Master of One or Jack of All Trades? A Real Talk for Videographers

What if the reason clients haggle isn’t your rates, but your message? We explore why videographers and creative founders get trapped in the “I do everything” lane and how that erodes memory, referrals, and pricing power. With Humara Aktor, we unpack the practical path from a scattered service menu to a focused, outcome-led offer that buyers instantly understand.

Humara shares a raw backstory—from leaving corporate life while grieving and raising twins to a health scare that forced a reset—and how that clarity birthed a simple idea: it’s too risky to be forgettable. We draw the line between the zone of excellence and the zone of genius, showing why being good at many things feels safe but stalls growth. You’ll hear how to spot real impact in client feedback, use retainers as cash-flow support without making them your ceiling, and build a clear throughline that aligns your craft, energy, and market demand.

We talk specificity, perception, and positioning without the jargon: people don’t refer menus; they refer precise solutions. You’ll learn how to package outcomes instead of deliverables, choose work that grows both sides, and protect reflective time so your best ideas can surface. Damian shares the journey from shooting everything to prioritizing story-led corporate and education work, while Humara offers concrete steps to define your blueprint: audience, problem, proof, and process—then revisit it to stay aligned in a reactive world.

If you’re tired of being a “gear” in someone else’s machine, this conversation gives you the tools to be chosen for your lens, not just your camera. Subscribe, share this with a creative friend who needs it, and leave a review with the one problem you want to own this year.

FilmStory Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/filmstory/id1641955836

What do we do: https://myfilmstory.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@myfilmstory

Transcript

Praise Versus Impact

SPEAKER_03 0:00

So there is a difference between getting praised for your work, and there's feedback where clients will tell you, you have made such an impact, you've you've changed my how I look at things now. There is a visceral reaction of how they see the their perspective has completely changed because of the work that you've done. That's impact. I'm realizing how many founders, entrepreneurs, do not pause or slow down. There's not enough space to think creatively.

SPEAKER_00 0:34

Why is it important for entrepreneurs

The Niche Or Generalist Dilemma

SPEAKER_00 0:37

in the videography space to kind of focus on their zone, as you say, zone of genius? You know, why not simply offer multiple services and try to cover as many opportunities as possible?

SPEAKER_03 0:50

There's a constant debate between generalists and specialists. I'm not rooting for one or the other. For me, it's always the red thread. Most people try to understand who they are, but they don't understand well enough how others see them. So if you are the kind of person who says, I do real estate, I do all of this, I also do weddings, I also do companies, I also do corporate, right? Guess what? That is the perception you are creating. So don't be surprised when you get all sorts of different clients trying to negotiate pricing with you. Okay? Because that's the world you have painted.

SPEAKER_00 1:30

I'm telling you, man, we talk about this all the time. It's gotta be story first. Hey everybody, welcome back to the Story First Podcast.

Meet Humara And Set The Stakes

SPEAKER_00 1:38

I'm Damian Gray. I'm excited for today because this conversation it's something that I have heard about in the full length of my career. From the moment I started to 12, 13 years later, here today, I'm still hearing this conversation. And I want to dive into it because I feel like a lot of us tend to struggle with this. I know I have and every now and then do in trying to like figure out like what's the best way to go about doing this and scaling and growing my business as a videographer, as a business person, as somebody that's trying to grow in and serving uh my community and the people in the area, different industries of work, all those things. Um, there's always a question of you know how to scale. Is it something where we do, you know, jack of all trades and figure things out, or do we have the ability to niche down into one specific thing and go through that? Or how do I end up actually focusing on one thing, or am I missing opportunities if I go too much into it? Or you know, a lot of these kinds of things I've I've gone back and forth in my own career, and it's been tough sometimes because you get opportunities that come out of nowhere, and you're like, should I take it when it's not really something you're trying to pursue? Or do I have the uh the the gumption to say I know what I'm passionate about, I know what I want to pursue, and this, you know, whatever it is, might not be the the thing that I want to focus on. And so today, I believe I have brought on a professional to walk through the mentality of that, to talk through um uh really uh research, insight. Um, she does this for a living and really helping people go through this process. Today I'm with Humara Aktor. She is helping people packaging people's zone of genius. Um I had the opportunity to work with her and another person in the area, and and she shared a little bit of her passion of what she's done to get to this point. And I think she brings really great insight that I'm curious to hear about. So you're gonna hear questions, you're gonna hear things that kind of talk through the process. And for the videographers that are listening in, I really want you to kind of put yourself in this conversation to give yourself an opportunity to be present and thinking about the way you're structuring your business, the things that you're trying to pursue. Um, I understand, you know, the world's your oyster. We we want to put ourselves out there, we want to make ourselves known, and we want to build something that's worth building. Um the question is at what cost, you know. So I'm excited to dive into it. Kumara, thank you so much for taking the time and joining us today. Um, how are you feeling? How are you feeling?

SPEAKER_03 4:23

Oh my gosh, that was uh a really very I don't know if I deserve that kind of intro, but I really appreciate it. Um and everything you've kind of talked about in terms of struggling with where do I go, how do I niche and all that stuff, yeah. I'm really excited to talk about. These are the things that I I mean, this podcast could be four hours, you know. So we'll try not to do that because I do have to pick up my kids at 3 30.

SPEAKER_00 4:56

So right, right. Yeah, we definitely want to do that. Maybe you know, if it happens out, we could try a part two if if if you never know.

