Vipul Bindra: 0:04

Adam, thank you for coming. I've been looking forward to this one man. Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule and showing up as we were talking. You know the point of this is. I mean, I've been talking with you for years about this. I wanted to. You know, we have incredible conversations together and I was like it'd be so cool to record these and share with people, because it's knowledge after knowledge after knowledge, because we're I feel like we're just talking mostly about business and strategies and, you know, growing our craft and growing, uh, our, um, our revenues, and a lot of people listening could benefit from it. I know I would even now talk about years ago that could have been game changer. So, like I said, thanks for coming and thanks for sharing or what you're about to share we'll see.

Adam Kalinowski: 0:47

We're gonna find out everything. Yeah, thanks for having me, man. It's cool to see all the progress you're making to learn from you and, yeah, sharing around thank you.

Vipul Bindra: 0:55

No, uh, you know, again I, like I said, I just stumbled my way through. I've been, I was doing video for obviously years and finally was like no, I gotta go all in. And then, you know, couldn't find any resources or people willing to, you know, share and had to stumble my way through where I am today. Luckily, I can pay my bills, so can't complain, but you're one of the few people, so when people ask me, I'm happy to share. Right, and that's what I found a common trait when people were successful, they were happy to share and that helped a lot eventually, when I finally did meet those people. But what's crazy is, then a lot of people will ask me hey, what do I do?

Vipul Bindra: 1:28

And I'll tell them exactly what I'm doing, like I don't hide anything. But then they don't do it and they're like I'm not still finding success. I'll meet them a year or two later. You're one of the few people and I don't want to take any credit, but what I say known you now what I think two years or roughly and I've seen you grow from small company to like huge, and I think you've done it. You've done everything. Like every time I see you doing something, I'm like this is exactly what I say people should do to scale, and so, first of all, I'm incredibly proud and happy for you. I mean to the point you hire me now. I mean I can't complain and. But but tell me, tell me your process. So I want to know is what made you do this and how have you been able to do everything right and scale so much faster than most people?

Adam Kalinowski: 2:16

Yeah, I mean I'll I wouldn't say I do everything right. Definitely there's a lot more that could be done and could be done better, but I think, like we, like you mentioned, just learning from other people, seeing what other people are doing, imitating that and just trying to make the best decisions along the way to. I know it's super vague and we'll probably dive into it, but yeah, we got plenty of time.

Adam Kalinowski: 2:38

Yeah, Just just watching other people succeed, asking the questions, taking the time to listen and actually hear them out, hear their process, when they're willing to share. You know, sometimes people aren't willing to share and then actually acting on it like just takes discipline, and that's something that I'm constantly working on. I am nobody perfect.

Adam Kalinowski: 3:00

I'm not doing everything perfect here, but I try to be disciplined and actually taking the action, making the decisions. That's something I've been talking to a lot of people about lately and trying to get better at like making decisions, like educated decisions, but a little bit quicker so that you can move. Like move, take action and then iterate, iterate, iterate Act, like a startup, right?

Vipul Bindra: 3:22

So yeah, you can move faster. Yeah, Iterate, iterate, iterate Act like a startup right.

Adam Kalinowski: 3:24

So yeah, you can move faster. Yeah, that's exactly the mindset I'm trying to take. That is so much harder than just saying it, you know.

Vipul Bindra: 3:30

Yeah especially with, you know, a wife and a kid at home. You got to be able to make the right decisions because you can't risk it right. You can't make a terrible decision and go oh I fucked up, you know.

Adam Kalinowski: 3:59

Yeah, I mean, and just being an analytical person that likes to think through things and I think you like to think through things a lot too I know several of our colleagues too that have that same kind of little bit quicker than maybe what I would be comfortable with and learn.

Vipul Bindra: 4:10

So give us an example I want to know a real world example of that where you thought you made a decision slower than you could have.

Adam Kalinowski: 4:17

Oh, well, one of the biggest ones was starting my company.

Adam Kalinowski: 4:21

You know like if I look back to the very beginning, I waited, waited, waited. I thought about it and I don't necessarily regret that because I worked within a corporate marketing department. I got a lot of good experience there. I got on my feet in the world after school and um. But I I look back and then, after I started it and in my first year, you know, had great, great success within the first year, I went into that first year thinking, all right, how much do I have in my savings and how how long can I last without making a dollar? Cause, this I'm gonna not make anything here.

Adam Kalinowski: 4:54

Um, that's how, like, worked up. I guess I got up about this. The decision to like start my own business, uh, jump out of that full-time nine to five role, um. And then I had great success and I was like, shoot, what if I did this sooner and just learned a little bit quicker? I can't say that would have been ideal or it was the wrong decision to wait, but I think maybe I could be a little bit further along, um, had I made that decision a little bit quicker.

Adam Kalinowski: 5:22

So that's, just one example of like I guess maybe I could just move a little bit faster.

Adam Kalinowski: 5:27

I still, it's a. It's a tough decision. It's a big decision to jump from that kind of nine to five role into a like I was mostly freelancing to start and then some of my own projects, but, um, that is one example. And then, going into now, it's like, do we try this like marketing strategy or what's my business strategy with this client this year? And I will sit and think about it, think about it, think about it, learn, try to learn, and that's good stuff. But in all that time I have to recognize that I'm not doing it during that time. So I may be missing out on something. I may be missing out on the, the, the learning that happens from just doing it, and maybe that's a little bit quicker path to success than, um, thinking about it for so long.

Vipul Bindra: 6:14

Yeah, Um, so that makes sense. That's great what you say, because, uh, and I also think, uh, and tell me if I'm wrong but I do think you have an inherent advantage compared to other people, and especially me, because a lot of people who do this are filmmakers first, like we start. You know, I love to create and I would be doing this anyway if it was free, right, and it's not just my thought process, everyone is. We were just trying to make a passion into a job, and business was something we had to learn or having to force to learn. But you know, you don't have what we call gas gear acquisition syndrome.

Vipul Bindra: 6:46

I find that you're, you know, obviously my, my decisions are still calculated, but on a way like I have to have the latest gear, no knowledge and all that's a lot of my time and energy spent on testing new gear, buying new gear, seeing how it fits in my workflow. But I feel like you are able to make your purchases. Either don't make the purchases or able to make them efficiently, and that is helping you because you're not you're, you can put business first over creativity. Not saying that your videos are not creative, they're amazing, but you know, you're, you're business first guy, and don't you think? I think that helps you be able to make better decisions than most filmmakers, because you're thinking business first.

Adam Kalinowski: 7:22

Yeah, I definitely think it is an advantage to start. There's definitely a little artist within me too that loves the visuals and the creativity. But I got a marketing degree. I worked in the marketing department at a global business and that shaped who I am too and where my foundation came from, and I'm self-taught in photography and videography and all that. So I realized pretty quickly, as I was trying to build my business and do better for my clients, that there's so many people out there that are better than me at video, photo, everything creative. And that's not to say that I want to just give it all up and let somebody else do all my work because I know you'll have a comment on this but sitting behind the desk and being just the logistics coordinator of shoots is kind of what a producer is, but it kind of sucks if that's all you do.

Adam Kalinowski: 8:18

So I have very much input into that, but yes, I just recognize that there's people that when I bring them in and let them do what they're best at and what they're hyper focused on and specialized in, it's even better for the clients, we get even better results. And yeah, man, that's no.

