We recently connected with Ryan Gordon and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Ryan, thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
Yeah, so, I wouldn’t say that I’ve earned a full-time living from my creative work in the traditional sense. I don’t have a bunch of 1099s laying around. I will say though that I have been able to carve out a very specific lane for myself that has afforded me the ability to work a salaried position that I love.
I’m currently developing original short-form content for a sports media brand and never thought that a job like this could even exist. I get paid to be my full creative self. When I first started filming sports, I was just showing up to local high school games and being as creative as I possibly could with how I put together highlight videos. And now I can say that I’ve been blessed to work at a top sports media organization (Overtime) and am eagerly climbing my way up the leadership ladder at a new place.
I got in the doors I got into because I was hungry, curious, and always focused on relationships. .I encourage everyone to just be themselves and add value instead of looking for the biggest pay day. The lucrative opportunities will come and the dots will be connected – pick up as many skills and learn as many lessons as you can.
Ryan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Ryan Gordon and I am a content strategist. Formally, I’m a senior producer at Whistle Sports – a sports media organization that doubles as an agency for larger brands. I am slowly but surely though developing in a strategist that can come in and help businesses tell their digital story from soup to nuts. High-level thinking all the way down to the edit itself.
I am most proud of the fact that I’m even able to confidently say that. What started as a simple mixture of two of my first loves – basketball & cameras – has now developed into a role that is sustaining my family’s needs. I’m a husband and father of two and am very thankful for the chance to get paid to be myself. This allows me to show up consistently for them and I’m just grateful.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn that everyone is out to get me. Because I’m a creative, I’m very sensitive about my craft and my work. So, up until very recently, I’ve been guarded when constructive criticism was raised or something doesn’t happen exactly when I want it to. And working for larger organizations has taught me that to get what you want you have to know and understand the game. You may have all of the answers out of the gate, but how do you take what you know and share it in a way that makes leadership feel like it’s their idea? That’s the biggest hurdle that I’m still facing today, but know that once I get it down, I’ll be able to go anywhere and thrive.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Again, I’m not out here rolling in dough. But relationships are basically how I’ve landed every opportunity I’ve had. If you meet someone that’s doing something, ask them a ton of questions, see where the gap is, then show them how you can help. There’s nothing worse than someone asking for a handout. The most lucrative opportunities show up when you can make someone feel really good about themselves and their product.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/dadshotthat
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-gordon-715719216/
- Twitter: twitter.com/dadshotthat
Image Credits
Ross A. Gordon (IG/@rgspark)