SPEAKER_03 5:03

Hey, if your audience says we want more of that, then sure we'll do it, we'll do it again. You know, we'll uh I have no problem with that. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 5:12

Awesome. So let's build a little bit of context. Don't have to take long to get into this, but I'm curious if you could just share a little bit of your journey getting to this point. Um, I know you've had a a good bit of transition in trying to figure out what you're doing before and what you're doing now. Um, it could be the 30-second, one-minute kind of a version, but I'm just curious how you go from what you're doing to what you're doing now. It's a very specific kind of insight, and and I'd love to know what that was like for you, why you made that decision or those decisions, yeah. What triggered you know that reasoning for it. Like just bring us into your world for a second.

SPEAKER_03 5:50

Oh, uh yeah. So to give you

From Corporate, Grief, And Burnout To Clarity

SPEAKER_03 5:56

a backstory, I mean, this whole thing started with the you know, trying to understand people's zone of genius and everything. Uh I started, I I quit my corporate job in 2017. And I started out as a freelancer. And like any freelancer, you start hunting for your jobs, projects, anything that gets, you know, get you the job, basically, right? And um and for a while I thought that was it, because I think most people go into entrepreneurship thinking that this is the level of freedom, right? Being able to just work any hours, you know, it doesn't have to be a defined nine to five. You can work at you can clock in at 3 a.m. if you need it, or get a you know, five cups of coffee in you and you're good to go, right?

SPEAKER_01 6:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:50

Uh well, that wasn't quite the scenario for me because I was a mom. I just had twins, and I um at the time when I left my job, it was at the same time I lost my dad, um, you know, uh, just about four months before giving birth. Uh so he didn't get to see my kids, he didn't get to meet them. So not only I was battling with this, you know, this corporate environment, but trying to figure out, you know, like where is my place? All of a sudden, this whole identity crisis kind of creeped in me, you know. Yeah. And uh just uh, you know, not only going through motherhood phase, but grieving, you know. Yeah. So for two years, I was sort of like in that space where I'm in and out, you know, like half in and half out of uh this corporate entrepreneurship until a day when I get a phone call and my husband calls me and goes, You need to come home, like right now. And my entire body just froze. Like, what what just happened, right? That something happened to my kids, you know, you can imagine. Like, I just packed everything and just rushed home. And I come in and I see that that was the day we had to fire, we had to let go of our nanny, our who was our au pair, basically. And that was a defining moment for me. Like, okay, I cannot, you know, this whole feeling of this motherhood and grieving and loss, and a place where I didn't feel like I had a place anymore, because I was also kind of outgrown, you know, in my corporate job, in my role, um, completely outgrown. And I think that was a a blessing in disguise because I was already halfway out. You know what I mean? So when that happened, at the time it felt like there was a huge safety net just been removed underneath, right? And the feeling of just trying to survive with one's salary was unfathomable. Like it is impossible in an area that we live. You know what I mean? So there was no planning, there was no backup, there's no system, there's no whatsoever a roadmap, yeah, right? Or not even a six-month runway, because I always suggest people like if you're gonna do something like this, make sure you have some sort of a runway, you know.

SPEAKER_01 9:45

Right.

SPEAKER_03 9:46

Uh, I don't think, you know, most people hear this story, and and for me, it was just uh, you know, my my circumstances were unique in that way, you know, like I didn't have the luxury to tap into a huge savings. I just had to do it. So, but for some reason that it it something went off in me that I can't do this anymore, you know. So I had to quit. I quit my job in that year, started working, you know, people who've left the same company started reaching out to me, like, hey, would you mind doing some projects for us? You know, because they've already known me. So I didn't have to. Luckily, I did land a few projects that were already from people that I've known, right? But then year two and three, something started to happen. Uh, after pandemic, uh, something happened in my family, which you know, I'm okay talking about it because after so long, I feel safe to talk about it. Which my husband had a stroke.

SPEAKER_01 10:58

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_03 10:58

After he had a stroke, that was the turning

Zone Of Excellence Versus Zone Of Genius

SPEAKER_03 11:02

point for me. Because the projects that I was taking randomly and saying yes to anything and everything just wasn't sustainable. And that made me question everything in terms of like where how is this business model been created? What is the model to begin with? And where is the structure? Where is the structure? If I had to like scale this, how would I even scale something like this?

SPEAKER_00 11:31

When you say sustainable, are you are you talking about there wasn't enough like profit coming in from the projects, or just like your mental well-being to handle the load kind of a thing?

SPEAKER_03 11:43

That's a really good question. So there were two things happening at the same time. One, the energy was split in so many different ways that I was scattered and burned out. Okay. Um being able to focus on so many skill sets for me, it was like I could do video, I could do landing pages, I could do web design, I could do, you know, I could I there's so many areas of things that I've done in my corporate job that I thought I could transfer all of them to do what I do in my business.

SPEAKER_02 12:21

Gotcha.

SPEAKER_03 12:22

And that's where it led me to this huge transformation that most people are operating in their zone of excellence. So we'll talk about that more. But it is where a place where you are great at a lot of different things, but it doesn't necessarily it doesn't necessarily not only lit you up, but pays you more. And so that was the start, that was the beginning seed of my discovery and researching what is it that, you know, there's a constant debate between generalist and specialist, right? Um and uh in my content, in my conversations that I have with people, it's I'm not rooting for one or the other. For me, it's always the red thread, it's always the through line that keeps you awake and keeps you engaged for a long period of time. What is the most sustainable thing about the work that you do that makes you it just won't leave you alone, right?

SPEAKER_02 13:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:36

So, like I said, we'll I I know we'll talk more into that, but um, but that was the that was the year I remember that I stopped everything. I started taking break from social media, I stopped writing content, I stopped doing video, you know, everything that was so predictable of me, I was like, I need to do something different.

SPEAKER_00 14:01

Okay, right on. Wow, okay. Yeah, well, thank you for sharing and being so transparent. Um, man.

SPEAKER_03 14:08

I know that was uh quite a bit of uh uh story, but you know, yeah, no, I mean it gives you context.

