, it was probably just another quick post. But for me, as the founder of a brand-new company, it was a game-changer. It reinforced something I’ve believed ever since: you never know when a single action—a single email, a single video—will change the course of your business. The key is to put yourself out there, create great work, and take bold steps, even when you don’t know what the outcome will be. Hard work, persistence, and a little bit of luck can go a long way.

Here’s the original video I shared with Guy back in 2011 (the company has come along way since then):

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Starting a business is a lot of work, especially in the beginning. That’s why I always tell people: only start a business if you truly love it. Money alone isn’t enough motivation to push through the long hours, the stress, and the inevitable roadblocks. Passion is what keeps you going when things get tough.

One of my early tests of resilience came in 2012 when I was hired to create one of the first animated videos for TED-Ed. For those unfamiliar, TED-Ed is the educational arm of TED, the organization known for its inspiring TED Talks. TED-Ed produces high-quality animated videos that bring complex ideas to life, helping educators and students around the world engage with subjects in a visually compelling way.

At the time, I was still working my day job, which meant all my client work had to be done after hours—late nights, early mornings, and weekends. On top of that, I was pushing the limits of what I knew how to do with my animation software, and the project itself was incredibly tedious.

As the deadline loomed, I realized just how much work was left. I had recently built a standing desk, thinking it would be better for my back, but I hadn’t anticipated what was about to happen. On that final stretch, determined to deliver on time, I worked standing at my desk for 24 hours straight. No real breaks. No sleep. Just me, my computer, and the relentless drive to get it done.

Exhausting? Absolutely. Were my ankles swollen afterwards? Absolutely. But looking back, I’m proud of what came from that experience. That video became the very first animation TED-Ed ever posted to their YouTube channel. It marked a turning point for me—proof that I could push through the hardest moments and still create something impactful.

Thankfully, I’ve since learned that sleep is an important part of the creative process, too! These days, I still put in plenty of effort, but 24-hour workdays are no longer part of the plan. That experience, though, reinforced an important lesson: resilience isn’t just about working hard—it’s about believing in what you’re doing enough to push through the tough times, knowing that the effort will pay off in the end.

Here’s the original TED-Ed video from 2012 (we were very basic back in those days!):

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wienotfilms.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/wienotfilms
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/WienotFilms
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/company/wienot-films
• Twitter: https://x.com/wienotfilms
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/wienotfilms
• Other: Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/wienotfilms
  Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/wienotfilms

Image Credits

Marc Strong
Wienot Films