Vipul Bindra: 8:34

And that's exactly what I was talking about. You doing the right thing because the way to scale and I learned this very quickly because, you know, I was a freelancer for a while too and I have a nine to five pretty pretty similar and then, as soon as I made a jump, oh, I'm going to be a production company I was very business minded. I knew day one no, it's going to be bigger than me and for me to make good content I had to be the director, the producer, right. So for years I scaled the company very large, but I was the director, producer, and my love is starts with you know camera sound, you know making good images. But I had to step back. I have to hire the right people with the right tools to make that happen.

Vipul Bindra: 9:09

And what happened with me was and it's funny exactly pretty much when we met that's why I was even part of that meetup I had like strict rule no, we edit, we shoot, we don't even ever give you raw footage. I don't care if it's a million dollars Again, a million dollars again. Those are rules of change. But at that time I was so strict because I was building a massive production company. But then what ended up happening is I ran out of steam. Because now I'm like, the reason I do this is because I'm a passionate filmmaker and I'm not getting to be a passionate filmmaker because I can't act like a dp. I can't just come here and make beautiful image and go home. Right, let somebody else worry about the roi, the, the, you know, the, the stuff that we were worrying about in the interview or whatever. And, uh, you know making the client, the, the video that will make them the money. And uh, and I was like this can't go on, I have to make changes.

Vipul Bindra: 9:54

But at the same time I knew, if I go to day rate, simple business strategy, whatever your day rate is, let's say you pick thousand bucks a day times 365 days in a year, and that who's working every day? But let's say you can, uh, that's your ceiling, right, you can make 365k a year and that's it. There is no scalability, right? Um, plus you're, you're gonna be exhausted working that many days, your family's gonna hate you. So, anyway, that was at least the rut that I was going through. I was like, uh, what do I do? I don't want to go back to day rate. And then, the best decision ever. And, funny enough, like I said, we met the same time. I remember being at the David's meetup, the first meetup, because I just wanted to hire David. I was just asking to meet him and he's like well, I'm busy, blah, blah, blah, which at first I was like dude.

Vipul Bindra: 10:40

I'm trying to pay you, but okay, but I'm doing this meetup and I was like you know what I need to get out of my comfort zone, because normally, being real with you, I would have been like, eh, you know what, I'm just trying to pay you. I just wanted to hire a C70 cam op, right, that's how I even found out about him. But then I was like you know what I should do that? And I'm because, like I said, that's where I met you and a bunch of other people I ended up hiring. And that's how, you know, our journey started. I think I hired you and I hired David and then he couldn't be available. I think he told me to, he recommended me and obviously I knew you. I was like, plus, I trust his opinion. And then you hired me and you know, rest is history.

Vipul Bindra: 11:19

But the point is and you've been a great part in that, so, and you've been great part in that, so making that decision and then obviously I've been able to, you know, help you on your shoots has been great, because now I'm running my production company, doing making good money, making revenue, helping clients like I want to, but then I have the side of me where I can go on your shoot, like I was talking about that dc shoot, where I can go in, I can make good images, have fun, come home. I'm not worried about roi, I'm not worried about any of the business side of it, and because that is important, but I have you worrying about that, that's why you're making the big bucks. So anyway, so, so, so, yeah, so I completely, uh see the other side of it, where it it helped me. So at this point my company is like okay, so I have my production company, but I'm helping buddies out.

Vipul Bindra: 12:00

It wasn't just you I also had a few other buddies I helped projects out on and it was the best time of the year because I was being creative and a balance of both is the right approach, at least for me. So, coming back to you, do you think? Obviously you're, you're, you're not that far into it, so burnout, I think, is far away right now, but do you think you'll a ever have that burnout and b?

Adam Kalinowski: 12:21

do you see doing something like that where, where I was, and going back to a balance thing like yeah, no, I mean, I've already accepted that that's probably the best thing is, uh, to have that balance between freelancing, doing some stuff, or on boots on the ground yeah, I still am boots on the ground, um, whether I'm a camera op, you know directing interviews or whatever on on a lot of my shoots, um, but but yeah, that balance is is pretty key to like staying interested and also continuing to build your skills on set.

Adam Kalinowski: 12:50

You know, whether that's being a camera op or working sound, your lighting skills, whatever it is. Um, that balance a hundred percent I'm. I'm doing that as well. So there's I. I haven't done the math on exactly what portion of my work is like me freelancing, jumping in on a set for you or with david, or whoever yeah?

Adam Kalinowski: 13:09

um versus like my projects. It's probably like 80 20 like my projects, 20 freelancing, maybe even less um. But yeah, I definitely think it's important to have some of that balance between those two so you don't get burnt out, like I said, just being the desk desk guy at home and never getting out, because I mean that's that's part of the fun, too with being a production company is getting out, being on the set, seeing the images come together, help and create them, collaborate with people on set um, and seeing it come together for me better than I ever could do on my own.

Adam Kalinowski: 13:42

So I definitely like to still get out now. Having a family, having a baby at the end of last year and all of that it's, it's now. I got to think a little bit harder on how I balance that out and when I can actually go do freelance stuff and travel and all that.

Vipul Bindra: 13:59

So, especially those early years, man, they're the, they're key to their personality and and just overall, that's when you're needed the most too, cause you know, once they get a little older, it's okay to step away for a project or two here and there, cause I do that. But yeah, definitely these early years are very critical. Uh. So how was it? Uh, I want to know, like, how has the first Christmas been? First Thanksgiving, you're having everything's first right, first New Year's, so how's?

Adam Kalinowski: 14:25

it going. It's crazy, man. It's been great. It's been better than I could have ever expected. Everybody tells you how it's going to be so terrible, you're going to be so tired and so just burnt. And yeah, you're tired some days for sure. I mean, I got to give a shout out to my wife who's taking the brunt of the not sleeping and feeding him overnight.

Vipul Bindra: 14:44

To all the significant others we can do. Like I said, it takes someone special to be behind a filmmaker, you know, because we live and breathe this, we have to do this 24-7 as entrepreneurs. So it does take someone special, you know, to partner with us.

Adam Kalinowski: 15:00

So yeah, yeah, and, man, my perspective changed too. Like you know, I just a lot of the time I just want to be there and hang out with them, but I'm also passionate about the work that I do and the business I'm building Like it's. Finding the balance between those things is now like my endeavor in figuring out how to not miss out on either, which I don't even know if that's possible. But, um, I think I'll be able to do that through working with people like you, working with other talented individuals and building out Adam case studio to be a little bit more self-sufficient in certain areas.

Adam Kalinowski: 15:33

I'll still hold the keys to you know, key parts of it that that I want to maintain and that I think uh might take a little longer to pass on to other people, but that's kind of where, where I'm heading and that's going to allow me to be a dad as well as like an entrepreneur, exactly and you, you choose your journey right, and that's the best way to be an entrepreneur.

Vipul Bindra: 15:53

You, you surround yourself with the people where you want to be, but then you choose your own path because, at the end of the day, uh, you want to be happy, right, and and uh, but that's, that's great, though, you're already thinking. That's what I'm saying. You're so young, you're, you're, um, you're already thinking about, you know, how to be a good dad, you're thinking about how to be an entrepreneur, you're thinking about how to be a good husband, and you're doing it all at the same time. I mean, come on uh hopefully not.