SPEAKER_00 14:15

Yeah, yeah, no, you're great. And so, you know, you're you're I have to I have to ask because you you you let it up so great because of this point. Um going all those things happen, you kind of shut down like the social media brain for a minute and like bring the attention and the focus back onto you. Um what do you do from there? Like, what's what are you thinking at that time? Like, what are you recognizing or seeing about yourself, or like what happens during that time for you? During the time when I took the break, or yeah, like I I guess I'm just trying to think before you you get to where the things that you're pursuing now, like what were you you're saying you're taking a br you took a break and you're trying to figure some things out or figure out how to change certain things that it actually works for you, I'm assuming. Like, I'm just curious what were you doing to get to that other side? Like, what did that even look like? Um, and the reason why I'm asking is because I think a lot of people recognize, like, man, that maybe they're not doing maybe

Make Space: From Reactive To Reflective

SPEAKER_00 15:27

they're burnt out as well. Right. And they have a vision maybe of what they think it should look like, but maybe they don't quite know what they are supposed to do to get because all I'm seeing is I'm going on social media and I'm seeing all these amazing things of people doing these amazing things, right? And I don't want to get FOMO and think about that. And I know that I have this vision of what I think it's supposed to be, but like how like how does how do I get from that to that over there? So I'm asking that for you. Like, what was that like, or what was the process you know, that you're doing?

SPEAKER_03 16:04

I don't remember if there was a process, uh a definitive process, but I do remember having more conversations with people one-on-one, you know, and uh you know, at the time there was Clubhouse, I think, and uh I was talking to my peers, I was talking to people who were also thinking about pivoting from their careers and from what they were doing, you know. And so as I was having more and more conversations, and I started to kind of look at my own previous uh nature of the clients that I actually did love working with, what was it about that I actually liked doing? And it turns out it was not mostly deliverables, it was not around like, hey, this is the set of uh design deliverables that I did that brought me the most joy, you know. It was mostly around the problem, around where they felt stuck in terms of like, how do I package this service, or how do I get this to a place where it is always connected to my core essence of who I am, right? Yeah, that's the part that always lit me up. So I sort of like the part that I want to tell you is this that as I start doing this more work, I'm realizing how many founders, entrepreneurs, do not pause or slow down. There's always this rush of like, you know, I need to do this, then they need to do the next thing and the next thing and the next thing, right? Yeah, they're always rushing either to create a product or to their next evolution of whatever that is, but there's not enough space to think creatively. So what happens is that we create these hamster wheels, you know, and there is no time to kind of like uh just sit with the sit with the discomfort that you're supposed to feel, you know. And I think what I allowed was sitting with that discomfort for a long time.

SPEAKER_00 18:28

Wow, that's great. Wow, and I think it's it's very interesting that you had to take the time to hear from those around you. Like you mentioned, you you got to speak with, I guess, peers or like other people that were in your kind of circle and and trying to you know ask them some questions to kind of internally get some guidance about you know things that you're trying to pursue. And you're 100% right. I think we we we don't take that time. And I like how you said that it's something that we I think you said it was like something we we need to go through. Like it's not it's not should I, it's it's something you have to do to be able to to stop and to think and to be able to when I said it it sounded like so simple, but to be able to do that and and have the perspective wholeheartedly of what you're trying to do and being able to figure out the the core essence of it that like you mentioned lights you up that that brings you the the joy and the heart to be able to want to do it for a long time. I think that's a great foundational point because um that's that's not um taught, you know, that's not uh that's not something that is educated, that's uh encouraged.

SPEAKER_03 19:49

It's not, I mean, it's not like you scroll on Instagram and they say, hey, have more conversations with your peers or be in more roundtable discussions, you know? Um and maybe that is part of the the challenge that we have is because we are in such a reflective kind of not reflective, but reactive, we're living in such a reactive time where we're we're looking at everything and we're reacting. Yeah and there's not enough reflective time.

Damian’s Path To Story-Led Work

SPEAKER_03 20:23

Right? So how much time we're spending in reflection versus you know reacting, right?

SPEAKER_01 20:29

Right.

SPEAKER_03 20:30

Um, and I think that's where the challenge becomes uh to balance between the two because yes, we do want to I want to read other people's content and consume and uh everything, but I've also found myself over consuming and over-comparing myself.

SPEAKER_00 20:48

Yeah, same.

SPEAKER_02 20:51

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 20:52

So that's a trap in itself. And how do you so you need to have people around you that not constantly remind you, but also kind of give you uh it like reel you in back to the no, no, no, no, no, no, go back to what you were doing, focus on what you were doing, and you know, you don't you because as entrepreneurs we have to learn when to put the blinders on and when to take them off. It's not a constant on, you know, like just keep them on and just keep going, but we also have to learn when to take them off.

