We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Taylor Brown. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Taylor below.
Taylor, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you share a customer success story with us?
I remember the moment I sent out an email newsletter to my website subscribers, which unexpectedly led to a significant turning point in my career. Just days later, I received a call from one of my clients, with whom I had collaborated on a barbershop mini-series for his company, Tight N Up Barbershop. Back in 2020, we had created a four episode mini series, and little did I know then that this project would pave the way for something even more impactful.
Fast forward to 2023, when Clinton reached out to me about creating a promotional video for his campaign. Learning that he was running for District 3 council member in Bowie, Maryland, filled me with both pride and anticipation. Clinton mentioned our previous work together, expressing his desire to leverage the footage from the mini-series to showcase his identity as a barber and a dedicated community member. His call was an honor, affirming the impact of our past collaboration and the trust he placed in me.
As we sat down over breakfast at “First Watch” in Bowie, Maryland, we discussed our plan and strategy for the upcoming video shoot. The funny part about this story is that I was testing out a new camera, the Sony FX6. I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. Despite the pressure, I knew the camera’s capabilities and trusted my own expertise to deliver great results.
The filming process took about six hours between two locations: at Allen Pond Park and Clinton’s first barbershop. The quality of the footage was amazing, just what I expected after studying the Sony FX6 camera. After capturing Clinton’s story, we started working on the editing process, aiming for a seven-minute video initially but ultimately we cut it down to a more engaging three-minute video.
The moment of truth arrived when Clinton and his team viewed the final edit. Their approval filled me with a great sense of pride and accomplishment. Knowing that I had contributed to Clinton’s success, helping him secure victory as the District 3 council member with an impressive 48% of the votes, was truly humbling and gratifying.
My contribution to Clinton’s success was really rewarding and kind of emotional for me. I couldn’t believe my work helped someone else win in life. I created a compelling marketing promotional video, I effectively communicated Clinton’s vision, values, and dedication to the community. Through strategic filming, editing, and production, I captured the essence of Clinton’s message, resonating with voters and rallying support behind his candidacy.
Also, Clinton hired me to take photos at his launch party just a few weeks after we created his promotional video. We showed this video at his launch party and that’s when it really hit me like wow, not only did Clinton and his team approve but so did the community. I captured candid photos of the energy, enthusiasm, and unity driving Clinton’s campaign forward. These images not only showed the event but also humanized Clinton, showcasing his authenticity and approachability as a candidate.
Witnessing Clinton’s transformation from candidate to council member reaffirmed my passion for amplifying voices and telling meaningful stories through my videography and photography work. This experience has not only elevated my career but also deepened my commitment to using my talents to empower others and create positive change in the world.
Taylor, 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?
I’m a multi-talented person with skills in entrepreneurship, professional basketball, photography, and videography. I formerly played Division I basketball for George Mason University’s Women’s Basketball team. I am the third-best scorer in program history and I have been selected to the All-A-10 team three times. Additionally, I am the first player to have at least 1,500 points, 400 rebounds, and 300 assists. I played professional basketball overseas for the past eight years including countries such as Iceland, Luxembourg, Australia, Morocco, Dominican Republic and Sweden. I’ve won two titles and MVP awards abroad, in the Dominican Republic and Morocco. I started my own videography business in 2016. I developed my talents in the Film and Video Studies Master’s Program at George Mason University after earning my Bachelors in Sports Management, which laid the groundwork for my next journey with visual storytelling.
During my Master’s program, I had an internship at Gearshift.tv, where I was motivated by the entrepreneurs around me. This was my turning point. Instead of just teaching me technical skills, the business owners within the company mentored me, and through that, I discovered that I wanted to create my own path. I combined my business ventures and identity as a basketball player in 2016 when I formed my own LLC, Taylor Brown 31, LLC. It was difficult to juggle professional basketball and entrepreneurship, but I managed to provide editing services remotely while overseas and conducting in-person filming during the summers in the United States. Due to the time difference, it was a special but risky situation, and I was a bit afraid that I would lose business as a result of the distance but I’ve always found a way to manage both my career on and off the court.
In the beginning, I concentrated on developing my portfolio by working on projects for loved ones, friends, and local contacts. Getting the respect and recognition I have now took years. At first, it was difficult to prove to clients the worth of my work, but with persistence and improvement,
Mini-series, social media content, event recordings, highlight reels, website development, photography, and podcasting are just a few of the many services I offer. What makes me unique is my natural ability to take ordinary content and turn it into compelling and memorable visual stories. Working with the University of Maryland Social Justice Alliance, where my work is greatly valued, has been one of the highlights of my experience. Their affirmation feeds my drive, especially when it comes to producing social justice-focused content that reflects my values and experiences. Also, creating international content in South Africa, the Dominican Republic, and Israel for basketball leagues and organizations has been a career highlight. It took me years to gain the respect and notoriety I currently have, but through perseverance and improvement, I’ve polished my skills to provide a wide range of services, from website development to mini-series, and I’ve found joy in creating content that has a positive social impact both locally and globally.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
At the very beginning of COVID-19, I had to make a business pivot. I was a freelance camera operator and I was doing extremely well. Up until COVID-19 started to spread, I was getting steady work and felt very confident in myself. All of the conferences I was covering and filming as a camera operator had to be canceled due to COVID-19. Other than being available for this freelance camera operator work, I had no other gigs lined up or scheduled. I had to pick up a new ability fast. Luckily, I was able to pivot with Spark Street Digital’s assistance. Since everything was done online for the conferences and meetings, I took on the role of virtual Zoom manager.
I was fortunate that Spark Street established that role and trusted me for it. This also taught me to consistently provide video editing as a service for my business. It’s important to not only rely on recording and shooting but also to constantly be working on or planning a video editing job because it’s an excellent approach to maintain steady income flow and keep the business operating, particularly during difficult times like COVID.
In addition to my work as a camera operator, I also had a career as a professional basketball player as well, and COVID-19 caused all American imports from abroad to return to the country due to the widespread concern of COVID-19. Therefore, I was not allowed to return abroad to play. I had no choice but to take on the role of a virtual Zoom manager till everything improved and returned to normal. This period of adaptation taught me the importance of flexibility in sustaining a business during unprecedented challenges. By embracing new roles and expanding my skill set, I not only survived but also laid the groundwork for long-term resilience in the videography business.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Customer recommendations have proven to be my most reliable source of new business. I would especially like to acknowledge and recognize Dr. Rashawn Ray, a sociology professor at the University of Maryland, as one of my clients. He goes above and beyond that. He constantly spreads the word about me and suggests businesses to use me for their projects. He’s a major factor in the notable growth in my clientele in 2023. Another client who pushes business at me is Don Napoleon, creator of the Napoleon Complex Project. I’ve had a steady freelancing job for the past five years, thanks to Don’s referral to Spark Street Digital founder Paul Selker. Don also recently connected me with a freelancing opportunity with BBC News in Washington, D.C. As one of the studio floor managers, I help manage the live shows.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tb31international.com
- Instagram: taylorbrownneverstops
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taybrownneverstops/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTFqiz-kjeBCDbKn_2Fx33Q
Image Credits
Peter Forsberg