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

Mikey, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Alright – so having the idea is one thing, but going from idea to execution is where countless people drop the ball. Can you talk to us about your journey from idea to execution?

I had always been into making videos, editing and telling fun stories with my friends in jr high and highschool. There was something about the freedom to create any kind of story and world that I wanted. At the time, however, there was no real money in video. You had to have some sort of connection in hollywood to play with the best of the best gear. If you weren’t in hollywood, you might as well go and get a “real” career. So fast forward to graduating highschool, I was met with the classic “what do I want to do with my life” questions every 17 and 18 year old goes through. That pressure to have it all figured out! I decided to quit making videos and go into youth ministry as a youth pastor. After a few years studying theology and pastoral training, I was working 2 minimum wage jobs. One as a waiter and the second as a dishwasher. After about a year of working 32 hours a week and taking 5 classes, I had a moment of exhaustion and wondered if this was what I was meant to do forever. Out of frustration I desperately sought after something that could bring a sense of inspiration to me again. I found my old canon t1i from highschool and decided to do exactly what I was doing in highschool – to make silly fun videos with my friends. After making a couple of silly videos with some coworkers, I thought to myself “maybe I CAN do this”. To make a long story a bit shorter, my “seasonal” full time job was coming to a close and I decided to not try to renew my positions as a dishwasher and waiter and instead, apply for film school. I got accepted into a film school in france and after about 7 months of living and studying abroad, I met my production teacher who was working in television and commercials at the time. I immediately knew he was “my guy”, so I started asking him tons of questions. I knew I didn’t want to become some sort of film director, but I begin to learn that I could leverage my talents to start making some real money, and not worry about being the “starving artist”. So as my school season was coming to an end, we had one last period which was our “production period”. I worked on 1 film as a student and thought to myself “why would I stay and work for free, when I could move back home and start my own production company and start making money?”. So May 24th of 2017 I officially moved back home and started my first production company. I was able to find ways to create videos and start building my portfolio with other people who were trying to build their entrepreneurial endeavors. I did work with people who became great friends, and with people who i don’t even know what they have going on anymore. Slowly but surely after a few years of building myself up as a videographer / filmmaker I am now operating as not just a videographer, but as someone who sought after for his work as well as his expertise in the field of content creation and business building. In other words, I find myself more often helping other videographers in their 1st, 2nd or 3rd years, or just straight up consulting and guiding CEO’s & business owners on utilizing social media for their content and brand strategies. It took many many many hours pushing myself creatively. A lot of free and cheap work, but it was well worth it. It took me 6 years, but 2023 is the first year where I’ve genuinely felt successful. I don’t need to even touch my business anymore and it would still survive without me. That is more important than just making more money. It was never an official launch, but a graceful transition from years of hardwork and determination.

Mikey, 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 am currently operating as a Wedding Filmmaker based in Southern California, but also fulfilling destination work. I’ve had the pleasure of working in many different regions, most notably Africa, Central America and Europe.

After years of working with small business owners, influencers in Los Angeles, artists, bands, realtors & churches, I now spend a majority of my time working with engaged couples who are soon to be married. My goal is to create interconnected love stories and elevated wedding films to not just honor the couple, but the family and legacy they want to leave behind. My couples have a high regard for family relationships and legacy. They desire to honor the traditions of their families before them AND after them.

Creating Wedding FIlms for my couples is something I plan on doing for a long time. It allows for the right amount of relational connection as well as artistic expression. Aka, i’m not having to wait on net-30’s and 60’s for companies that may or may not even approve my work. But with couples, it’s more than just a product they’re getting, but an experience, and a timepiece they’ll get to cherish forever.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

There are a few books that really helped me shift my idea of what “success” looked like. I knew there was always a sense of “gratitude” and “generosity” tied behind success (and I don’t just mean financial success). But 4 books that really helped solidify this new way of thinking:

1. Think and grow Rich – Napoleon Hill
2. The Strangest Secret – Earl Nightingale
3. 7 Steps to Wealth and Happiness – Jim Rohn
4. To Hell With the Hustle – Jeff Bethke

What these books taught me is that success isn’t just about. “working hard”. It’s not just about “making more”. Success is a mode of being. It’s value provided, not value taken. It’s making your community and the world around you a better place. It starts with providing value. Just like Earl Nightingale shares “your financial return is in direct proportion to your service”. Want to live a more abundant life? Give more.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Being a kind individual that takes interest and serves his market. Whether it’s an official client, a potential client, or even someone who’s not a client at all. Providing value, and treating everyone with respect and service, will go much further than you think. Kindness and generosity will take you further than whatever extra money you might make by manipulating someone.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mikeyramirez.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/mikeyrfilms