SPEAKER_00 21:28

Yeah, right agreed. Agreed. Wow, yeah, that's great, great foundation for going into this conversation. And I think um, you know, kind of like transitioning it into the context of videography, video production, you know, a lot of people that are doing what I am trying to do and growing and scaling uh some sort of a video entity. I think um, you know, I I hinted on it earlier that I mean for as early when I first started doing this video production work, I did my got my bachelor's and went right into it. Like graduated December, started January, my own business. Never thought I would do like I didn't it's like I'm just gonna try it. I have some opportunity, I have some resources, let's try it and see what happens. And the the next two, three years or so was this like I'm trying everything. I I I have I did a crowdfunding campaign, raised thirteen hundred dollars. This is like before crowdfunding was like the popular thing to do, before it was well known. I just tried it, got a little camera, a little Walmart tripod. Very cheap, very bad, but it did what I needed it to do. And I just started with the resources that were around me. Um, I did photography for an electrical company, did photography for menus, for restaurants, I did senior graduate portraits, um, I did real estate photography. Like that was the easier kind of hanging fruit uh because it was photography and it wasn't video, but it was I had some connections there and I started there. And as I continued to grow, I recognized that I really enjoyed the video production aspect of it. Um, so I started kind of focusing on the video, and when I did that, I uh really enjoyed the story aspect of it. Um, I think from the beginning that was the the thing that made me light up. It was the the video, the storytelling, the being able to serve your community well and and building content that actually helps and encourages and not just trying to get views. Like that was that was the essence of it. Um but uh I recognized that I was doing a lot of photography and very little video. So as time progressed, I tried I kind of transitioned into the video stuff. And so as I continued to grow and build that, I got some mentors and things like that, and we started to focus on the video aspect of it. So the first round of niching down was like photo, video, and then next thing, video doing everything. I was like music videos, uh filming at hospitals, filming at live events, filming at live concerts, filming at I mean, you name it like businesses, you name it, flew to different places to film, like it's just doing everything. And I think I I got to a point where I recognized I feel like I'm a mile wide but an inch deep, kind of a thing. Like I'm I'm doing things and things are happening, but I think the uh the core of the storytelling aspect of it kind of faded a little bit because it was more like gigs of doing certain things, but not really like finding partners that are wanting to like create solid, really good content that can actually help. It was just more like gig work where you come up, you show up, shoot, go home, be done. And so um that was like, okay, now let's try to focus in on what we're trying to do video-wise, right? So now we've gotten to a point where we handle a lot of fast forward to now, we're handling a lot of corporate promotional work, um, is our main focus, education. Um, those two things are like really what I desire in the storytelling aspect in those things. Um, but then we also had weddings and real estate for a while, and so in that whole from that would be when I start 2013, sorry, 2014, January 2014, to now uh 2025. Um I've spoken with so many people throughout my career that have shared, oh Damien, if you're wanting to really grow and scale in your business, you have to okay. If you have a wedding, if you do weddings, you need to have like a separate wedding business and name it something different, and then you focus all your content on that. And then if you want to do corporate, you have your own separate thing for corporate, and then you do you build like different business entities and try and like grow them all. And I'm like, firstly, I don't know what kind of time you think I have in trying to grow have you thought about cloning yourself or right, but I'm like, I'm like, if this is what I gotta do, man, I don't maybe I should maybe I need to rethink you know how we're doing this, and so and then I'll speak to other people that I'd say, hey man, just go for it. You don't have to do it all together, just kind of just just pick the main things you want to focus on, and then just go for it all and just do the projects. And then on that side of things was where I was beginning to kind of get back to that a mile wide, inch deep kind of a thing where I'm like, I'm I have my head in in these different things that I'm trying to like for each avenue, I'm trying to scale it

Why Being Specific Beats A Service Menu

SPEAKER_00 26:58

so that you know there's there's a higher premium, the quality grows as well, the ability to serve the the community and the people grows as well because we can bring people on and coach them and train them, educate them, which is what I enjoy doing, and being able to guide that process for sure. Um, and so I I get to a point now um where we've had some crazy transitions, but now we're in a new state for about a year now, and where I'm I'm recognizing that for me uh the common threat has always been uh storytelling and education, like being able to help other people that are wanting to learn this craft, and also small to medium-sized businesses that are wanting to do this production, but maybe they don't have the cameras and the lights and the podcast studio and all that stuff. Like they they really want to like that's been from the beginning, like I've always enjoyed those projects. And so I think what I what I've been you know, the the question I I'm I want to ask you just starting off is um like why from your perspective, why is it important for like entrepreneurs and I'll say entrepreneurs in the videography space to kind of focus on their zone, as you say, zone of genius, you know. Um uh I want to say, you know, why not simply offer multiple services and try to cover as many opportunities, you know, as possible? Kind of a thing. It's it's it's some would say it's kind of risky to put it all on like one or two things, you know. What if the market changes? What if, you know, all these things. But you know, from what you're sharing, you know, why is it important to be able to go through that process figuring out that zone of genius as you've shared?

SPEAKER_03 28:45

So there are a few things you've said, you know. I think you've said it yourself, and and this is one of the things that I think it's my zone of genius that being able to listen to somebody and the answers are already there, but you have not reflected, no one has reflected back to you. There's two things that you've always been hooked, like you've been drawn to, which was storytelling and community, and being able to tell it in a way that uh captures their essence of whatever they're trying to do, right? Um, and the question that you asked is like, why is it important to do it? And you and something you said that you know there's only so much, so many hours in a day, there's only so much time you have, and as a solo creator, we don't have unlimited energy. We think we do, but we don't. Okay. And now, if you are someone who is a single dude who has no family, and all you're doing is cranking content out all. All day, right? Then that's one thing. But I also have seen people who have raising their children, family, running in parent meetings, running and doing things. Your energy level is spread in so many ways, right? So if you think about dilution, right? Not only I say that it's not only it's it's too risky to be forgettable.

SPEAKER_00 30:32

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 30:33

Okay. You're saying that is it risk to not doing uh why not is it risk not to offer that many services? And I say it's risky to be forgettable.

SPEAKER_00 30:47

So expunge on that a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 30:50

Meaning when when we refer other people, right? When people refer you, we're not necessarily referring a whole menu, if you think about it. We're referring to somebody, if my HWAC break breaks down, my make my my um, you know, there's a uh electricity problem or something, electrical work that needs done. Guess what? I am calling my friends to tell me do you know someone who knows exactly how to solve like their that specific problem, right?