Vipul Bindra: 16:19

But you know, I mean I got to give it to you and, funny enough, that's what a lot of people have told me. It's so funny because I mean somehow because I guess they've seen me on your shoots I'm like you know, they're like who's this? Adam guy? He came out of nowhere, like you know, and then I'm like I'm like, but no, he's doing great. You know what I mean. So that's great for you. So explain to other people, because I want people to know it's nothing crazy. They can do it too, right. I mean, like I said again, no, nothing taking away from your success. You worked hard. I've seen it. I've been boots on the ground for you, you worked for me and I know how hard you work. But let's be real. Anyone can do this right. So I want to break it down for somebody like, what did you do and how can they do it? I mean, I know it's a very broad question, but answering just your way, what did I do and how did I do it um I?

Vipul Bindra: 17:12

I don't know if somebody comes to you today and they're like, hey, I, I know my skill set because that's important. Obviously you need to make good videos. So they already figured it out. They have zero revenue. What did do and what would you tell them to do to get to where you are?

Adam Kalinowski: 17:27

One high level general thing would be block out a lot of the noise. What I mean by that is everyone telling you all these different things that you got to do on social media that you got to pay for, and all these random products services courses agencies pay for, and all these random products, services courses, agencies, all the stuff that you got to pay for to to get going. Um, sit down, ignore all that stuff and focus on what you want to do create an offer and focus. I I know this may not be the same for everybody, but I'm trying to kind of do things old school with handshakes and coffees, like that's pretty much the way I like to go about it.

Vipul Bindra: 18:08

We think, but yeah.

Adam Kalinowski: 18:10

I mean, I've just gotten the best return out of doing that. So that would be. My advice is prioritize handshakes and coffees Anytime you can sit down with somebody, get in front of somebody, shake their hand and chat with them and connect with them as a human being first, and hear them out and be curious towards what they do and who they are. Um, I think that it just naturally gets reciprocated and that benefits you in the long run. I'm not saying be fake. I'm saying don't think it has to come from some crazy strategy, social media plan or elaborate marketing plan. It can be as straightforward as you want to grab a coffee and nothing salesy in there, just chat, get to know them and then you become a familiar face. That's how I've grown my business.

Adam Kalinowski: 19:02

And it's by having coffees with people and then those people, inevitably, are booked busy. They need to pass something along. A friend asked for a videographer or a video production company and you know you're top of mind because you had a coffee the other month, yeah.

Vipul Bindra: 19:18

And and no, what you said is so incredible and you said it very tiny in there, but it was very important Make an offer, like you have to have something to offer them, uh, but obviously go in with nothing, you know, in mind.

Vipul Bindra: 19:30

Right, you're just building relationships, because sometimes it takes eight, nine, you know times they see you to come back, uh, but you're coming from a genuine place, but you also have to have something to offer them. You know, if you just go in blindly and say I, I make videos, and it's like OK, you know, so do a million people. I mean, we live near multiple universities that are churning out hundreds of people every year that do the same thing, so what is your offer? So you got to first come up with a solid offer. But then I'm with you, like, we are proof, and I'm not saying social media works. I had been a couple of weeks ago, great guy. He spoke exactly how to run Instagram ads and make money, so it can be done, but you and I are one of those people I barely post on social media.

Vipul Bindra: 20:09

You know, okay, you are so proof how many gigs just with you I have been on. Did I post much about? Any, very few, and that's the most free time I have, cause, you know, I'm just DPing or camera hopping for you. So so we are proof that you don't even have to do social media marketing and again, not saying that's the right thing, but that's at least what we're doing and we're somehow, you know, making decent money yeah, so so it's not necessary, and I'm doing the same thing.

Vipul Bindra: 20:33

You are just meeting people in person, shaking hands. You know, building their relationship because it always makes money. It just is not instant gratification it sometimes time, but it's a long lasting relationship, right.

Adam Kalinowski: 20:45

Yeah, yeah, a hundred percent makes them a longer lasting relationship. And yeah, I guess what I'm saying is there's more than one strategy when a lot of what's out there says you know, you need to be posting once a week and you need to be pushing all this content out, and that is great. There are people that 100% benefit from that, and that is great.

Adam Kalinowski: 21:03

There are people that 100 benefit from that and that is a strategy valid enough, like it works for some people. I just think it's put out there as like the only strategy a lot of time and you're made to think that it's one of the only ways to get in front of people is to get on social media and the truth is is anytime I've done that, I've not gotten the same return as handshakes and coffee because you know that is, I think, what's your personality type?

Vipul Bindra: 21:26

right, because that's my personality type. I don't want to be fake, because I'd rather be genuine and I know I'm off like I'm a behind the scenes guy. So being on camera I'm I don't know if I'll be genuine. Maybe if I tried enough I could be, but this is already hard enough and I'm just having a regular conversation. So, uh, so handshakes and coffee, I know I can, like you said, I can be, I know I I'm genuine, I know I'm real, I know I have a real offer for them and if they don't take it, that's okay, because I'm not like pushing anything. I'm just trying to be genuinely, help them in their business. It works, uh, but, like I said, not the only way and and that's the point of these conversations is to hear different perspectives and pick what works with your personality, because you also have to match with that, because I think the number one thing is being genuine right, Whatever way that you can be.

Adam Kalinowski: 22:11

Yeah, and I think for people that actually want like tactical answers to that, it's business networking groups, chamber events.

Vipul Bindra: 22:19

BNI.

Adam Kalinowski: 22:20

Yeah, the BNI stuff, even trade shows. If you're willing to pay to go to one of those, um, I go to one every year that's local here orlando, that my some of my clients are out and I go, just show face and I, you know I'm not there to gain anything, I'm just there to grab another touch point real quick, say hello, um, and let them know that I'm there to support them and learn a couple things from, like, maybe, some of the sessions and that's that. Like it doesn't have to be that those are the tactical things Like we're not just throwing lofty like get handshakes with people like that.

Adam Kalinowski: 22:53

People will say that all the time. But these, those are the places where you do that.

Vipul Bindra: 22:56

No, and also reach out One thing like. It's at least what I found, and there may be obvious exceptions to this, but most people who are successful actually are passionate about it, because they do it, because they love it. Whether they're entrepreneurs or they're video people or there's I don't know plumbers, they're carpenter, whatever most people that are successful are successful because they've they're freaking obsessed with it. So, in my experience, if you, if you, if there's someone you want to work with, right first a if your skills are not there, find your local video person that you want to be like and let's say your skills are there, then you're like I need to find clients. Find the people that you want to work with, literally say who do I want to work with? And reach out, just say, hey, I saw this, what you're doing, and I love it and I would love to learn more about you. Are you available for coffee? You will be surprised how many people are willing to do that. You know, because, guess what, we love this, and other people who do what they do. They love it, they're happy to talk about it, of course, because that's their passion. So I'm like it's not that hard to find clients, but obviously be genuine about it.

