Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shawntonio Bond. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Shawntonio thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

I started shooting, capturing and editing sports in my local area about 2021. I would show up to middle school and youth league events and record the games, take photos and edit them. All from my iPhone. This felt like a hobby at first and I just enjoyed the kids and their reactions they made when they were able to put “cool” visuals of them on their social media platforms and YouTube. I began my page and it just began to organically grow. I then would begin to shoot at the local high schools. Providing them with the same content and the kids loved it.

One day a parent approached me and asked me about making a workout video for their child. Something that could show all the work he was putting in and brand him on social media as he began to go to the next level. With this always being a hobby to me, I did not even know what to say as far as pricing at that point. I Googled “What do videographers charge?” And settled on $50 towards the low-end of the spectrum of my Google search. The parent was surprised by the low # but agreed and we made it happen.

This was my first experience being paid for my craft. Prior to this “job” I had worked at videography, photography and editing for 18 months for free. So it was pretty exciting to see my passion create some type of revenue for me.

Shawntonio , 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?

My name is Shawntonio Bond but everyone calls me Shawn Bond for short. I am 35 years old and I am the CEO/Founder of Blue Summers, LLC which runs a media company by the name of Blue Summers Media. I have two children – Jakobe who is 16 and Summer who is 14 currently. We call Jakobe – “BLUE” and of Course Summer and they are the motivation behind the name – BLUE SUMMERS – my kids.

I honestly got into this industry by surprise. I have always loved editing videos and taking photos but I could never imagine how I can ever turn that passion into monetary gain. With research and discipline, grind and working on my craft – I was able to turn Blue Summers Media into a business that I can absolutely be proud of and use to take care of my family.

Blue Summers provides media of off types. Visuals, photography, short films, reel creation, event photography, studio photography, video recaps and graphic design for our clients. We pride ourselves on being a one stop shop for your media needs. We have dabbled in many fields and are definitely proud of all the work we have put in to provide content consistently for our clients and future clients.

The thing that I am most proud of and what I think sets Blue Summers apart in my area is my connection with the kids, the youth. We started with providing sports content and no matter what we have ventured off into. We always come back to provide content for the youth sports in the area and shine light on the future generations. I believe that’s what has built the brand and is the backbone of our success.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Social Media has been big for me. Just doing the work and putting the work out. YouTube, Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads, etc.

Doing the work and putting it on display and letting the people decide. We use the analytics to see what works, at what times and ultimately what the people want to see.

Overall we use social media as a big advertising marketing tool. You can see our work on display on the various platforms and it gives the clients and idea of what they are getting into before they book.

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

My grind. Honestly, it was a period where within my market I was everywhere. Making myself visible. I would show up for free at events for take photos and videos. Always making sure that I had my feet on the ground and that the clients in my area where seeing my face and me with a camera in my hands

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bluesummersmedia.pixieset.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluesummersmedia
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlueSummersEnt?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawntonio-bond-98713046?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
• Twitter: @bluesummedia
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@BlueSummersMedia?si=G51xu8-JJbkl9cPo

Image Credits
Blue Summers Media