Perception, Pricing, And Positioning

SPEAKER_00 31:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:28

Now we may hire a general contractor and things like that, but when it comes to specific issues, you don't refer people who have a full menu of services. And that's how our brain works. Even though we don't want to, you know, box people in, we don't want to we hate the idea of getting boxed in. We hate the idea of being labeled, but that's human behavior is that we always want to find specific solution to our problem.

SPEAKER_00 32:07

Yeah. Get it. I got it. Okay. It's too risky to be forgettable. I got it. It's too risky to be forgettable. Yeah. Yeah. Because you're have you're you're you're having a full, like you said, menu of all the different things and services that you do, but at the end of the day, the person that needs the help has yeah, this specific you know, problem. They they need someone that is focused on the HVAC system and not you know a general contractor that can do you know everything. Got it. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 32:45

Yeah, and it if you think about it, like if you go on LinkedIn right now, how many people are selling videography? How many people are selling coaching? How many people are therapists? How many people are doing LinkedIn as a lead gym service, right?

unknown 33:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:05

So that so the question now becomes to me is like, are you the person who's going to be able to help me? So now it becomes a whole discussion about not just like, you know, I don't want to go into this whole marketing spiel about positioning and all that, but it becomes about choice.

unknown 33:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 33:28

Who is the right choice for me? Who understands me better than anyone else? Who can I trust? Who can I you know give money to and not and hopefully that they will won't steal it and uh you know, and and have to worry about draining out my savings.

SPEAKER_00 33:52

Right. Yeah. Yeah, that's a that's a great point, man. Yeah, that's great.

SPEAKER_03 33:58

I hope that that hits home.

SPEAKER_00 34:00

And and well, yeah, I I feel that a lot, especially when you're you're talking about like LinkedIn, social media, because it's it's right every one, like you're everyone's doing everything. Like, even if you just pick the video community, like you're saying, like how many videographers are out there, there's tons. And so like being able to uh I think that what what you're getting to is the the best way to quote unquote distinguish yourself is to be able to uh really become very clear on how like how you are able to, of course, serve your clients well, but like really honing in on the specificity, like the specific thing that you you are able to do, that you can like that's your lights you up, like it's your thing.

SPEAKER_03 34:52

It's and we all do it, like even if people who are trying to hire me, for example, right, they're gonna want to see compared to all these other business coaches, and which is exactly the reason I told you before this interview is that I don't necessarily I don't call myself a business coach. Yeah, right. Uh the first mind, the people are, you know, our brains are wired to see the novelty and see the unique differentiation in the but all of a sudden when you start to differentiate, that's when people notice, right? And uh people have a hard time when everything looks the same, everything sounds the same, everything feels the same, right? Yep, and then that's that's where we that's where we struggle.

SPEAKER_00 35:50

Yeah, agreed. Agreed, man. That is encouraging because I have felt that um like just looking around my career, and I'm like, man, I feel like everybody is offering the same stuff, like it it's and and I and I say that like there are services that we offer for sure. That I know that there are other videographers or video boutique companies in the area that do similar things, right? And I think one of the things that I've been thinking about recently, and like it happened like shortly before we worked on that project together, was figuring out uh the kind of like the kind of

Retainers For Safety, Not Your Ceiling

SPEAKER_00 36:40

projects that facilitate what I really enjoy trying to do, and then figuring out how does one even package something like that because the the the the stigma that the default package is so strongly ingrained into the over a decade of providing these video services, then it's like okay, well, how do I build something that's actually profitable and like it could actually like work when there's this entire mountain of like, well, this is the way this is normally done, like in this video community, you know, and and and really kind of drowning out that noise. So I think what you're sharing is encouraging because one, it makes me know that I'm not crazy, like I recognize, okay. I'm good, that's what I'm here for.

SPEAKER_03 37:31

I'm all for reassurance.

SPEAKER_00 37:34

There you go. Um, and then two, like, yeah, it is possible. And so that was that was the next thing I was curious. Like, you know, we're we're talking very, you know, on the the the the non the non-physical things, like the intangibles. Um, is there do you have insight on this? Uh, I don't want to get too like statistiky, but do you has there been any like research that you've come across or like data if you will or anything that kind of supports or just kind of brings some insight or highlights some things that it's kind of good to know?

SPEAKER_03 38:06

I mean, there's all sorts of tests, you know. If you look at Myers Briggs personality test, there's Clifton Strength's test, there's all sorts of like people find out who are you? What is so special about you? What's the, you know, what's your color of parachute, you know, things like that, right? And people still can't find the answer. And uh for me, I there was two books that has made a major dent in my uh in my process, which is one reading insights by Tasha Urich, um she talks about true self-awareness, which is people are most people try to understand who they are, but they don't understand well enough how others see them or others understand them, right? So if you are the kind of person who says, I do real estate, I do all of this, I I I also do weddings, I also do companies, I also do corporate, right? Right, guess what? That is the perception you are creating. So don't be surprised when you get all sorts of different clients trying to negotiate pricing with you. Okay? Because that's the world you have painted. And that's that's the world I have painted.

SPEAKER_00 39:38

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, right? Present. Yeah, yeah, and with you. Okay, yeah. Let's let's that's interesting. Let's let's diagnose that a little bit. So you saying you're saying that the the the world that we've built in having the different serve, like many different services as a as a videographer for me, um ends up being the the the reason or the the the space for clients being able to go up and down

Choosing Projects That Grow Both Sides

SPEAKER_00 40:12

and trying to create their own idea of pricing for what it is kind of a thing. Is that what you're should well?

SPEAKER_03 40:20

I mean, it's it it gives them the signal that this person can do a lot of things. Okay, right, and so uh it the qu the conversation then becomes around uh what's your budget around this kind of gig, right? Whereas how would it be a conversation like, hey, I actually am a videographer for this type of community, this specific, let's say, LGBT community for this kind of project, and this is what I charge.

