We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Vitaliy & Ilona Lyubezhanin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Vitaliy & Ilona, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?
In March of 2020, the relentless onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic affected us as it did countless others. My husband Vitaliy, a wedding videographer at the time, found himself fielding weekly phone calls regarding his upcoming weddings and events. In a span of mere weeks, his entire calendar, which had been our family’s financial backbone for our family of five, crumbled as weddings were postponed or canceled. We were hit with anxiety and uncertainly of the future. Yet, amidst this seemingly insurmountable challenge, an unforeseen opportunity presented itself. With an unexpected surplus of free time, Vitaliy finally seized the chance to breathe life into an idea that had been simmering in his mind for years. He had always admired how wedding photographers could deliver their work in stunning, tangible albums, which adorned homes and were proudly shared with visitors. He yearned to create a similar tangible experience but with video- something that connected the digital world with something you can hold. The pandemic-induced free time provided the perfect backdrop for contemplation, research, planning, and ultimately, the birth of The Motion Books. Together, as a husband and wife team, we conjured a name that encapsulated the essence of their creation: video albums that looked and felt like traditional books, yet had the capabilities to play video.
Endless late-night conversations were spent devising a strategic blueprint to launch The Motion Books on a global scale. Initially, our vision was to offer video books exclusively to couples who engaged Vitaliy as their wedding videographer, elevating his service and setting him apart as a videographer.
However, with the newfound time at our disposal, we decided to expand the horizons. We dove into the world of web development, creating a captivating online presence, while establishing a strong foothold on various social media platforms. In October of 2020, The Motion Books was officially launched. To gain insight and refine our product, we shared video books with friends and family, seeking candid feedback.
I, Ilona, assumed the role of the social media manager, actively curating content for Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest, all in the hope of sparking interest from people around the world. Our journey was marked by steady, if somewhat slow, growth. Then, in April 2021, a remarkable twist of fate occurred. A single TikTok video went viral, amassing over 1 million views within a mere 24 hours. The resulting influx of emails, social media messages, and orders was overwhelming.
This pivotal moment catapulted our business to unprecedented heights. We found ourselves in a whirlwind, striving to respond to each inquiry and ship orders promptly. It was a thrilling, chaotic experience. People from all corners of the globe embraced The Motion Books, causing our stock to deplete within days.
In response to the high demand, we enlisted additional help to manage emails, fulfill orders, and fortify the website. All this, courtesy of that one viral TikTok video, propelled The Motion Books into a trajectory of sustained growth and enduring success.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
We are a husband and wife team that founded The Motion Books. As a wedding videographer, Vitaliy has been in the wedding industry for over 15 years. He knows the ins and outs of the wedding industry and has worked with brides and grooms long enough to know what they like when it comes to wedding videos. Vitaliy saw a common problem in the wedding video world – most videos end up forgotten on hard drives or computers. There’s no good way to display these precious memories. So, The Motion Books was born.
Our product, The Motion Books, is a unique solution. They are physical albums that look and feel like regular books. But when you open them, they play your wedding video in high definition with sound. It’s a tangible way to cherish your special day.
When customers order a video book from us, we take care of everything. We offer free video preloading, meaning you send us your video link (like YouTube or Vimeo), and we preload it onto your video book. This way, when your video book arrives, it’s ready to play – right out of the box. We ensure that your videos play perfectly, without any issues. Should there be an issue with the video the customer provided, we always make sure to contact the customer if there is a better resolution video that they can provide us with, or we can convert their video to an ideal format suited to play perfectly on our video books.
What sets us apart? Personalization. We personalize video books by hand using a hot-foil stamping technique. Each video book is triple-checked to make sure all the custom details are correct. You can choose different materials and colors for your video book covers. If you want something extra special, you can even submit your own logo or design, and we’ll create a custom stamp for you. These video books are truly unique.
We take pride in our exceptional customer service. Our dedicated support team is always quick to respond and eager to assist with any questions or issues. We want everyone to know that when you choose The Motion Books, you’re choosing a unique, personalized, and memorable way to relive your special moments, with excellent customer service every step of the way.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Building our social media presence has been pivotal for The Motion Books, propelling our business to new heights. When we first launched on Instagram and TikTok, we faced the challenge of growing our following and standing out in a crowded market of wedding videographers. To tackle this, we initiated a personalized outreach campaign, connecting with wedding videographers individually to introduce our brand and demonstrate how video books can enhance their businesses. Collaborating with influencers was another effective strategy, leveraging their reach to promote our brand. Hosting monthly giveaways helped us gain exposure and engage with our audience. Our momentum on TikTok skyrocketed when one of our videos went viral, amassing over 1 million views in just 24 hours. To maintain this momentum, we committed to posting at least once, sometimes twice a day.
Engagement with our audience remains a top priority. Promptly responding to comments and DMs builds trust with our customers. We’ve expanded our presence across multiple platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest, ensuring we are active on all fronts.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
While The Motion Books may be a small business, our dedicated team plays a crucial role in our success. To foster high morale within our company, we approach our employees as an extension of our close-knit community. We prioritize the development of strong, friendly relationships within the team, recognizing that these bonds significantly impact overall job satisfaction.
Within our workspace, we’re committed to creating a comfortable environment. We provide complimentary beverages, snacks, coffee, and tea to ensure our team feels valued and supported. We believe that these small amenities contribute to a positive atmosphere.
Flexibility is another cornerstone of our approach. We understand the importance of work-life balance and make every effort to accommodate our employees’ needs, allowing them the time off they deserve when requested.
In addition, we place a significant emphasis on trust and autonomy. Our department managers are granted full creative control and are encouraged to run with their ideas. We firmly believe in their knowledge and capabilities to lead our business to new heights. This trust not only empowers our managers but also fosters a sense of ownership and pride within their respective departments. Ultimately, our focus is on cultivating an environment where employees not only work together but also care for each other as friends and family. We believe that these principles are integral to maintaining high morale within our team.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://themotionbooks.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themotionbooks/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMotionBooks
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheMotionBooks
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/TheMotionBooks/
Image Credits
credits: the motion books