Start Your Video Business for $0.00

Myth: You need an expensive camera, an exhaustive list of clients, and a beautiful website showcasing a portfolio of Hollywood-level video content in order to start a video business.

Fact: You need to learn how to make videos, you need to find a few people who need videos, and you need to figure out a way to show these people that you know how to make videos.

Starting a video business has never been easier than it is right now, though we often overcomplicate things. If you have a smartphone and a computer, you’ve got everything you need to get started, and the rest will come in time. How do I know for sure? Well, when I left the company that gave me the opportunity to learn video production, I had to give up all the gear that went with it. I knew I wanted to continue pursuing a career in video, but all I had was an iPhone X and my trusty iMac (the very iMac I’m sitting at now to type this). The difference was that now I had a new skillset, I just needed to figure out how to make it profitable.

As your business grows and you begin earning money for your hard work, it will make sense to reinvest some of that into better gear, but that shouldn’t stop you from getting started where you are. As it turns out, we all start somewhere… Let’s unpack three things you really need to start your business – three things that won’t cost you any more than some time and a little creativity.

#1 - Learn how to make videos

How can you begin to sell videos if you don’t know how to make them? This first step will take the most time, but it is also fundamental to everything else. There is a reason why people go to school for nearly 2 decades before entering the workforce! If you’ve never made videos before, it’s time to learn everything there is to know about lighting, audio, storytelling, and more. Here’s the best part, you can learn everything you need to know for free on YouTube. In fact, if you’re following Guided Productions, I’ll be creating all kinds of resources built specifically for people in your shoes who are trying to figure out if this whole video thing is for them. That said, I’m certainly not the only one out there creating content on this subject so find an instructor you like and absorb everything like a sponge.

Disclaimer: I am not saying that YouTube should be a substitute for film school. But if you’re anything like me and discovered a passion for video later in life, it can be challenging to find time to go back to school and pursue a different path. Not to mention the last time I checked, college tuition has not gotten cheaper. I’m simply saying that there are thousands of amazing resources available online that will teach you much of what you need to know about production. Certainly enough to start a business.

As you start to develop your production skillset, you will eventually need to download some editing software, but even that can be free with DaVinci Resolve. If you prefer Adobe products, I’m certain you could get a 30-day trial of Adobe Premiere Pro, and that would be plenty of time to export a couple of projects that you’ll need for step three.

#2 - Find some people who need videos

Now that you’ve learned how to film and edit videos, you need to find some clients! This can be intimidating, especially if you don’t have a registered business name or strong web presence. Additionally, you likely didn’t get into video production so you could become a salesperson, but as a business owner, this is a hat that you’ll need to wear. So how do we find these people? One word: listen.

My first client when I stepped out on my own was the very company I had left. I was their video guy, and I knew once I was gone, they would still need someone to make videos, so I offered to stay on as an independent contractor. Now I recognize this is a fairly unique situation, but it goes to show the power of establishing great relationships and parting ways on good terms. The company knew my character, so we already had trust, and even though I had even begun producing content as a business yet, they already knew what I was capable of. But let’s say you are truly starting from scratch, and you don’t have a previous employer willing to support this new venture of yours. How do you find clients?

Let’s start by defining what you actually need. When you’re starting out, you need to have the knowledge and capability of making videos, and you need to get some testimonials and build a portfolio of client work. When I use the word “client” in this sense, it can be paid or unpaid. I hesitate to suggest unpaid work, because it’s a dangerous place to be, but you need to get some example videos to use in step three, and sometimes the quickest way to get them is to offer your services in return for a shareable testimonial and permission to share the video.

A good place to start is to look for organizations that don’t have a lot of revenue, but are desperately trying to increase their social media presence. Think nonprofits, churches, schools, mom & pop local businesses. This is a great way to network and serve your community by offering a free video in exchange for great marketing content for your new business! Hint: Later, you will use this content to attract paid clients.

#3 - Show these people that you know how to make videos

Even before you begin your outreach to local paid and unpaid clients, you should be creating videos of your own and building a YouTube presence. YouTube is 100% free, and by establishing a channel early on, you’ll be able to share links to your work with future clients even if you don’t have a website. Speaking of websites… There are so many free website builders if you want to start a web presence of your own, but I would still recommend hosting all of your video content on YouTube because it offers some great tracking tools to help you identify which topics are worth pursuing and which topics are worth cutting loose.

As you seek out new clients, they will want to see your previous work to (A) know that you are competent as a video producer/editing and (B) see if they like your style. Think of this as like test-driving a car at the dealership. Is this the right fit, or do you need more cup holders and leg room? All you’re doing here is helping those who don’t know you understand that you exist. In step 2, you’ve identified some clients who you were able to help by producing a free video (using your newfound knowledge from step 1) in exchange for their positive feedback. Now you can build a library of videos as a proof-of-concept for future clients to review and strengthen your credibility. Each project will build on the last and before long, you will have built an impressive portfolio while landing higher paying clients which will give you everything you need to reinvest for better gear, more advanced editing software, and a full website you can call your own.

It’s none all of your business

If you want living proof that you can start a video business without a camera, lighting kit, shotgun mic, etc., I’m your guy. Just look at anything you’ve spent money on recently. That favorite restaurant of yours may have been around for 50 years, but somebody had to learn how to cook, find a bunch of hungry people, and let those hungry people know they can whip up something fierce. That’s all business is: Having a unique skillset that fulfills a need for someone who does not have the means to do it themselves.

Don’t get stuck waiting until you’ve saved enough for the latest camera and all the accessories, that will all come in time. Instead, focus on honing your craft, building your portfolio, and letting folks know you can help. Creating something amazing doesn’t have to be complicated, and now that money is no longer an excuse, let’s get started today.