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

Matthew, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

On February 12, 2021, my friends and I decided we were going to go hiking at Starved Rock State Park in Central Illinois the following morning. There was a light snowfall a few days before, and flurries were forecasted for the morning of February 13.

I woke up on February 13 early in the morning before the sunrise. It was a cold, dark, and bleak mid-winter morning. I’ll admit that waking up early in the morning to venture out into the cold can be hard and the thought of falling back asleep crosses my mind many times.

I’m lying in bed, it’s 5:47am, and it seems there are countless reasons why I should go back to sleep.

But there’s one thought that’s different than the rest. The thought of what the canyon may look like on that given day keeps me guessing. While I’ve been to St. Louis Canyon many times in many different seasons, there’s always something unique about each visit. After all, it’s nature which has no guidelines to follow.

I’m forced to make a decision on if I’m going to get up. There’s many thoughts telling me to go back to bed and I’ll go there another time. But it’s the excitement of not knowing exactly what the hike or canyon will entail that gets me up.

This thought process I go through occurs often when getting up for morning hikes. I have yet to be disappointed with my decision to get up and explore a location, no matter the number of times I’ve visited it.

It’s that new perspective that keeps getting me up. The wonder of a similar, but always unique destination, and I get to capture it. The search.

How I envisioned St. Louis Canyon was now a reality. The photo was taken on a wide-angle lens to capture the entire landscape. Snow was falling, and I was cleaning snowflakes off the camera lens and I was trying to press the shutter button at just the right time. It took me 2 or 3 attempts, but I finally got the photo I was searching for.

To capture what I was looking for, I thought everything needed to align perfectly. But that never happens.

Looking back, I discovered what I was really looking for was an opportunity. The opportunity to capture the smallest moment of perfection.

I’ve visited Starved Rock State Park hundreds of times, and I still haven’t found that moment – and that’s okay. I know that moment doesn’t exist. If it did, that would mean there is an end to this adventure.

As much as I say I’m searching for this moment of perfection, I believe it’s something that I’ve never wanted to find.

Instead, the search is what I’ve wanted all along.

I truly believe that what it takes to be successful is different for everyone. For me, it was not about the destination or the perfect moment.

I kept searching — and if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

So whether you’re just starting, or looking for a change in life, remember to keep searching. You’ll never know what you may find.

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

Nearly six years ago I shared my first video on my newly created Facebook page to about 23 followers. The video was based on a hike I took with my friends at Matthiessen State Park in Oglesby, IL. The intention behind the video was to allow the viewer to “follow me” along on my hike, from a new perspective.

That video I edited on my iPad quickly gained attention, and I knew I needed to create more videos with similar themes. Whether it be a natural waterfall, small town, community event, unique story, or even a bridge implosion, my goal has always been to capture these moments from a different point of view.

To think that I have been sharing videos for six years is quite shocking to me. A goal of mine when I first started was to capture moments that matter from a unique perspective. That same goal still guides me today.

Growing up in the Illinois Valley, a collection of small communities with distinctive characteristics, the art of storytelling and perspectives has always been a fundamental principle to me.

In 2021 my video work was included and credited in the HBO original documentary ‘Murders at Starved Rock’, produced by Unrealistic Productions, a Mark Wahlberg company.

Matthew Klein Films is a creative video production agency with 2.5+ million views online and 500+ videos for numerous clients in the corporate, economic development, education, government, marketing, real estate, and tourism sectors. Recently,

My responsibilities include business management, concept development, storyboard and script planning, videography, post-production, distribution across online platforms, website development, and client communication.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Managing a team is one of the hardest aspects of running a business. In the beginning, it’s easy to do the work yourself because you have the time. But as you grow, and if your business becomes successful, doing everything yourself actually stunts your progress.

Having a team is critical for growth. To ensure a high morale within your team, it all starts with trusting and helping each other.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

I believe that the best way to grow your clientele is to focus on your work and do your best every time. It’s not secret that growing clientele, especially in the beginning, can be very hard. When I first started creating videos, I didn’t start with a business ambition in mind. I was simply sharing my work online for others to enjoy.

The opportunity to work with a local nonprofit organization presented itself, and I took it! And this was just the start of what would turn into hundreds of client videos.

I didn’t watch online courses to find the secret to success or have a grand strategy that took years to develop; I just focused on the work and took every opportunity that came along.

I set out to create the best video every project, no matter the budget, and others in my community started to notice.

So, my strategy for growing my clientele has been to do the best work I can. The rest will will come naturally.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.matthewkleinfilms.com
• Instagram: @matthewkleinfilms
• Facebook: @matthewkleinfilms
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewklein19
• Twitter: @mkleinfilms
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2tRn139YAP9MEDXCMvwtLA
• Other: Peronsal IG: @matt_klein

Image Credits
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