Vipul Bindra: 24:02

If you go straight and start a sales call or sales meeting, then, uh, they're not going to be happy about it, right. But if you're genuinely there to build a relationship, to learn, do that like why aren't you meeting people now? And you can straight up ask them like, hey, so what would be an offer that somebody in your industry would be, you know, interested in? Because we know video works. That's not even a question here. The question is what's the buy-in, what's the thing they're looking for, their problem or whatever. And then now you can go solve it for other people and you have an industry leader on your side. But you have to make that effort, you have to send out that coffee and you have to be understanding that these people are busy. It may not happen the next day, it may take a month or two for you to get on their schedule, and some people may not say yes, but some will.

Vipul Bindra: 24:47

Right, I mean, it's doable, you just have to put in the effort.

Adam Kalinowski: 24:50

Definitely, and I think once you get a couple contacts within an industry or maybe you do work for a couple different little companies or organizations within an industry you start to realize how small that industry is and they start talking to each other. Do you have any specific little niches that have developed like that in your portfolio?

Vipul Bindra: 25:10

Yeah, service-based businesses. So on a small scale obviously large scale, I like marketing agencies. That's where all big companies have to go through an agency and they all talk to each other. But in the smaller end it's service-based businesses. And guess what? They all hang out at chambers and they all talk to each other. But in the smaller end it's service-based businesses. And guess what? They all hang out at chambers, they all hang out at B&I groups. They all know each other. I mean, you think most plumbers that are especially at the higher end don't know each other. You know. So my strategy has been and I'll tell you my strategy. This is my strategy Go find your local chamber of commerce and I would love to have, um, you know, the president of one of my chambers come in and talk, because I I think it's incredible partnership.

Vipul Bindra: 25:45

Um, join it first of all. Right, don't just it can be a leech like, don't just go attend the events for free or whatever. Like actually join the chamber and then be active. Right, go to these events, meet these business owners and say hello and build that relationship. You'll be amazed how much money you can make. Now. It's not result, right, it's not like tomorrow you go and somebody, I mean you could get lucky, but most people aren't just going to go. I want your video, let me get your card. You know that's not happening, right, but if you go enough, you are active, you're active. Plus, it's your community. Usually it's where you live, so you're part of your community, your, your business community. You'd be amazed six months later, a year later, what happens.

Vipul Bindra: 26:23

And plus, my strategy is very simple I want to be the best, right, and I'm not saying I am, but at least it's what I strive to be. So when I'm at my chamber, I don't care if they have one video, 10 video, 20 video, people that are part of it. I'm like look, I'm the best. I want to partner with them. So I picked their biggest event, I sponsor it. And my sales strategy is very simple Let me make you a video and let's play at your biggest event. And let I don't even need to do a pitch Let the people because you know we are in this big town, there's Disney, universal, seaworld, all these big companies are there. I'm like, let them just see my video. That's all my sales strategy.

Vipul Bindra: 26:57

So what I've done for years and it's worked wonders for me is to partner with my chambers that I'm part of, partner with them and their signature events make a video. Obviously it's your sponsorship. I don't do anything for free, but I'll do some kind of cost sharing and part of that is that I'm the sponsor for that video. So they play that video and obviously it's incredible. The chamber looks great, but at the end it says partner Bender Productions. I want people to go to the chamber like, but at the end, you know, it says partner bender productions. I want people to go to the shape like who made it? Where's bender productions? And I don't have to even sell because because you know, I'm not naturally I don't like, you know, I don't know selling to people like this this is for free, like I'm not selling into, there's no courses at the end of it.

Vipul Bindra: 27:36

Like you said, I don't want people to go pay for this. This is free, um. But what I'm saying is then people will come to me and then they'll say, oh, I want something like that, I want something for my brand. So that is literally my strategy. So simple. It's like just be genuine and do what you're good at. But on the other side of it, like you said, the people that have the money that want to buy this offer. They want to buy this video. You have to also be there. If they don't know you exist, then there's no one to buy. You have to also be there. If they don't know you exist, then there's no one to buy. Right, and it doesn't matter how many other video people are selling it. As long as your product is what they need, they will buy it.

Adam Kalinowski: 28:11

No, I think that's great because it's like a backdoor way of getting people to just see your work, Because I think the biggest hurdle is getting a new client right. Like when they don't know you, they don't know your working style.

Adam Kalinowski: 28:26

They don't know the quality you can really deliver. Maybe they've seen it on your portfolio, but they don't know what the whole experience is like. That is like a way to put it in front of them. Be like, yeah, this is what we do, without having them having to like invest in you and trust you. It's like you can build a little bit of that trust by just showing them up front and let it run from there.

Vipul Bindra: 28:47

Exactly, and people buy from people they know, like and trust. Right, you know. It's as simple as that. That's just the truth. I didn't hire you just day one we met. You didn't hire me day one we met. We built that relationship over time, and that's the same with else. You have to build it, you have to nurture it and obviously people have a need for it. So the question is a need. The question is, uh, being genuine about it and giving it time and being you know, letting it grow naturally instead of forcing it yeah, I wanted to ask you too, like you focus a lot on, like the client experience too.

Adam Kalinowski: 29:22

You always talk about that um, how is it that's your?

Vipul Bindra: 29:27

that's one of your big differentiators, right is the experience the clients have as they go through the entire process of planning a shoot to getting that final delivery I'm so glad you asked that because, yes, so initially when I was and again I've stumbled my way a little bit, but initially yes, so I was freelancing I said nine to five and and the shoots I would be on, I would say most people had terrible and that's equipment's become obviously a lot more accessible now than you know, let's say, 2015 to 2018, we had like gh4s and you know that's the type of the best equipment you could have, with some canon addds or whatever point is. So I found most businesses would have that low end, very, you know, low end production, especially equipment, wasn't that hard to find. Anyway, it didn't exist. And then the high end production was blocked off. So I would find myself on a set of a good production, like being PA or GAF or GRIP or whatever role, and I would find that you, you know that those are like gatekeep, you know like this is it like, and a normal small business to medium-sized business could never access that. So, anyway, so my initial thing was look, I'm gonna bring and which is funny in our group, people think I'm the premium option, but I'm like, in the premium option, I'm the budget option, right. So I basically was like look, this is what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna go all in, right, and I'm gonna be bigger than me, like it's gonna be not me, it's gonna be my team and I'm gonna offer them that level of quality, right, no compromises, no like buy cheap equipment, right, that level of quality for a small to medium-sized business, like I bought a bunch of c200s which was like the best camera I guess at that, that for those type of businesses at that time and I didn't buy one, remember from never day one, I've never been a single camera guy I'm offering them multi-cam. I'm offering them, uh, right, solutions, bringing full teams, bts video, bts photo, whatever the.

Vipul Bindra: 31:15

The idea was to give them what I already saw at these high end scales. So I had already been, you know, indie movies, actual movies, tv shows. I was part of a network, um, you know show point. I had seen what the big thing was. So it wasn't that I didn't know. So now the goal was just to bring it to my level. So all I did was essentially give small to medium-sized businesses what I wanted to give them, like, genuinely. And that made me happier, right, because I'm like I'm just doing what I want to do.

