Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Greg Koorhan, Director and Producer at Crossbow Studio, located in Nashville, TN, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I provide courses and coaching to help independent filmmakers and storytellers get their projects made and seen. I also run a production company and produce and direct movies.

Tell us about yourself

My business journey has not been a straight path. I started in advertising and marketing for international corporations like American Express, Pfizer, and Toyota, where I honed my skills in brand building and creating short-form content. I later transferred that expertise and insight in storytelling to the world of filmmaking. Crossbow Studio, my production company, was founded in 2005. I was hooked the instant I saw how stories connect us all and help create a common understanding. I started coaching and consulting because I firmly believe the world needs more storytellers and creative artists.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Making a movie takes a monumental effort from an army of people. After producing my first feature film, every other filmmaker I met was asking to buy me a cup of coffee and ‘pick my brain’ on how I did it as an independent. That’s why I created the Film Funding Roadmap course and a bunch of free training to help more storytellers take the first step on their path to produce and promote their projects and realize their dream.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Almost every business owner I know struggles with separating themselves enough from their business so that they can take care of themselves. It’s your baby, right? It’s natural to pour yourself into it, 24/7, to give it everything you’ve got - otherwise, how will it be successful? But it’s critically important to shift your mindset enough to see that self-care is not selfish. Taking a step away every so often will not only help avoid burnout but actually give you insight into how to make bigger strides in your business.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Meet your market where they are. This is true if you have a service, product, or entertainment product like a film. Your buyer is just a person, and they have a need. The deeper your understanding of their nagging problem or desire, the more you can “speak their language” and get and hold their attention. If you have to spend time convincing your potential customer of your value, or the value of your offer, you’re making them do extra work just to buy from you. You think they’ll put in the effort?
  2. Consistency is your secret weapon. There is no shortcut to success, but if there is one SECRET that has ‘propelled’ projects forward for both my students and me, it’s this: Consistency. And I mean this in two ways. First, small, consistent actions, however imperfect, will add up almost magically and help you reach your goals faster than you can ever imagine. Second, being conscious about how each action reflects your values, vision, and voice will leverage your efforts and almost automatically help you build a consistent and desirable brand - more efficiently than any logo redesign or business card, or website!
  3. Prioritize and focus on your next important step. It’s easy for a business owner, especially in a creative business, to overthink and get overwhelmed by things or need to visualize every detail before moving forward. This can be paralyzing. I know this from my own experience. So as a mentor and coach, I advise all my clients to break things down until they get to the next most important step. And then just take it. The step after that will become clear. Clarity is revealed by action, not by more analysis.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://gregkoorhan.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregkoorhan/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/koorhan/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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