Starting a business is not an easy feat, but with determination and the right set of skills, it can be a rewarding endeavor. In this article, we will explore the journeys of successful entrepreneurs and identify key skills and strategies that can be used to start and manage a business.
Choosing a Major
Before embarking on a journey to entrepreneurship, it’s important to establish a strong foundation in education. Entrepreneur Tara Conrad, CEO of Redbird Media Group, majored in Hypertext Writing at Skidmore College, setting the stage for her eventual career in storytelling and journalism.
Conrad leveraged her skills in writing and digital media to break into the field of journalism, using coding as an added advantage to set herself apart. She cut her teeth as a multimedia journalist for top news outlets in Philadelphia and Boston, where she honed her skills in audio storytelling, eventually becoming the Director of Content for the Portland Press Herald.
Breaking into Journalism with Coding Skills
One of the most important tips Conrad shares for breaking into journalism is to learn coding. Being able to code in HTML, CSS, or JavaScript can open doors for creating digital experiences in storytelling.
Up-to-date digitization in any type of media is vital for surviving as a business entirely. Coding should not be an excuse to avoid learning traditional journalism skills, but can be a valuable enhancement to a journalists skillset.
In today’s rapidly evolving digital age, coding is a skill that should not be overlooked by those aspiring to thrive in the world of journalism.
Pursuing Audio Storytelling and Starting Redbird Media Group
After gaining experience in journalism, Conrad knew she wanted to take her skills to the next level. She founded Redbird Media Group, a media production company dedicated to producing high-quality, immersive audio stories.
She advises that to create successful businesses, it’s important to tell compelling stories that engage and resonate with your target market. Audio storytelling is a particularly effective medium that can create a strong emotional connection with listeners.
From podcasts to audiobooks, there is a growing market for quality audio storytelling.
Skills for Starting a Business and Managing a Side Hustle
Starting a business requires grit, skill, and a willingness to learn. When starting out, it’s not uncommon to have a full-time job while also managing clients on the side.
The following tips can help you balance a full-time job while running a side hustle:
Embracing the Unknown and Learning New Skills
As an entrepreneur, you may face challenges that you have never encountered before. Embracing the unknown and being willing to learn new skills is essential to success.
Be open to taking courses, reading articles, or attending workshops that will help you develop the skills necessary to succeed.
Balancing a Full-Time Job and Side Clients
It’s important to set boundaries and manage expectations when juggling a full-time job and side clients. Prioritize tasks and allocate time to work on them to avoid burnout.
Delegate tasks where possible and consider outsourcing if necessary.
Transitioning to Full-Time Entrepreneurship
When the time comes to transition from side hustle to full-time entrepreneurship, it’s important to make the transition as smooth as possible. Save money and plan your transition carefully.
Conrad advises that it’s important to practice self-preservation when transitioning, taking care of your physical and mental health while ensuring that your business continues to thrive.
Conclusion
In conclusion, starting a business requires determination, grit, and a willingness to learn new skills. The journeys of successful entrepreneurs like Tara Conrad demonstrate that education, a firm foundation in traditional journalism, and coding, along with storytelling, can be key factors in pursuing careers in the world of media entrepreneurship.
By implementing the right strategies and skills, anyone can start and manage a successful business and strike a balance between their full-time jobs and side hustles. Video production is a multifaceted and complex process that involves many different skills and disciplines.
From writing and pre-production to filming and post-production, video production can be both rewarding and challenging. In this article, we will take a closer look at some of the favorite and challenging aspects of video production.
Love for Editing and Creation of Story
Many video producers cite post-production editing as their favorite part of the video production process. It’s in post-production that the true magic happens.
The endless possibilities of composition, color correction, and creative editing are what really allows a video producer to bring their vision to life. Through the use of sound, visual effects, pacing, and content, a story can be created in post-production that is visually compelling and emotionally engaging.
Combining all of these elements results in a final product that not only appeals to the eye but keeps the viewer’s attention, conveying the desired message. From piecing together shots and sound snippets, to navigating complex editing software, editing enables video producers to add a personal touch to their work.
Challenge of Being Open to Criticism
As a video producer, it is important to be open to critique, and willing to accept feedback regardless of its nature. The creative process can be an incredibly personal one, and it can be tempting to become defensively attached to a project in the face of criticism.
However, it’s incredibly important to listen to feedback from others, whether they be clients, colleagues, or family members. Negative feedback on a project is the opportunity to improve and refine your skills.
The challenge is to remain objective, and view criticism as an invaluable tool, rather than a personal attack. Ego can get in the way of taking criticism, and sometimes creatives can have a hard time receiving honest feedback.
On the other hand, feedback (construktive or destructive) is how we grow and improve our work. Listening to others may be difficult, but it is an essential component of learning and improving your craft.
The best way to learn is to take the criticism that is given and apply it to the work in progress. This makes the work easier for the viewers of the video, and to create a better narrative in the long run.
In conclusion, video production is a discipline that presents a plethora of opportunities for creativity, storytelling, and expression. It is both challenging and rewarding, requiring a strong work ethic and an open mind.
Whether it’s the love of editing and creating a story, or being receptive to criticism, video production is an exceptional opportunity for those wanting to create powerful visual stories. In conclusion, video production encompasses a range of creative skills that require a positive attitude, a willingness to learn and accept feedback.
Editing capabilities allow video producers to realize the creative vision, bringing a project together into a coherent and engaging narrative. Being open to criticism supports continuous improvement and professional growth.
Overall, video production empowers creatives to communicate meaningful messages visually and emotionally. As an aspiring video producer, take advantage of every opportunity to learn and enhance your skills, and get ready to connect with your audience in a powerful way.