Vipul Bindra: 31:41

And then, at the same time I offered my agency partners in the past. I was like, look, we're a production company now, because you know, trust is a factor and they know me, but they don't trust my company. It's like, hey, we can do these shoots now at 80% of the cost or whatever, because all I did was in the higher end. The production company takes about 40%, roughly Right, that's, I would say that's normal. And I was like we'll take 20, simple as that and it's given it's. They know this, it's not hidden like with corporate clients. You know it's kind of hidden. But at the higher end you have a budget and production fee is a thing. They know what you're making. So I was like, well, I'll just half it.

Vipul Bindra: 32:16

So nothing else changed. I'm still hiring the same level of people, same level of equipment, same everything, because you know that's what they expect, they have requirements. I'm like, hey, we will happily charge half the production fee and I'm happy with that and we're gonna do same level of quality. Plus, I'm happy to do your ndas and give you wear your shirt, because I'm not. Because you know, in the film industry people want credit. I was like, no, you have all the credit, you did it, I did nothing and so so that's been the great work for me. I was just like, look, I'm partners with them, I can scale your business for you. And here I'm scaling my business for these business owners and helping them grow and coming back to it.

Vipul Bindra: 32:54

So that's why I think it grew, because guess where my business owners are? Why Instagram and stuff didn't work for me. At least the businesses that I was targeting were at the golf course. They weren't at the, you know, they weren't at the instagram is what I'm saying. So guess what they talk. So you do help one business owner and they don't talk about oh, they came and they. Obviously you have to impress them. They don't talk about they came with two cameras, they came five cameras. No, they say, hey, I worked with this company and they're the best you got. Man, my revenue went up 100K or whatever. Our close rate is up 5%, whatever helped them, obviously. And then guess what? The friend will go oh, I need that Right.

Vipul Bindra: 33:33

And now they're calling me. But now when I come in, it's no longer that cold deal, because the cold is hard, because they're just talking to five people. They don't know if this person is green, this person has 10 cameras or or I don't know whatever equipment or skill, cause you know, a lot of what we're doing is problem solving.

Vipul Bindra: 33:48

If you haven't solved enough problems, you're probably not going to succeed. But client can't see that that stuff is behind the scenes, right? So the only way I can do that is by those warm leads and they know, and they know and they trust. And obviously then you have to execute. The other thing I say it's easier to keep a client than to find a new client. There's not hundreds of clients that are coming every month. That's just nature of it. So you're better off just keeping your client and making them happier.

Vipul Bindra: 34:15

So what I did do is pretty simple. I promised them simple. Like every production company, like you do. Hey, you're gonna have one production day or two half days and three person crew, two camera, right, I will always bring an extra person, always bring an extra camera. And the biggest thing you know now as a producer, it's my name if somebody calls and it's my head on the table. So it helps me because if somebody does accidentally call in, I still have what I promised. But ideally people don't call in.

Vipul Bindra: 34:44

Now I'm beaving them more and they know that because in the contract I was very clear about what they're getting right. This is your deliverables and this is, uh, what the production is going to look like. So now they know they're like, oh, and they always get impressed. You bring big lights, you bring big cameras, you bring, uh, good sound, because what makes a good video is better lighting and better sound, right? So if your video sounds good, it looks good to them and it gives them the results. Um, you know, they're going to tell all their friends about it, so I hope that makes sense. So that's why client experience is like the key to get repeat clients. It may not be to get one client happy, but I'm not trying to make them just happy. I'm trying to get them to keep coming back and I know for a fact.

Vipul Bindra: 35:23

And now they can go to any other video guy. I don't care who you are, you can't compete. Because, because I'm trying to build a relationship and I'm trying to make them happy, I'm not worried about, um, you know, video to video, I'm just worried about their results. We're not even talking about that's why, funny enough, my sales. I don't know if your sales call is good.

Vipul Bindra: 35:42

I'm like, look, a lot of people talk about, oh, our videos are going to be pretty. I'm like, look, I'm going to make you a pretty video. You didn't come to me because you don't like the quality. It's going to be good. Right, let's talk about business. Right, how, what was the solution? And funny enough. And then you know what I do on my sets like, they're going to be impressed. So it's funny, I make it nonchalant. So they're not even expecting something great. Because they're like, okay, so he's the business guy, right.

Vipul Bindra: 36:04

But when you show up and you're doing a real production and we're not just bringing stuff to just bring stuff, it's actually legit production stuff they go oh, I have never had a new client not go. Wow, we were not expecting that. And then they go, oh. And then sometimes and it does happen they don't hire you again, but I've usually had. They'll always come back. They go. Yeah, we tried something else. It didn't work out and it's usually because. Not that the other guy was not good. Maybe they were, but you know they weren't doing what I was doing. I hope that makes sense.

Adam Kalinowski: 36:34

Yeah, man, I mean I like how you saw an opportunity to provide more value to the client. I mean you're talking about taking less margin and bringing more to the table for the clients and that's just that's seeing a great opportunity within an industry or a market and providing an answer to it.

Vipul Bindra: 36:57

Yeah, but at the same time, I do want to know don't dilute the market. So this was at the higher end, right when the numbers were up front.

Vipul Bindra: 37:04

So I'm like, look, they know what, what the rates are, what the money is. There's no hiding anything. But on the lower end it's the opposite. I'm making higher margins because, uh, like you, day one, I knew I can't do everything. I have to account for other people on my set, right and then. But you take a little cut off everyone right, and then you're, you're a little cut off everyone right, and then you're, you're, you're taking decent margins out of it and then plus you can pull 30, 40% margins easily, 50% sometimes because the rates are so much smaller, like in those five to 10K videos.

Vipul Bindra: 37:37

That's why I tell a lot of people they go, how can I be on bigger sets? I'm like, no, you're better off because you can pull a lot more margins and a lot of these smaller clients don't care what camera you're bringing, because you don't have those high rental fees. You can, you know you can. Plus, most like I think you do the same thing. We do more good, better price pricing or just one pricing, so you get to decide where the costs go. You don't have to tell the client where the costs are going. So in a way, I think it's a healthy balance of again both um I obviously I like to be on bigger sets but.

Vipul Bindra: 38:08

I can pull a bigger profit on smallers because the costs are less right yeah, yeah.

Adam Kalinowski: 38:14

No, I agree with you. It's not about diluting the market and being that guy that goes in and does it for cheap and then affects everybody else by bringing the rate down.

Vipul Bindra: 38:23

Yeah um, because most people that do it are not good. But you can have that one guy who's actually good. He's like oh, I'll do it for 300 bucks because I live with my parents and I'm really good, but I don't care. And then now you're diluting the market and you don't want to do that either.

Adam Kalinowski: 38:36

Right, yeah, that kind of kind of hurts everybody. It's like the opposite of rising tide raises all ships or whatever.

Vipul Bindra: 38:44

No, I want everyone to make a great living. I know six figures doesn't really matter that much, but I know people hype about it, so I'm like no, I want everyone to make over six figures and be successful in this business. That's why we're doing this. I don't want anyone to not make money or be that starving artist. We want all of us to grow together and I'll at least happily tell what I'm doing, and I'll at least happily tell what I'm doing, and I'm sure you're you're the same way. You're happy to share. Yeah.

Adam Kalinowski: 39:05

A hundred percent, I mean. And also that that kind of circles back to what I was saying at the beginning about just trying and going. Uh, I was afraid specifically of being a starving artist. Like I grew up great, had a great childhood and I wanted to. I knew down the road, I wanted to give that back to my family whenever that came around.