SPEAKER_00 40:58

Gotcha.

SPEAKER_03 40:59

That's a very different conversation than going into like, hey, I saw you do commercial, I also see you doing this. Uh, could you give me a price range of what you they're they're sort of asking the definition of all that is just revolved around you have less control over that conversation, let's just put it that way.

SPEAKER_00 41:25

Right because you're because you have a wide variety of services, right, right.

SPEAKER_03 41:31

And and and I'm not saying that it's bad or good, it's just understanding that that's how people's per, you know, the more choices you give, people also struggle with like, okay, what you know, do you have five different packages for, you know, like what are your packages, you know? And so for me, my my philosophy around pricing and everything, we we don't have to go deep into that because that's a whole another thing I teach in my, you know, not teach, but like I go through in my process. Um but for me, it's like it all becomes about the work, packaging the work and not the value and the outcome you can transfer to somebody.

SPEAKER_00 42:26

All right, hang on. Because you're you're hitting these, you're hitting these, you're hitting these points.

SPEAKER_03 42:31

I'll send you an invoice later. Just kidding.

SPEAKER_00 42:36

Feel free. It all becomes about the work and the value that you bring becomes secondary or tertiary. I mean, man, because you're offering the different all the different plethora of services that you have, it just becomes more of like, you know, where where does this checker piece fit? I think it could fit here, but no, actually it needs to fit here instead of the value being what like he he is somebody I need. Like his value is something I need, and not oh, we can just bring on another videographer that does it, you know, down the street, kind of a thing. And that man, that's that's big because um being able to position yourself where your value is what radiates, it's what is shown, it's what is like in it's what people know you for, it's what you were saying earlier. Um I think that is what I think that's the pivot. I think that's what makes a person like recognize, okay, if I really want my value to be first, I need to be able to to share kind of who I am and what I am what I want to pursue in this video production effort. Um, it's not a uh it's not a checklist. Yeah, yeah, it's not like oh yeah, we got video, we have this.

SPEAKER_03 44:17

Three photo shoots, you know, yeah, two sections, that kind of thing. No. At the end of our work together,

Intent Over Sales Tactics

SPEAKER_03 44:27

you walk away with a uh a video that's going to make you more confident in your voice and people reaching out to you as an authority, as someone they trust.

SPEAKER_02 44:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:45

You're not just a content creator anymore.

SPEAKER_00 44:49

Yeah, some people might take offense to that, Himara. I'm I mean, I'm I'm with well, what I'm saying is I'm with you. Like I'm sorry, but not sorry. Right. Like I think um, and that's the thing because in that video world, like a f I mean a few years ago now, but a lot of things started shifting to like gotta get content creating going, gotta do like there's a lot of if I go on LinkedIn and look up jobs right now, there's tons of people looking for a content creator, somebody to come in, create content for their business, edit it, put it together, and in like a you know, like a cyclical, you know, certain amount of videos per, you know, yeah, it's uh it's retainer service, right?

SPEAKER_03 45:33

It's it's written uh it's which I call it, you know, a retainer that um is just to keep a f business afloat, but it's not necessarily that is going to challenge you to create the next evolution of your business.

SPEAKER_00 45:52

Right. Okay, yeah, I agree. I agree. Yeah, and I think that's a good distinguishment because I think that's like that right there is pretty much exactly where we are now. Like we have uh we did a shoot earlier this weekend. We'll know soon, hopefully, if we'll have uh our second retainer client in the area. Um and my thinking was like that isn't something that I market that I like put out there on our social media world, like it's literally everything is in person with the connections I've made. But again, that is my my thinking is that serves as a foundational piece of um bringing in some consistent income and stuff like that. So it's a cash flow, yes, right. So we can focus on that. And so I think I think um that's I think that's I think that's great what you shared, that distinguishment. Um, and I have to play a little bit of devil's advocate here because with what you're sharing, um one might say narrowing that focus could raise a little bit of concern. Um, like because you may miss out on opportunities or like you you like you're saying, like the value first, like I am a this videographer focusing on this real business, and this is the price that it would cost to do what we're trying to do with you. Um, and then they the the the entity, the business, whoever it is, might not agree with that pricing, right? And if that's what you're putting all of your resources in, that's what you're sharing yourself as. Um what how what's your encouragement or your response to to videographers that are kind of going through that process where they're they're trying to put value first, they're wanting to really pursue those efforts, yeah. But a lot of the times they're getting beaten out by people that are either undercutting them because they're just like the gear, what I call a gear videographer, where they somebody needs a videographer, all right. Just like a cog in a gear system, put them in there. Oh, we don't,

Practical Steps To Define Your Blueprint

SPEAKER_00 48:00

it's too expensive. All right, throw it out, get another gear, all right, put it in. All right, that works. Let's do that. Like, what do you what's your encouragement to to that videographer that's like wanting to do that? But it seems as if you know, I want to be value, but it seems that the services and the the pricing is is harder to get wins on these bids or whatever they're trying to do.

SPEAKER_03 48:22

So I have two thoughts on that. And I being in that position myself where I needed to keep the lights on, right? I needed the cash flow. And the the tricky part is when you stay there and you don't make room for this other thing that you're really, really you know that lights you up, and you know that that has the potential to grow, but you're not investing enough time in that. All you're doing, you're what we do is we tend to keep ourselves safe. And safety can be a danger zone for creative entrepreneurs, right? Because that's the that's the part that gets really tricky, and I'm not saying that you know you should be so uh red line that you can't make, you know, that that you're not even able to create the space for the zone of genius, right? Yeah, you should create enough safety so you can expand that room for that kind of work, right? Yeah, create enough safety and then start to plan things, you know, fund your dream, whatever that is. But what most people is stuck in that safe zone. Okay. Um, and you can only do that for so long. What I've seen is that people, like I said, you know, they get stuck in the zone of excellence, things that they're really great at, but it doesn't necessarily light them up.

