A Passionate Video Storyteller

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in content creation but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Peter Kelly, Founder of Peter Kelly Media, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.

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

I run Peter Kelly Media, a video production company that puts a face to companies. I believe people buy INTO a company before they buy FROM a company, so I make videos that feature the people that do the work as much as it does the product or service. If your business wouldn't exist without you, you need to sell yourself as much as anything, and I've got a knack for making people not used to being on camera look and sound like themselves.

Tell us about yourself

I started my career editing TV shows, largely unscripted content, which means most of the things I edited featured everyday people being interviewed. Over the years, I expanded into producing, which basically means I take a concept and oversee its creation into a video. Sometimes that means working with a team; sometimes, it means doing every step myself.

I shifted away from TV to corporate content because I find online content far more interesting. The possibilities are bigger, the feedback is faster, and the tangible results are a lot easier to measure. As fun as TV is, I usually had no idea who watched my work and if they enjoyed it. With corporate content, I can tell pretty quickly if people are watching it and see the benefits my customers get from my work. All in all, it's far more rewarding as I know I'm helping another entrepreneur succeed.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

One of the projects I am most proud of was a series of 5 videos I made in 6 days for a client that received a last-minute invitation to be on an international trade delegation. He hired me on a Monday, needing the completed videos on a USB drive by Saturday night in time for his flight. I was in his office learning about his business and his career. Planning out five different videos while the cameraman was setting up. It was a pretty intense day of shooting, never mind the week of editing that followed, but I'm really proud that I delivered with plenty of time to spare, and the client was delighted with all 5.

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

I think the emotional rollercoaster of owning a business is the hardest thing. When things go right, the joy is far more intense than when working for anyone else, but on the flip side is also true. When something goes wrong, you feel it a lot more, and it's really easy to forget about all the successes in those moments.

Having said that, I find as hard it can be, it's worth it. I've been in middle-management, where you have responsibilities but no real authority, and seeing the same issues crop up time and again but not being in a position to fix them is demoralizing. As the owner, if there is an issue with my processes, I can make changes immediately.

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

Anyone starting a business needs to have a plan, a schedule, and a friend.
Plans go out the window pretty quickly as opportunities pop up, but you still need one so you can stay focused on what it's important, not just what's urgent.

Schedules keep you from wasting time or losing track of how long you spend on any given task. They're great for sorting the upcoming weeks & months but also a handy way to look back and access what's taking up your time each day and if that's really serving your business.

A Friend you can talk to about work is vital. Someone to bounce ideas off, to vent to, and who will give you honest feedback is everything. Spouses and significant others are great for this, but that's not what they signed up for, so having a friend that understands your business gives you a safe space to talk about things without blurring the lines of personal and professional time.

I love it when small business owners support other small business owners. Buying from them when they can, promoting them when appropriate, and generally being supportive. It all adds up. Running a business is hard work, and anything you can do to help a "Mom & Pop" shop is going to be appreciated in ways most people will never fully know.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.peterkellymedia.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterwkelly/

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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