Adam Kalinowski: 39:23

So when I went it's when I went to college I I was, I really liked writing, I liked photography, but I could never do that because I would be, I would end up as a starving artist especially now the chat gpd. I mean. Well, I didn't know any of that back then it was just like how could I make a real living? Doing that stuff and I had no idea. So I did a finance degree for a little while.

Adam Kalinowski: 39:49

that wasn't fulfilling me and then I switched over to a marketing degree and that was a little more fulfilling, a little more colorful and great, um, and that fit me a little bit better. But I still was like holding onto that like artists, yeah, like creative within me. That wasn't being totally fulfilled, um, but man, it now, having been doing this for a few years, and, um, like having the business combined with the creative, it's like it's so possible, it's it is so doable, um, I just was ignorant. I guess is why I was afraid. So I guess that's that's where this stuff also comes in. Is you listen to more of this? You hear more perspectives on how possible these things are and how maybe people started from that same kind of mindset and can evolve to, oh, like, the sky's the limit. I mean, that's the best part about being an entrepreneur is you can take this as far as you want, like you can put as much as you want into it and, yeah, you're not capped.

Adam Kalinowski: 40:49

That's another reason why I left that job too. It's I had a new boss and she came in and she's like you know, in three to five years I can, you can probably move up to the next level. I'm like.

Vipul Bindra: 41:02

I do not have three to five years, and three to five years they'll be like. Your position is now redundant.

Adam Kalinowski: 41:07

No, I'm like. I don't have three to five years to sit around and do the same thing. Make a tiny little raise and maybe a tiny little bonus every year.

Vipul Bindra: 41:17

Yeah, which doesn't even keep up with inflation. Dude, yeah, and.

Adam Kalinowski: 41:22

I left and the first year I made I was making 60 grand there and my first year I did just under 100 grand in revenue in my freelance video production business. Look at that. Be hearing that people.

Vipul Bindra: 41:37

First year almost six figures. I mean pretty much six figures.

Adam Kalinowski: 41:41

Yeah, it was like 200 bucks off. I won't say I made 100, but because I feel We'll just say 100.

Vipul Bindra: 41:47

I like to round up so no, but that's what I'm saying and let's stick to the beginning. I really love what you said there and this is what I wanted to know, and I think a lot of people could benefit from it. Because here's what she did something incredible. You were from arizona, right, you're doing great. Obviously you had a job or whatever, but you decided because I think your wife uh, not wife at the time, but you know you guys decided you wanted to move down there because, just like my significant other, my wife, uh, she's into disney, right, right same reasons.

Adam Kalinowski: 42:19

Okay, similar reasons yeah yeah, similar reasons.

Vipul Bindra: 42:21

So so we ended up down here. Right, so you're, but you're down here, you don't know anyone, you don't have any clients, you have no money. You're basically moving in with some savings. Point is I want you to and try to be detailed if you can. I mean but like, how, what did you do? Because clearly whatever you did was right. How do you go from moving to a random city or somewhere you don't know anyone, right? You have no friends, you have no family. You move down here, maybe with some savings. How do you go to making from zero to 100K? I don't know, what did you do?

Adam Kalinowski: 42:56

at least, yeah, well, so my first year I was half in Arizona and I was half in Florida.

Vipul Bindra: 43:02

Yeah, so what did you?

Adam Kalinowski: 43:02

do once you get here. So once I got here I had a little bit of residual connections from back in Arizona.

Adam Kalinowski: 43:10

One thing I did when I left my job is I didn't give them the bird and say I'm out of here, you guys suck, because they did treat me well. They gave me gut opportunities. I said hey, I'm leaving and I'm starting a video production company. Uh, I would love to support your marketing efforts if you are producing any videos. So I left on good terms and I left that door open and I had done great work for them. I put a lot of effort in. I make great relationships there that helped me.

Vipul Bindra: 43:36

I got a little bit of work from there.

Adam Kalinowski: 43:37

So it's, you know, don't burn bridges is the lesson there, and I still do work for them. And then, when I got here, like we mentioned, joined a business networking group and I got connections from, or started making relationships there. It was a very small chapter. I made a relationship with an agency that immediately handed me a job that ended up being worth like 10 grand I'm like you just you got me on my feet here like I was so, so grateful for that.

Adam Kalinowski: 44:07

And then I started talking to people like you, david, meeting people in the community and networking, um, going to any any connection I had to anybody that was in a video production, photography, creative kind of role and saying like, hey, I'm here and I'm ready to go whenever. That's what I did, and yeah, bni was a good part of that and from there the ball just started rolling. It was still a lot that year was still a lot of freelancing versus my own projects.

Vipul Bindra: 44:42

And how were you finding some of these freelance projects? Obviously, you talked to everyone you knew who was in video. Did you meet anyone else? Or did you do anything else outside of BNI and other video people to get some freelance jobs or whatever?

Adam Kalinowski: 44:55

Yeah, I mean it all sprinkled in from random places. But Production Hub grabbed two or three jobs from there, which was nice to see that return. What else did we do? A little bit of random editing work type stuff for other buddies that I knew back in Phoenix that had production companies.

Adam Kalinowski: 45:13

I was like, hey, I'm editing, I'm doing anything you, I'm doing, anything, you know which yeah a little cringy, but that's what you do at the start is you just you scrape it all together and every time I just took the perspective of I'm getting paid to learn right now and I'm getting paid to become a better editor if I'm the editor on this project or I'm getting paid but you don't edit anymore, right not really, sometimes I do. I'm using that as a balancing, a juggling kind of act now with the baby and stuff, because if I can edit some projects, I can be home, I can capture that part of the project.

Adam Kalinowski: 45:48

And you know that is one key point about what I build into my budgeting is I budget for me to edit it, and then I'll pay someone, an editor, what they want to get paid to edit it, but obviously it's, it's less. So that way I'm never stuck Like, say, my editor fails or something happens where they can't edit it, or I can't find somebody to edit it and I have to. Then I'm never stuck feeling like, oh man, I'm getting burnt on this one I'm losing out.

Adam Kalinowski: 46:16

So yeah, sometimes I'll still do some editing and it's helping me stay at home a little bit more, especially towards the end of last year. The baby was new and stuff, so it's nice to have that flexibility. I mean that's your prerogative as the business owner, right? You can do it in any part of the work you want to do at any point.

Vipul Bindra: 46:35

I mean, in the beginning you're doing everything and then slowly you start to delegate Right, but no, I love and, to summarize, I think this is incredible. Again, this may not work for all personality types and that's why we have the Benz podcast to go listen to, to do the ad format, but I think, and like I said, our personalities match, because I couldn't do that, but I can do this and this is exactly what I did. I think the best thing is, it doesn Doesn't matter if you're in your own market or somebody else's market. Just go join a networking group like BNI or whatever. Go join your chamber, go meet every video and photo or whatever creative agency that you can, and then join Production Hub and if you do all that and you genuinely go out and try to make connections, making a living and starting on this is not hard.

Vipul Bindra: 47:18

And obviously in the beginning you're doing everything take editing, take shooting, take whatever and until you probably even have to find what you're good at because not everyone wants to be a production company owner, like we know david um between us, who doesn't want this, who wants to be a dp, and that's good too. You can make a great living doing that. Less investment less cost, so higher profit, so you don't have to make as much. So there's different paths, but you have to first find obviously what you like and what you enjoy, but this is a straightforward path that we know works.

