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| Todd Piper in Studio |
Folks in Naples, Florida enjoy a certain lifestyle. It comes
with an abundance of white-sanded Gulf beaches, a relaxed year-round wardrobe
of shorts and flip-flops, and the most golf holes per capita in the world. Todd
Piper likes the beach and flip-flops and golf. It's not surprising, then, that
when he was looking for a business opportunity that fit his Naples lifestyle he
found that Home Video Studio fit him to a T:
"This is a great area for a video services business
like mine," says Piper. "The demographic skews a little older than a
comparable sized area elsewhere. That means my customer base has the older
formats and lots of them." They also skew higher in income: "I love
the chance to provide excellent customer service and my customers like
competence and convenience and they will pay for it."
So what landed Todd Piper, who is relatively new to Home
Video Studio, the title of Rookie of the Year for 2014? Well let's chalk it up
to a few skills and attitudes that he brings:
Marketing sense - Todd grew up the son of a
salesman and attributes his marketing awareness to this environment. "You
know that old saying 'Nothing happens until a sale is made'? I grew up with
that. My dad was a very good salesman for an international industrial supply
company and I saw the importance they placed on sales - starting with
compensation." Piper also credits having to move every couple of years as
helping his development as a networker: "I had to get very good at meeting
new people, making new friends and learning how to start conversations."
Creative and technical acumen - Like several
Home Video Studio owners, Todd's early love of music brought him to video:
"I have been a lifelong musician. My rock and roll dreams led me to learn
guitar, bass and drums." (He also has a killer rockin' tenor voice that
practically breaks glass!) In due course Piper began to also love the
techno/creative process of knobs and faders and meters in a studio environment:
"I loved recording and got into radio and TV production classes in high
school."
A supportive partner - Todd and his wife
Jennifer have been doing life as a team as long as they've been married.
Jennifer's attaining a master's degree in the demanding field of Nurse
Anesthesia was a collaborative effort of moral and financial support and the
Pipers see Todd's business the same way.
Drive - Although Todd loved music and studios
and production he also knew he wanted a certain lifestyle - and he suspected
that it wasn't readily attainable by being strictly an artist or a technician.
So after high school Piper attended college at the University of Texas - Dallas
and earned his degree in Finance and Economics. Upon graduation he immediately
went to work for Citigroup and got his feet wet in the lending industry. He
then took a management position for a private lender. You can't contain a
"man with a plan" in a cubicle, so Todd decided to start his own
company. The good news? It grew quickly and soon he was presiding over thirty
employees. The not so good news? He was working twelve hour days, commuting
three hours, and incapable of taking a vacation. More good news: The fruits of
his vision were providing a nice living, not just for Piper, but for everyone
in his company. More not so good news: There was financial turmoil looming that
was out of Piper's (and most everyone else's) control that would change the
industry. To his credit Todd saw it coming on horizon, swallowed hard, and
closed and boarded his business before the squall hit.
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| Todd and Jen Piper |
Reinvention - Most of us, at least once in our life,
will face the prospect of having to reinvent ourselves. As he began to
reimagine himself here's what Todd Piper's reinvention looked like:
1
“My own enterprise (who's going to hire a guy
with my experience and success as entry level or middle management?)”
2
“Home based (I'm tired of three hour commutes.)”
3
“Simple (What if I could even incorporate my
family in some aspects?)’
4
“Control (I run it instead of vice versa.)”
So Todd began the work of looking for a viable business
opportunity with these stipulations. After some initial disappointments he
found Home Video Studio. Not only did it entice him by satisfying his four
stipulations, it featured the quintessence: 5) Creative – “Video, music,
editing, knobs and faders? This would be heaven!”
He called Home Video Studio and by the end of an initial
conversation he was convinced this was the opportunity he was looking for. In
January of 2013 Todd's studio was installed.
Todd hit the ground running and has been gaining momentum
each month thereafter. Last month was his best yet, financially. Most notably
Todd seals the sum of our line "It's a Wonderful Lifestyle." He runs
his own business out of his own home (his Dad even comes over and helps!) on
his own terms in Naples Florida - where lifestyle is required.
Any words of wisdom from someone who has seen a few ups and
downs from a few different angles? "Personal freedom means personal
responsibility," says Piper. "I appreciate the network and all their
support. I take advantage of the fact that I don't have to reinvent
the wheel. But in the end it is my enterprise and I am responsible for its
success or its failure. The Home Video Studio Network really gives you both
sides of the coin."
That's a winning attitude that will keep Todd on top!
Congratulations to Todd Piper of Naples, Florida.
If you woudl like to chat about starting your own video
business feel free to call me, Robert Hanley 317-358-5932.
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