Ken Sander's Ten Tips on Home Video Studio Success!

Ken Sander of Fairfax, Virginia spent three decades with the Federal Aviation Administration focusing on the safety of our nation's airline industry.  One day he traded it in to make money focusing his video camera. "Even as a manager in a government agency I always had an entrepreneurial side," says Sander, "I worked with video, graphics and animation as a serious hobby for over twenty-five years." So, when the opportunity for optional retirement came, Ken knew it was high time to start his own business in the field he loves.  Now in his eighth year of business Ken is a Seven Star Studio, a former Studio Owner of the Year, and a multiple Hanley Award winner.  Ken also finds himself in the weekly top earner's list more often than not.

We caught up with Ken recently and, since September means "back to school" we asked him to give us the top ten lessons he's been "schooled on" since he became a Home Video Studio owner:

1. Be Friendly:  "As I meet people in the studio, networking, or generally anywhere, I purpose to be positive and friendly.  We live in a somewhat cynical world. Being friendly to customers, associates and people everywhere helps me to be more positive about the world and the world more positive about me."
2. Be Ready – Always:  "I have found that customers come in all 'styles.' I really work to be ready and prepared mentally, emotionally and even physically to “meet them where they are."  When I’m with someone they are my absolute focus. I expect objections so I am ready to listen, provide feedback and respond specifically to what they are feeling.
3. Be a Marketing Machine:  "We provide video services to everyone - but – what is our business as owners? We are in the Marketing Business. I do everything possible to market our services, every day, in as many ways as I possibly can."
4. Be Consistent:  "I try to work on a pattern or schedule. I work the most important things every day at the same time and then schedule everything else. I make lists and keep my focus on the list. I work the list - check off, add new items and keep doing it."
5. Be Teachable:  "I am always ready to learn. I seek experienced people to help me.  If I get stuck I ask other owners.  I have attended every training opportunity Home Video Studio has offered. I take on-line courses. I read or listen to books on marketing and sales and how to run a business."
6. Be Responsible:  "This is my business. I am responsible for its success. It falls on no one else but me. I own it." 
7. Be Tenacious:  “Never Give Up – Never Surrender” (“Captain” from Galaxy Quest). I repeat – I do whatever it takes to make it happen." 
8. Be Adaptive:  "Try, try and try again, but, adapt to what works. That means I do what I’ve been taught first. Then I may adapt it to work for me. Insanity is doing the same thing I’ve always done (or not done), over and over, but expecting the outcome to be something better."
9. Be Working ON THE BUSINESS:  "There was a short time when I really got frustrated about the business. I realize, thanks to  obert and some other Studio owners, that I was no longer in charge – I blamed everyone and everything else for my situation. Take charge and know what is happening and what to do next. Plan, track, evaluate and adapt. If I get stuck, I find help. I now have a mentor and a coach to help me." 
10. Be Humble:  "I feel I was very successful in my FAA career. I was very blessed. I feel the same way about Home Video Studio. I have been blessed and get to do what I really enjoy doing. I am so thankful for that."

We are grateful to have someone like Ken at Home Video Studio.  These are good lessons!  He is a great teacher because he is a great learner.  Congrats Ken Sander, our September Studio Owner of the Month!  

Tony Miklos Celebrates Ten Years With Home Video Studio!

Tony Miklos

Tony Miklos had a great July at his Home Video Studio in Brecksville OH.  Not only did he post one of his personal best income months but he was recognized as a ten year studio owner at the 13th Annual Hanley Awards in Las Vegas.  Ten years is quite an achievement for any business - and it couldn't happen to a better guy!  Here's to Tony Miklos, our August Studio Owner of the Month.

Tony is beloved at Home Video Studio and is regarded as one of our seasoned owners who has seen a lot, knows what to do, and is eager to pass his experiences along to others.  Besides winning many Hanley awards for video excellence he has garnered multiple achievement awards on his journey including Studio Owner of the Year. 

Like several of our owners Miklos came to Home Video Studio with a technical IT  background and a creative passion for video. But he also knew he wanted to make money. "I was looking for a franchise opportunity and came across Home Video Studio on the internet," says Tony, "and was immediately attracted because of the profit potential and the track record that I saw."  Tony was soon in Indianapolis at a Home Video Studio Show-N-Tell and shortly thereafter opened the first retail store-front for Home Video Studio in 2003.

Tony Accepting Studio Owner of the Year 2011

With the help of Home Video Studio's marketing plan and turnkey system he learned the ropes as an entrepreneur, mastering all aspects needed for a successful studio, especially the marketing and customer service areas. "What I found along the way is that I really like helping people and enriching their lives by doing what I do."  

Even after all these years Tony is still especially fond of providing home movie transfer services for his customers.  "I live in an older, more established part of the city and I see a lot of film, both 8mm and 16mm, come in needing this old media migrated to a modern format.  It's satisfying to see people being able to enjoy their past heritage."  Miklos, like any self-respecting Clevelander, also enjoys sports and gets a kick out of producing sports scholarship videos for his community's athletic hopefuls.
 