SPEAKER_00 50:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 50:08

Right? It pays you well, but it doesn't light you up.

SPEAKER_00 50:12

Yeah. Wow, absolutely. Man, that's great. That's great.

SPEAKER_03 50:16

I think um, yeah, that's that's really great because it's and I also say this that every, and this is what I've learned that every yes to the wrong opportunity is saying no to the right opportunity.

SPEAKER_00 50:36

Yeah, so I guess that that which which would bring me to uh my next kind of thought is yeah uh how do you identify uh that you've found the the the area or the zone of genius that one should commit to? Like, or even in this case, since we're talking about this, like how how do you what are the signs that you found like a project that's like yeah, oh yeah, this is actually yeah, yeah, yeah. This is the one that I've been waiting for. Like, what are some signs or some things that maybe I could look out for, or people that are listening, like other videographers that have been waiting for this moment? Like, I'm curious.

SPEAKER_03 51:20

So there is a difference between getting praise for your work, like you're doing an excellent job, you are you should keep doing this, and there's feedback where clients will tell you, you have made such an impact, you've you've changed my how I look at things now. There is a visceral reaction of how they see the their perspective has completely changed because of the work that you've done. That's impact, that's direct impact. So you gotta look at the signals, you gotta look at the signs of what you've been hearing, you know. And whether it's like I don't care if it's paid or unpaid, people you've helped throughout the years that have told you that this is the kind of problem that you've always solved. There's always a through line for every single person I've met so far. Has if I dig into your story, I bet you I could find things that you haven't even thought of. Right? Yeah, and that's the problem with genius, is that we're so damn close to our thing that it's painful, it's painful to be able to figure this out. And this is why I say that like, why torture yourself? Why torture if you can find a person who does this for a living? Any whether they call themselves business coach or strategists, but that's what they do, is there I call them reflectors, they're they're very acute listeners and reflectors. Yeah, right. Partner with them, partner with them so you can get the best reflection that you not necessarily what you want to hear to make yourself feel good, but the truth that you need to hear.

SPEAKER_00 53:27

Gotcha. Right? Yeah, okay. Interesting, man. Um I have to ask with with what you shared. Uh could you I don't know how I don't know how to ask this, but could you give an example of what that could feel free to use me if you like. I know we haven't like you know gone through the whole story, you know, and and shared everything, but like I'm curious, I'm curious what that sounds like when uh a videographer, someone that's focusing on their video work and what they're trying to do, gets like that, you know, that call, that inquiry, whatever it is, and they're speaking with the person, and they recognize I think this is like one of the one of the projects that I've been wanting for a while now that's like really like lights me up. This is gonna be like what I'm hearing, what they're sharing, like I think this is it. What kind of things would like I guess you'd have to use me, but what are some of the things that uh what are the signs or what are the signs earlier? But yeah, like what are some of the signs in that conversation that would be good to kind of look out for and hear that would like trigger? Oh wow, I think this might be a good for me.

SPEAKER_03 54:44

I will tell you I can relate to this and and maybe you can find something relatable there. But for me, the clients who came expecting for me to overhaul their business, or somehow I am the answer for them, has never quite worked well. But it is the clients who already have all the pieces that's been there, but are so motivated, so inspired, and already feeling like they're just at the cusp. You know, they they they're so that that painful realization of like, I feel like I have all these cards laying in front of me, but I just don't know which cards to pull because it's just so overwhelming. Right? I just need someone to help me with that. That makes me excited, and the person listening to me gets excited about oh gosh, you can help me with that. I've been looking for you. Where have you been?

SPEAKER_02 55:51

Yeah, kind of person, right? Right.

SPEAKER_03 55:55

So you go into this kind of like uh like co-creative kind of partnership, you know, it's not like this idea of like you're my client, you do what I say, you you know, uh I give you invoice, you get paid, you you do just get the job done.

SPEAKER_00 56:14

Right. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 56:16

There is no creation from both ends. We you both have to feel like you're growing each other, right? And I've grown from the clients that I've had with Genius Offer Blow Blueprint, like you've seen Jennifer Micah. She has grown, but while coaching her, I have grown as well. And that's how you know that it's the right partnership. There has to be a growth from both ends, there has to be some sort of this root sprouting from both end. Right? And if you're if your current clients are not challenging you to step up, and you're not challenging them to step up, then it's to me it's it's a very safe relationship. It's it's too safe. You pay the invoice, you're done. Right. There's no asking questions, there's no there's no back and forth in terms of like you know, it just it it ends at a transaction, basically.

SPEAKER_02 57:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 57:21

And there are times that it's fine, right? You do the job, you pay, you're done, right? But we're talking about zone of genius, right?

SPEAKER_00 57:33

Well, so I have to ask this with what you're sharing. Um, once again, devil's advocate. Um, what's the difference between this and somebody that's just a good salesman? Because a good salesman, we just went through the process of buying a new car, and gosh, like they try their best to play to the the the emotional side and like wanting to, you know, really do what's best for you, and like you know, they knew that I had a newborn, so they're you know, like trying to all these things and and all that, and you get this list of all the additions I am I hearing this actually happened to you, or yeah, no, this yeah, this is no, this is this is this is what are we in this is real? This is this is last this was September. This was end of September, right? Um, but I'm curious, um, from your perspective, what's the difference between um what we're talking about, like a person, and I'm I'm thinking about a videographer that's really wanting to share their value and like put that first, and really trying to hear from this business associate that reached out to them and wanting to do the work and wanting to create a really awesome end product for the company. Um, the videographer doesn't want to be salesy, he or she wants to add value to the company and create something great for them. Um, and at the same time doesn't want to be salesy, like trying to do whatever they want to do to try to get the get the gig and get the money, you know. Like, um, I'm just curious from your perspective, or you could reverse it and talk about the the the business person that is trying to look for a videographer, and they're trying to do whatever they need to do to get the gig. So I'm just trying to I I recognize with some of the things that you're sharing that I guess I've come up being salesy.