Vipul Bindra: 47:47

There's two examples that have done it and it worked for both of us.

Adam Kalinowski: 47:51

And I can't even take credit for figuring that out because I didn't. I got the advice from a buddy, from having a conversation with a buddy that has a production company in Phoenix and he said when you get there, join a B&I group, make sure there's a good web designer in the group and you'll be good. And I did and I'm good. It wasn't even an original idea. How did he?

Vipul Bindra: 48:12

think of that Dude?

Adam Kalinowski: 48:13

this is like no.

Vipul Bindra: 48:16

And if you didn't have that buddy which is awesome for your buddy to tell you that, because you know he saved you again a lot of struggle uh, and and that's what I'm saying I don't, if you don't have anyone to give you this advice, this is exactly what you follow, and uh, and then getting it right here, yeah, right, yeah, if you don't know that. This is exactly what you do.

Adam Kalinowski: 48:32

I'm happy to tell these are the answers, people. I mean, come on, yeah and it's not that expensive.

Vipul Bindra: 48:40

Obviously, a B&I in chambers costs money, but it's not that much, whatever the annual price is, because you'll know within a year if it's for you or not. But you have to obviously put in your time and effort and energy to do it, and that's what I'm saying. This is right here. This is exactly what I did. I think this is what you just said you did, and it worked for both of us. So why aren't we able to do it? I don't know. I don't know. I mean, do it if you want to.

Vipul Bindra: 49:06

Obviously, if you want to be a production company, especially, but I think this will even work for DP, because a lot of these B&Is and chambers have marketing agencies and stuff. You can just go be a cam opera for, a camera operator for or just in general, just network and find gigs. And production hub is great. Go be active on that. You know I know you have to be like refreshing and responding as fast as possible because you know everyone's on there, but it's still a good resource and you can find at least get your money back that you're you're paying for the membership.

Adam Kalinowski: 49:38

Yeah, definitely, at least get your money back that you're paying for the membership. Yeah, definitely, definitely. That's definitely worked out in terms of an ROI. Yeah, I do think it's different for freelancers, because I'm sure there'll be a fair amount of freelancers listening to this. I definitely think it still boils down to networking and it's who you know.

Vipul Bindra: 49:54

Yeah, that is true as a freelancer.

Adam Kalinowski: 49:56

I mean, you don't even have to be the best, you don't have to have the best equipment. It's who trusts you and they're going to call you.

Vipul Bindra: 50:02

Yeah, and I would hire any day somebody I trust, because here's the thing when you're a production company owner, you have to think from their mindset. It's not about finding the cheapest person because you know people will do it for free, so it's not about cost. It's about our reputation, because you work really hard to find your client right.

Adam Kalinowski: 50:21

Yeah.

Vipul Bindra: 50:21

You really work hard to maintain that relationship. You cannot have go anyone there A just not do a good job, but worse, talk about or say something to a client that ruins your relationship with them. Or you know, because anyway they may be desperate, they try to steal your client or whatever. Either way, what I'm saying is it's not good for your business. So you'd rather send somebody and I know I would who you trust, who's going to maintain that relationship, who's going to maintain that quality or whatever right, not instead harm your business.

Adam Kalinowski: 50:53

Number one rule at Adam K Studio is don't be a weirdo on set, and that's the mantra. That's the mantra If you are a weirdo, risk you're not coming Period. That's the most important thing to me. I don't even care about like. Obviously, I want you to be good at what you do. But above all, if you're good at what you do but you're weird, yeah, it doesn't matter, I'd rather have half as good.

Vipul Bindra: 51:17

and and you wouldn't be amazed how many emails. I don't know if you've started to get these emails, uh, but I get so many emails like I'm a graduate from this school or I'm about to graduate, I would love internship or whatever, blah, blah, blah, and I'm like it doesn't matter how good you are, I can't have you on set because I don't know you. Yeah, the best way is to get to meet me on coffee or meet at one of these david's events or somewhere where I can meet you in person. I could gauge your personality because I don't mind. I don't mind bringing people you can be a pa.

Vipul Bindra: 51:43

You can, um, you know, be um, I don't know a bts photographer or shooter, whatever. But again, I have to gauge your personality first. I have to know that you know you're not gonna f up right our productions or whatever, so so try to that. That's why the power of meeting in person is so important. Uh, because people have to gauge your personality and make sure that you know you're not going to be a weirdo on set, as adam said.

Adam Kalinowski: 52:11

Yep and there's so much. We, everybody's inundated with so much noise every day in their inbox, in their text, social media, everywhere, like there's no way I can actually get your personality through. Yeah, an email or a random dm like it's got to be. Like don't, you can't I mean at least for me. You don't ever expect that to work out like it's it's 100. I need to see that you're, you know, going to be a good person and you care about it and you really want to do good work.

Adam Kalinowski: 52:42

And you want to learn you genuinely want to learn. I mean the same thing that we do for our clients. I want to see that you want to come add value to what we're doing and make what we're doing better.

Vipul Bindra: 53:03

Like that's the mission. We Show me how you plug into that and make it easy for me, yeah, and plus, my advice is so, if that happened, you were successful. Adam said yes to come to his set, to be PA or whatever, please, we already know. You don't know how to set up half the things, that's okay. Just don't go in front of the client and talk to Adam and say I don't know how to set up this light, can you come show it to me? Because that makes Adam look bad, or me, because we know it already. Right, so we are already the right we're. We already know the limitation that we are. It's okay, you don't know.

Vipul Bindra: 53:27

I've had and I brought people and I've had such a great time where they were honest, like, look, this is what I know, this is what I don't know. I'm like that's cool, just do what you know. That's cool. And if you don't know something, learn. That's the whole point of being there. But don't say in front of the client because what happens is they don't know our understanding that I'm helping you learn. They think we're an amateur somehow don't know how to set up a slide or a stand or whatever. Right, don't you agree? Because, yeah, that will make you look bad, even though that person's learning. Now you have to do an explanation thing. Oh, he's just learning their training or whatever. And clients like.

Vipul Bindra: 54:01

That's not what I paid for. I paid for premium service right not people to come be students um didn't tell me you're bringing the b team yeah, we want the a team. Yeah, um, exactly, yeah, so so just just be mindful of, I guess, your surroundings, right? Um, but that's, that's awesome, man. Like I said, I've been following your journey because I think I've been a part of it, man man. Yeah, Cause we met essentially when you were new in this area right, if I'm correct.

Adam Kalinowski: 54:24

Okay, so yeah, one of the first coffees that I went and grabbed with people.

Vipul Bindra: 54:27

So I'm so glad man David did that and I'm so glad I step out of to work with everyone on that table. So it's crazy, I think, except for one. What's his name? I think he was doing real estate, I don't know, really successful real estate.

Adam Kalinowski: 54:48

Oh, john, john.

Vipul Bindra: 54:49

Anyway, but he's doing his own thing, yeah, and he's successful in that. But I'm saying outside that I've hired so many people you know or been hired, and we've had such a great time together. It's built like a little network and I love it because it's a good resource to go and you know, just find solutions or whatever. And here we are right. You're the living proof. So let's get into numbers now. I want to know so you've been doing this, how many years?