As a veteran Home Video owner Tony has graciously provided us with ten tips (that's one per year) that he follows:

• Be fluent at multitasking - "A busy studio should have at least four profit centers going at once."
  
• You must advertise - "In my case Google Adwords is a necessity."
  

• Follow the plan - "You became involved because you were attracted to a proven plan.  Don't get so "smart" that you begin to deviate from it."
  
• Call different owners often - "There is such a wealth of support and knowledge from other owners.  This is a beautiful thing.  Take advantage of it."
  
• Upgrade and Maintain your equipment - "Being current and being operable is your lifeblood.  Don't neglect it."
  
• If customers bring in 8mm or MiniDV tapes ask if they still have the camera and offer a discount for it - "This helps eliminate the customers' clutter if they've upgraded, and it keeps you in backup equipment."
  
• Have annual open houses - "We are a business in the 'neighborhood' and people enjoy spending time with their neighbors.  Also, serving fine wine to your neighbors doesn't hurt a thing!"
  
• Marketing, signage, advertising..."Be (and stay) visible - "If people know you're there they will come."
  
• Enjoy life - "This is a great business!  Enjoy it.  Take time off once in a while."
  
• "Did I mention call different owners often?"

  

Arthur Bradshaw - July Studio Owner of the Month!

Arthur Bradshaw in his Home Video Studio

The Suffolk VA area is rich in history.  Between the American Revolution, The Civil War and even a trading post dating back to 1608 this area is a cradle of many events that shaped our country.  But Suffolk's richest culture lies with her people, and Arthur Bradshaw, one of her native sons, daily works in his Home Video Studio to ensure the preservation and memories of this heritage by providing 'Video Services for Everyone".  Meet Arthur Bradshaw, Home Video Studio owner from Suffolk VA and our July Studio Owner of the Month.

"This is the area I grew up in and love," says Arthur. "I knew that after college there was no place else I wanted to be. So I chose to return and make my life here. I have family here and a deep appreciation for all the wonderful people of this area."

Arthur attended high school in Suffolk, then attended Coker College, a liberal arts college in South Carolina as a biology major.  "People ask me if I majored in biology because I wanted to be a dentist like my dad," muses Bradshaw, "but really it was more like I had to pick a major and biology -  starting with a 'B' - was near the top of the list."   But Arthur did excel in his scientific classes, learning the importance of discipline, attention to detail and how systems worked together.  He even began master's classes in endocrinology.  

But Bradshaw had a few other passions as well.  One was being creative and working with video. "I was always making slideshows for friends," says Arthur, "and my buddies and I made little movies, and I enjoyed the process of conceptualizing a story, shooting it, and especially editing."  He also met a pretty girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life with - and so he took a position with a leading multi-national distributor of industrial supplies, equipment, and other commercial items.  

Arthur spent ten years in this position and learned many skills that would suit him later on.  He learned to be a self-starter and made "getting the job done" a way of life to personally meet the needs of his clients.  But he also knew that it was time to heed a voice inside him.  "I knew I had always pictured myself having my own business and it felt like time," says Bradshaw. "I was thankful for the skills I had developed but I still wanted to try doing something for myself in a creative field."

Arthur Bradshz

Plus, as he looked around at the corporate world he sensed a certain uneasiness.  Acquisitions.  Closings.  Layoffs.  "I know I am not immune to the things that life hands you," says Arthur, "but I at least want to handle things on my own terms."  So Bradshaw began looking at business opportunities.  It wasn't long before Arthur's wife, as wives often do, found the answer.      

"One day Brenda saw an opportunity on the web for Home Video Studio ownership. I filled out some information, got a phone call, attended a webinar and before long I was on the road to owning my own video business."

In June of 2010 Arthur opened his studio on a part-time basis. Less than a year later he made a big decision and went full-time in April of 2011 - as he had planned and on his own terms. In a very short time Arthur has excelled at his new life.  He is frequently among the top income earners of Home Video Studio.  And creatively he has won Best Company Promo, Best Documentary, Best Studio Tag, and The Rising Star Award at the Hanley Awards, an international award ceremony for video excellence. 

Was Home Video Studio a good decision for Arthur Bradshaw?  "This truly is like a family," says Arthur, "and, like a family, I can always count on support when I need it - from the home office to other owners in Home Video Studio."

All his life Arthur has been preparing for success in his business.  He has learned creativity, attention to detail, getting the job done, knowing his clientele, asking for support when he needs it, and giving support when others need it.  We have a feeling Arthur Bradshaw will be a success well into the future.

John & Tammy Montgomery of Newark, Ohio Have the Right Stuff!

"You don't have to see the whole staircase.  Just take the first step." - Martin Luther King Jr.

