We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Steven Champagne a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Steven, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?
I am happy as an artist and creative. There have been rough days for sure, and I have contemplated going back into the corporate world several times in the beginning of my journey. The unique thing about being a creative is I have the skill to conjure up solutions that are invisible to the average person. I have a capacity to see the world from a different perspective which was a burden as a child but has become a strength as I learned the business of the creative industry. Truly, I failed many times along the way but through persistence and grit I have been able to take my love for art and photography and build a full scale media agency.
Steven, 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 never set out to create our full scale media agency, Gold Box Media. I have 2 partners that are dedicated, hardworking, and imaginative, and together we bring something new to the industry. In the beginning though I was a young spirited starving artist painting portraits for commission. I knew nothing about business but knew that the world was changing and traditional art is being replaced by digital media. I had to adapt. I returned to school and became a sports nutritionist and started a health and wellness company. After years of being an entrepreneur I learned business very well because I wore so many hats. Finally, selling my business created the opportunity for me to go back to the art world which is where my passion lives.
I began with photography which brought me into the digital realm and I quickly began using my other skills, web design, graphic design, social media, marketing, sales, etc. to help other businesses grow. This system allowed me to make content for these clients also. Along the way I began working with another company filming video projects and this year we merged our companies to create Gold Box Media. Now we are capable of social media takeover and content creation for businesses, web design, graphic and print design, marketing, ads, photography, videography, and weddings.
We specialize in growing businesses through innovative and creative content and serving the private client with photography sessions, events, and weddings. We love our company and love the fact that we can film a commercial one week and be at a family photo session the next. This range sets us apart and we are capable of bringing the high level production quality to the everyday consumer.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I believe one of the largest lessons I had to unlearn may be the training that college is necessary. That attending a traditional university is the only way to get somewhere in life and business. From my experience this is unnecessary. I believe education is paramount to any venture but I have taught myself more than any traditional platform has. This must be said though. I have a tenacity and willpower that many don’t possess. I attended college for graphic design and learned many valuable skills for the technical aspects of my venture but nothing for business. I did not finish. I left and joined the Marine Corps where I began to build a new perspective on what was possible.
From there I realized that will the right amount of hard work and ingenuity I could do anything. This is where I began setting goals and defining the steps required to achieve them. There have been times where I have had to simply out work someone to get ahead but if your willing to do whatever it takes then you understand the only thing that restricts you from success is your own self. The comfort and complacency of partial success is inviting but leaves me unfulfilled.
Be your own college, teacher, student, boss, etc. No one will ever be able to teach you better than you can teach yourself and there is not a better education than the passion and relentless exploration for knowledge.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
In my view society cannot ever support artists or creatives. Society will exist as long as there is more than one person on the planet but artists and creatives are what build society beyond the lifeless routines, processes, and laws. Standard society is boring and monotonous. Anyone can be a robot, existence or survival is not hard. Thriving on the other hand takes courage and creativity and what makes society fun and vibrant are the creatives in the companies, positions, and places. They are the heartbeat that brings us up to the next level and changes our perspective to open the possibilities to a new world. Any entity would be wise and benefit from hiring creatives, they bring innovation, advancement, and an energy that infects other people to aspire. This is why Gold Box Media works for all companies. We bring a team of creatives into your company or home and find solutions to problems that the you didn’t know it have, we generate works of art that embody the spirit and energy of growth and change. Inside everyone of our project lives positivity and success. With us there is no choice but to grow. We are the Gold Standard.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.goldbox.media/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldboxmedia
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Gold-Box-Media-108795591852657
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gold-box-media
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDQiTEKF5e_6l9C8t30lIBw
Image Credits
Gold Box Media – Steven Champagne