SPEAKER_03 59:24

So I guess there's a period of time that I did feel that, and I'm not gonna deny it. Okay, okay, but I think that after so many years of working just not on just on myself, but like you know, seeing my business have evolved and all that, yeah, I no longer feel the sales y part anymore. Okay, all right, because everything kind of like what I proceed and achieve, and if the work we do together is not a fit and we're not in alignment with our values. Guess what? No amount of money is going to be sufficient.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:08

Right? So I feel you have to know that that none of this talk is sales, is about manipulation. It's about intention.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:23

Right on.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:24

Right? And the only intent here is to be able to serve someone so they can not only create the best offer, right? Uh, that offer that they can sustain and they be proud of, proud to market, because a lot of entrepreneurs hate marketing.

unknown 1:00:43

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:44

Right. Um, and if this is something that you're not proud to talk about, and like I'm doing right now, like I can spend another hour talking about this kind of stuff, right?

SPEAKER_02 1:00:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:58

I don't feel salesy at all.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:01

Right.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:02

Right? I feel that it's not my, it's not only my duty or obligation, but it feels like this is my calling. Right. And I think I do think that people get frowned upon or they get like laughed at when there's like, oh, why do you need to find your calling? Just do the thing. Just just make some money, you know.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:30

Get a venture capitalist or whatever, you know, find an investor, uh, move on, right? But I've also seen within my seven-year period of entrepreneurship, people who have done that, climbed the mountain, came down, and started all over again.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:50

Like you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03 1:01:52

So it's kind of like okay, yes, restarted their business on something that they actually cared about.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:02

Hmm, gotcha. Wow. Wow, okay. Man, that's great. Thank you so much. I have final thought, final question. If for someone that is ready to kind of take that step and trying to go to the building their value and really wanting to focus on their zone of genius and like getting very clear on that for them, what are any like practical steps or advice or anything that they can take to begin working on that like today? Like soon as they're done with this podcast. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:35

What I, in my experience, have learned is that it's all a talk, it's all a show. Like we're very good at talking, we're very good at preaching, but this is why I wanted to think about what is it's not my blueprint, but what is the blueprint that you're walking on that you can practice what you preach? Because if you can practice your own talk, like if you can walk your own talk, then I don't trust that person.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:16

You need to be able to go back to something so you can revisit and audit every few months to see if you're in alignment.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:27

Right? So a lot of times my clients will stop, you know, like after we're done working with me, they'll say something like, Thank you for keeping me aligned. Thank you for making me remind myself who I am, who what I was all about, and what was the mission for my or core mission of my business. A lot of times they needed to be reminded. They had all the pieces. But because we are so, we live in, like I said, we live in such a reactive world, right? We're constantly chasing the next and the next and the next. In midst of all that chaos and everything, we sort of we tend to lose ourselves with the pro with all that. So to be able to have this kind of documented process for yourself that you can revisit and you can iterate and improve. And uh, you know, the Kaizen method continuous improvement, I think that's a more, much more sustainable way to look at your growth than just kind of going reacting from year to year, quarter to quarter, and trying to be like figuring all out all again.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:50

Right.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:51

To me, it doesn't make sense, it's it just sounds so painful.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:55

Yeah, okay. Yeah, I mean, that sounds like getting your foundation, yeah. Yeah, like as you're going through this journey, being able to getting get a core understanding of the things that tend to light you up that you enjoy, and as you're going through the process, going back to that and saying, are we getting closer to that or are we getting further further away from it?

SPEAKER_03 1:05:19

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:20

Yeah, exactly. As you're doing that, gain value in pursuing those things, and that is what you share, that is who you are, kind of a thing. Yeah, I think that's great because uh I feel like I've been there, you just get kind of lost in the sauce and like trying to conclude which way is up for a second. Like, wait, why are we doing this again? Um, so yeah, I can definitely relate to that. Yep, yeah. Man, thank you so much, Humara. That's great. Uh, thank you so much um for taking the time. I really appreciate you taking the taking the hour to really sit down and walk through this. Um, for anyone listening, if you're wanting to to hear more, to know more about Humara and everything that she's doing, links are below in the description. Feel free to check her out on LinkedIn. She has everything there. If you want to ask her a question, I'm assuming she'll respond. So feel free to reach out to her. Um, thank you guys so much for listening. Uh, I'll catch you on the next episode. Please, if you have questions, if you have thoughts, let me know. I'd love to hear feedback. I'd love to hear what you're thinking. If there's something that you took away from this episode, let me know because I'd love to pinpoint that um in future conversations. All right. Kumara, thank you so much for taking the time.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:35

Absolutely. Thank you so much for having me. And I really enjoyed, like I said, I I could talk about this uh uh you know anytime, any day. So I appreciate all the questions you asked. Those were some really thoughtful questions. And yeah, if anyone has more you know thoughts about like things that we didn't cover, um, yeah, absolutely. I think it would be awesome to maybe have a follow up conversation. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:02

Yeah, absolutely. All right. Thank you guys for tuning in. Hope you guys have a great rest of the week, rest of the weekend, whenever you're listening. And we'll catch you on the next one. Thanks.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:12

Bye.