Home Video Studio certainly attracts some interesting people with stories to tell, and Howard Hong of Draper, Utah is no exception. He is a renaissance man with a curiosity, passion and zest for life that manifests itself in his many interests. With a degree in nursing and having worked on a hospital floor he has a heart for people. With a computer degree and vast experience in health informatics he has a brain for technology . And as a working actor he has feet that have "trod the boards" of stage, screen and television.
All of these skills coalesce in his Home Video Studio based out of his house in Draper. His people skills, technical skills, and creative flair are tested daily as he meets customers' demands for quality Video Services for Everyone.
Howard was born and grew up in Salt Lake City in a household where the values of vision, self-determination and hard work had a very real meaning. His father and mother lived in south China during the 1930's and 40's when China was engaged in a great civil war between the Communist Party and forces loyal to the nationalist government. As with any war of ideology the "people of the land" were the most affected.
"My father, mother and newborn sister were starving, like all the people where they lived," says Howard, "so my father found a way to get to the United States and arrived, as they say, with only the shirt on his back." Finding a job in a restaurant he communicated with his family by correspondence and sent money - not seeing them for fifteen years. At last Howard's mother and sister were able to flee to Hong Kong (then a British colony) and the family was reunited. To top it off Howard's dad eventually became part owner in the same restaurant he worked at upon his arrival in the US. "If there's anything I've learned from my father," says Howard, "it's the meaning of hard work."
Needless to say Howard was encouraged to get an education, so he enrolled at the University of Utah as a nursing student. "I've always been interested in helping people," says Hong, "and I saw that healthcare was an in-demand career choice, and still is." Right after graduating from nursing school Howard met his wife Carol, who had just graduated from Brigham Young University in Hawaii. Howard and Carol were married shortly after graduation and decided to take the direction of many young professional married couples - go back for more school. Working as a true team they decided Carol should go back for her doctorate degree in pharmacy while Howard worked as a Registered Nurse. Then Howard went back to get a specialized degree combining healthcare and computer technology while Carol embarked on her career as a pharmacist. Then, with educations in hand, they worked in their respective fields for the next dozen years.
So what do you do when you and your wife juggle demanding careers while starting a family while being involved in your church and community? Yes, you start acting! "I always enjoyed the movies and wanted to try acting, even though I was kind of quiet and shy," laughs Howard. So he began in community theater and took some acting classes. Then he took some more, worked at his craft and began acting in student films, independent films, and other productions to get experience. Soon he had built a good resume and was able to find representation by a reputable agent. Howard has appeared in many productions including a national television ad for Exxon Mobile, many Fortune 500 industrial films, and even in a National Lampoon movie.
Lest you think Howard has designs on being a movie star or a business magnate he is quick to tell you that his impetus for everything he does has much deeper roots. "The most important thing to me is my faith and my family. Those are the reasons I do anything."
Perhaps that's why after twelve years in a corporate life Howard chose a lifestyle that would allow him a little more flexibility in his life to pursue his other passions, such as pastoring his church, and to be more available for his family. "As I began to investigate businesses that fit the life I wanted to live I thought a franchise route would be the best way to go," says Howard. Naturally he would look into healthcare type businesses at the start - but found the market more saturated than he would like. Then he saw an opportunity with Home Video Studio. "This piqued my interest," says Hong, "because it was a chance to combine my creativity, technical skills, and people skills - plus I could so it all from home."
Howard made a phone call, talked to Robert Hanley and attended Show n Tell in late 2011. Shortly thereafter he signed and was installed in the spring of 2012.
What are Howard's future goals in his fledgling business? "I want to continue to build my business, of course," says Howard, "and I really love production. The actor and technician in me really enjoys the shooting and editing parts of this business, and I want to do more of that."
"If there's one thing I've learned, besides the value of hard work and vision from my father," says Howard, "it's that creativity is important in all aspects of life...even the so-called business side. I like finding new and inventive ways to do things."
If you would like to take control of your destiny and open up your own Home Video Studio like Howard, email Robert@homevideostudio.com or call him at 317-358-5932.