A business grows in steps.  It takes patience.  It takes planning.  It takes faith that today's labor will yield tomorrow's fruit.  John and Tammy Montgomery have been diligent to daily take the "next right step" since they opened their Home Video Studio a year ago - and its already paying off with rewarding projects, satisfied customers and increasing income.  Meet Home Video Studio's June Studio Owners of the Month, John and Tammy Montgomery from Newark OH.

Like many HVS couples John and Tammy are a team, complementing each other with their respective strengths and abilities. John usually stays busy with the production, creative and technical issues and is the networking "face" of their business.  Tammy keeps the business end afloat and, as administrative master, takes care of the books, pays the bills and, as she coyly admits, "keeps John from going down rabbit holes."  

Another vital aspect of this dynamic duo is their tandem marketing.  This is a necessary part of any  Home Video Studio and rarely a day goes by that they aren't sowing seeds for future business. "Something that never ceases to amaze us is the positive energy that is created when we are active with our marketing," says John. "There isn't always a direct correlation between marketing and the business we are marketing for, but there does seem to be a correlation between being active in your marketing and having business come in." 

John's successful modus operandi of taking the next best step began early in his life.  John accepted an internship at a new local TV station while still in high school in Prescott AZ and, after a couple of months of running the teleprompter for the evening news, he was given an opportunity to work as a Master Control Operator.  Upon graduating from high school he soon added production assistant to his duties. In 1985 (the same year he and Tammy married) he was promoted to Production Manager.  Now John was a young man in all his audio-visual glory, spending two years as a one-man-band shooting, directing and editing numerous commercials and studio shows. 

Tammy was born and raised in Arizona as well. She has always had a keen eye for visual arts as well, studying calligraphy and interior design after high school, as well as doing modeling work. Another area of keen interest for Tammy has been equestrian activities, an interest in which she was very involved, helping their daughter participate in Hunter Jumper events as well as Pony Club. 

The Montgomerys changed course in 1987 when they heard duty call and John joined the Navy. Once again John followed his plan of stepping through the ranks - literally.  He became a Damage Controlman and did his first at-sea tour aboard USS Okinawa (LPH-3). Then things moved quickly!  "We were halfway into our deployment when Iraq invaded Kuwait,"  says John, "and ours was extended.  We participated in both Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm and our deployment set a modern record for amphibious ships that was only surpassed last year."  While on that tour he was accepted into the Enlisted Commissioning Program. 

After John left the USS Okinawa he went to the University of Arizona, studying Political Science as a major and Russian as a minor. He also received his commission as an Ensign and soon was back to sea. He received his MBS at Naval Postgraduate School, with the highlight of his remaining military career as second in command on the USS Oak Hill. 

As John prepared to retire from the Navy he knew he wanted to work for himself so he began to investigate various franchise opportunities.  After considering some of them John heard the siren call of video again as he ran across the HVS franchise website in February of 2012.   John and Tammy were intrigued by the prospect of a proven plan to make money in video.  It also looked like a great husband and wife business.  So once again, in systematic fashion, John and Tammy took the necessary steps to see if this would be a good fit.  In March they attended an HVS webinar, in April they came to HVS headquarters for a Show-n-Tell and by late June they were installed and ready for business!  

It's been a year now and these days you will find the shelves in their studio full of various types of video projects.  "Photo keepsakes are always enjoyable," says Tammy, "because the clients are always thrilled to see new life breathed into their old photographs.  Plus the keepsakes are usually done around a major milestone in someone's life."  They are also currently in the middle of a DVD duplication project near and dear to their hearts for the Veterans Initiative Program involving a joint effort with the Vietnamese that is focused not only on recovering Americans, but also assisting the Vietnamese with locating their own troops who were buried by U.S. forces.    Plus, they just wrapped up their first full production job, a four minute promotional video for Look Up Ministries. "That was satisfying because we could flex all of our skill sets and learn some new ones," says John. 

What's their favorite Home Video studio profit center?   "Honestly I'd have to say film transfer orders." John reflects.  "There's something extra special about film. Often times it hasn't been seen in several years or even decades. It's rewarding seeing people reconnect with their old memories."

Besides learning plenty about modern video production the Montgomerys have learned even more valuable lessons about business.  "This past year, has been a huge learning experience for us,"  muses John. "Neither of us had any business experience, and just about every pre-conceived notion about how to run a business has been challenged."  

If they have seen anything it's that "Customers are everywhere" and a maxim they have learned early and apply often is "treat your customers well."  John and Tammy have also seen the significance of a persistent market presence and follow-up:  "Just this afternoon I followed up on a prospect who was going to come in and then got distracted by life. He thanked me for the call and said that he would bring his large order of video tapes in on Monday. Then a lady who came to our open house last November came in to take advantage of our Memorial Day sale e-blast special. All of this happened in an hour." 

No stranger to setting and reaching goals the Montgomerys have set their sights, this year, on really becoming established in the community and being looked upon as the expert in "Video Services for Everyone."  They know what it takes to reach their lofty financial goals as well.  And we have a feeling, if the past is any indicator, that they will reach them as they always have - one right step at a time.