Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in content creation but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Tom Brown, founder of Chicago Podcast Studio, located in Chicago, IL, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Our business is Chicago Podcast Studio. We are the city's first rentable video podcasting studio. We handle the entire process for clients, so they just need to come in and speak! We work with many local businesses and entrepreneurs but also produce podcasts for companies in the UK and across the US. The people that work with us are typically the ones looking to jump into the podcasting game with the highest quality in mind. For some clients, we produce the shows fully, editing clips and the full-length videos, but for some, we just provide them the raw files so they can do whatever they'd like with them as well.
Tell us about yourself
When I was in high school, I started my first business Ice Studios - A Rap/Hip-Hop studio out of my mom's basement. That was a passion for a long time and a great way to supplement an income while in college and beyond. Throughout the next few years, I dabbled into a few other small businesses, ultimately landing in media and video production. After a few years of that, I moved into a studio location and decided to expand the business into offering video podcasting. We were fairly busy almost immediately as no one else in the city was doing it the way we were. Our premium looks really attracted everyone, and we started to grow almost overnight. Now we are projecting to 3x the business from 2022.
What motivates me is the progression. I love seeing small steps become large leaps. My main driving force for being self-employed was not because I couldn't deal with a boss but it was because I just hated doing things I didn't want to do. Now, I'm almost happy to tell people 'no' to certain things. I love the freedom that comes with running your own show and wouldn't trade that for anything at this point.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I survived. Business is hard, and there are plenty of times you do feel like giving up or you beat yourself up because you're not where you think you should be. I had some dark times when things weren't going so well, and It was difficult not only to get new clients but to keep 'the dream' alive. So now, I wake up with a sense of accomplishment every day. I built something. I'm still here. I'm doing well. I provide value to the market. I've made people happy with my work. I've provided income and opportunity to others, and I'm truly grateful that I'm where I'm at.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
I think, for me. It was more of an internal struggle. I went about getting into business the wrong way, in my opinion. I think most people work in the industry for a while, get their feet below them, and experience working within the field, making connections before starting their own venture. I just went into things blind, and I think it slowed my growth initially. In hindsight, I don't regret it, though. Just keeping your spirit up when things are slow or rough is hard. I didn't have a partner (in the business) or friends close to me who really knew what it was like trying to get a company off the ground. It's a lonely thing. You question if you're doing things right or doing all you can to make things better. Just keeping a level head, appreciating the journey, and continuing to look forward is all it takes.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Start in an established field. Don't do anything too crazy for your first business. Service-based businesses are usually cheaper to start and often more tried and true for demand. Just do good to great work, and you'll have a business.
- With the podcast studio especially, having little to no competition has been great. Finding a niche that's underrepresented usually yields great opportunity.
- Don't beat yourself up. Business is hard. You'll have ups and downs. Celebrate the ups and remember that things will get better if you continue to work hard.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.chicagopodcast.studio/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chicagopodcaststudio/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-brown-innovadigital/
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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