Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in freelancing but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ryan Collins, Founder of RJCMEDIA LTD, located in Cardiff, UK.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
There are two parts to my business. I make Converting Video Ads for clients from my main site www.ryancollinsvideo.com, and I also create courses to help Freelancers and Creators make better content and get clients. My typical video editing clients are SAAS companies, entrepreneurs, and digital download products, and my typical course students are Freelance Video Editors who want to make better videos or get clients on Fiverr, for example.
Tell us about yourself
Up until 27 I had worked basic corporate roles. In my last job, I did not get a promotion for 5 years. People were getting promoted within 6 months and telling me what to do. Long story short, I got sick with depression and anxiety and committed myself to find a way out. I tried Amazon FBA and Dropshipping, and while trying to make videos for my dropshipping business, I started selling videos for extra income. Over time, my Fiverr video gig picked up, and I grew a following on Facebook as the go-to "video guy" and had a constant stream of referrals, to the point where I was charging $1,000 for a video ad I could typically create in a day or two.
This is all great, but as long as I stop working - I stop earning, so over the years, I've slowly built up my course creation skills to build assets that provide extra recurring income as I grow. The goal is to be completely financially free from course sales and affiliate income, so I can train more (I do jiujitsu and rock climbing) and so I can spend more quality time creating Youtube videos that I enjoy!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment is not only surviving but THRIVING for four years as a solo business owner, coming from a background of zero promotions, substance abuse, and crippling mental health issues. I'm now sober, in good head space, and continuing to grow, for which I am proud of myself but also extremely grateful for the change in my life.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
There are plenty of difficult things that come with being a business owner, but for me particularly, I am a solo business owner, so holding myself accountable, coming up with ideas, and testing them without anybody to give me a second set of eyes - that's the hardest bit. Giving myself the confidence to take an idea from concept all the way to execution without ever knowing if it's going to work. But when it does - it's fun.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- A 9-5 isn't as "secure" as you think it is - they can still fire you.
- You're sacrificing the unlimited potential for the sake of a percent or two pay rise each year in a standard / corporate job.
- The biggest one - is to EMBRACE FAILURE. You have to reframe how you look at the failure to the point the word is no longer in your dictionary. You think of something, you test it, and it either works - or you learn.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://bit.ly/3hMhyBy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ryancollinsvideo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryancollinsvideo/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ryancollinsvids
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.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.