Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Christine Maddela, Managing Partner and Owner of Storyville RD, located in Las Vegas, NV, USA.

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

I make you look good. There’s nothing in the world more powerful than a good story, and I want to tell it. Storyville Road is a full-service video production company that produces, directs, shoots, and edits video content, including but not limited to: commercials and marketing, internal communications and training, social media, website, news, and documentaries.

I also provide media/public speaking coaching to help individuals or groups prepare for and improve interview, presentation, and public speaking skills. Our customers range from the Las Vegas Raiders to Wynn Resorts, small businesses, and nonprofits - everyone has a story to tell!

Tell us about yourself

I've been a lifelong storyteller. I spent nearly 20 years as a news anchor and reporter. In 2020, the pandemic took a toll on all of us. Women bore a disproportionate amount of the burdens, and women of color even more so. In the US, more women than men were laid off during the pandemic. I was one of them. My former employer used the pandemic to lay off many of the most experienced and highest-paid women at our workplace, despite the fact, our male counterparts already made more money.

Pushed out into that uncomfortable and uncertain space, suddenly dreams I hid away suddenly didn't seem so out of reach or so risky. I started this business to put my experience and expertise to work telling the stories of people, businesses, and organizations who now realize storytelling and video content is the key to success. I now have the ability to partner with like-minded organizations and corporations to tell stories that uplift, empower and inform.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

When I was a kid, I used to tell people I was going to play in the NFL when I grew up. I have always loved sports, especially football. My dad could have easily, even lovingly, burst my bubble in any number of ways. Instead, he took me to the park to practice kickoff returns. Then we ran routes. He taught me how to keep my feet in bounds and draw the defense offsides. When my little brother Geoff came along, we started working on his QB skills.

Spoiler alert: I did not become a professional athlete. I did, however, recently sign a contract with the NFL. The NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE signed Storyville RD as an independent contractor for video production. If my dad & Geoff were still with us, I know they'd be proud. Dad would cry. Geoff would bust out his favorite touchdown dance: the dirty bird.

My biggest accomplishment is starting the business, to begin with: believing it was possible. That's thanks to my dad. My dad never explicitly told me to "believe in myself" or that "I can do anything I put my mind to." He showed me. Without ever saying it, he taught me not to place limits on my own possibilities.

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

Running the business is a lot harder than DOING it. The storytelling part is great. The admin work, running payroll, hiring, onboarding, etc., is a time suck. We, as individuals, aren't scalable. Finding time to fit 40 hours of work in a 24-hour day is never easy.

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

  1. If you are a woman, minority, veteran, LGBTQIA+, or disability-owned business, a small and/or disadvantaged business, get certified! Storyville Road is a certified minority business enterprise (MBE), women-owned business enterprise (WBE), small business enterprise (SBE), and disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE). Getting our certification was one of the first things I did and one of the best decisions I made. The benefits of certification are numerous. Do the research - there are organizations available to help walk you through the certification process.
  2. Connect with fellow business owners. Starting a business can be isolating without the built-in corporate networks found at large organizations. There are millions of us around the country. Small businesses are the lifeblood of the US economy. We have to support each other!
  3. Lean into your weaknesses. I like words. I do not like numbers. As a business owner, if I shied away from numbers, I would not still be a business owner today. Lean in and learn what you don't know.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.storyvillerd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StoryvilleRD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyvillerd/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StoryvilleRD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/storyville-road/

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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