Adam Kalinowski: 55:17

I never remember the exact year time.

Vipul Bindra: 55:19

Let's say like, no, like half the year or whatever. Four four years, three, four, okay, and obviously we know you said first, full year, you did about 100k. What did? And again, you don't have to share your exact numbers, we can round them up or whatever what did you end your last year on, sir? My last year, which is 2024?

Adam Kalinowski: 55:39

my last year on, sir. My last year, 2024 my last year it was, I think, like 325.

Vipul Bindra: 55:46

Look at that, look at that four years you can go from zero 325, and that's with having a baby. Not because you would have probably generated more profit anyway if you, you know, put yourself out more, even because you had to take time with your family and be with your wife and your kid. So having a new kid and still be able to pull 325 in a year, commendable right. So that is the power of what we're doing here, and that's crazy.

Vipul Bindra: 56:14

Going for 500 this year. I don't see why that wouldn't be possible. I think that the key is and I'm sure you noticed that, because my my, you know humans be like pattern recognition I found everyone who's doing seven figures, so half a second figures would be 500 or more. The most of the revenue comes from those four to five top clients that you're bringing in. Enough over and over again, because you can't keep realistically be finding 15 new clients every month. It's just not realistic. So I think the goal for you would be just to nurture the relationship you have, maybe add a few more that are repeat and that way you can just keep doing it, uh, keep killing it for them, right? Is that the strategy, or what? What other strategies are you thinking about to get there?

Vipul Bindra: 56:55

yeah, I mean it's um, it's a very conservative goal to be real, to go from 325 to 500. I'm saying low 300 to 500 is not that I'm saying.

Adam Kalinowski: 57:05

Yeah, well, I mean it's. I like to set reasonable goals for myself and know I have a little bit of an idea of what that will take, having gone through the last couple of years and knowing that I need to balance it out with family and I want to balance it out with family. Um, you know I I didn't expect to double every year for the first three years, like I have Um, but you know I didn't set my goals to double. So I can set my goals reasonable, achieve them and then everything after that is extra and that's great.

Vipul Bindra: 57:38

No.

Adam Kalinowski: 57:38

I feel good about that. So I do think, you know, obviously 500 is not a double of 325, but it is a attainable goal. Um, and some of the key things that I want to do to get there is, yes, nurture existing clients. I'm reaching out to all my existing clients that I like that treat me well and pay on time and all that good stuff.

Adam Kalinowski: 57:59

Yeah, Um, and seeing what else we can do to support them, offering some suggestions and ideas on how they can continue to, to leverage video and stories to to build their business. Um, that will dovetail into a direct ask for a referral to anybody else, which I haven't done yet, but I'm going to do.

Vipul Bindra: 58:22

That's sort of a good thing.

Adam Kalinowski: 58:22

So, going from existing client, already have trust to give me a warm lead, if you can to someone. So there's already a little bit of trust there from that referral and then from there would be trying to find new clients.

Vipul Bindra: 58:38

Thank you, Any strategies to find new clients? I mean because I completely agree with their nurturing the existing relationship strategy and asking for referrals. So what's your plan for finding new clients?

Adam Kalinowski: 58:51

Actually it's do more of the same things, which is I'm going to go to my business network chapter and I'm going to put a lot more time into that. Last year I did not. I was traveling and working and bouncing around to different.

Vipul Bindra: 59:04

Don't you have to send someone instead of you? Can you skip the meetings? You do have to send a sub. Yeah, so were you able to send subs?

Adam Kalinowski: 59:11

Yeah, I sent subs. I got leave for when he had the baby and stuff they're cool about that. But yeah, yeah, this kind of touches on something. That, or a key element that maybe you can comment on too. Here is do what works, do it again yeah, please don't stop doing what works.

Vipul Bindra: 59:29

Do it again, yeah, do it again, and then do it again until it stops working like yeah, it doesn't I.

Adam Kalinowski: 59:35

I have to stop myself with the my marketing, marketing, brain and marketing degree from jumping into all these other strategies, marketing opportunities Like oh, maybe I should run these social media ads and maybe I should be having targeted LinkedIn DMs and hire this agency to do that. Or maybe I should build a whole new website and have a SEO campaign running. Like, wait, why don't I just do what works right now, do it again and until that's tapped, then yeah, which I don't know why it would be.

Vipul Bindra: 1:00:11

I don't know where that taps out, but you know, no, and nothing stops you from and actually that's a very good marketing strategy. You know, nothing stops you from trying new avenues. You could still do LinkedIn ads, you could still do Instagram ads, but why stop what's actually working? That's like the most terrible strategy somebody could do. Be like okay, so I've gotten to 300K meeting people by shaking hands, but now I want to do something different. Let me now start marketing ads and I'll just stop. And you know that's just hurting your business. But you know, like you said, you can slowly maybe integrate some new other ideas, but you don't have to. What works, never quit until it stops working. Obviously which, again, usually if it works for a reason, it's going to continue to work.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:00:55

Our ad gurus out there are definitely thinking that's not scalable, can't scale that because you're only one person, you only have so much time. You're 100% right. I am not denying that I will need to find other ways to generate leads versus me sitting down for coffees because, no, it's not scalable. However, it is a better relationship return and it's more of a I would say quality over quantity in terms of leads or new clients but I do see long-term needing to have a different source.

Vipul Bindra: 1:01:26

That doesn't, you know, require me sitting down, or exactly but but to be real, until you get to like a million dollars a month, you, you can do it.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:01:35

it only gets a million dollars a month. Yeah, no, a month A month, no.

Vipul Bindra: 1:01:40

Until you know I'm doing more of that by myself. So what I'm saying is you know it takes what I'm saying in my business knowledge. Again, I'm not everything. Listen to a bunch of people. But until you get to like a million dollars a month, like 12 million a year revenue, then you do need a sales team and a bigger you know a different way approach.

Vipul Bindra: 1:02:02

But until then, you know, I think you can do it by yourself because, yes, it's agreeable, there's a scalability limit, but not until then, because you know, I mean in video business, like I'm telling you and again, prove me wrong, you're one of the few people who can, so be my guest, but I don't think you can find enough new business to do a million dollars in sales with new clients, right, the only way that I've met people and I would love to meet somebody who's like again doing lots of new clients is to build relationships, is to continue, and the only way you can do that is you. I haven't yet met a salesperson who'll come and then build these relationships. You know and do them really well On the video side, what I'm saying, that you can, and it's not that hard to get to that number. It sounds, again crazy, but it's not hard to get number because it's just a bunch of relationships that you are continuing.

Vipul Bindra: 1:02:53

I hope that makes sense.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:02:54

Do you think I'm wrong or what's your opinion? No, I think it dovetails into the like what's the goal? The goal isn't to have 500 clients.

Vipul Bindra: 1:03:02

Yeah, you know Plus, it's unrealistic. You know, yeah, especially new clients.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:03:07

Yeah, the goal is to have a couple good ones, Like it's, and over time you feel out who's good, who's not, who's going to come back, who's going to be a good partner with your company and collaborate with you on on your efforts. It's not about how many can I bring in the door Like. That's not my business goal. It may not be your business goal. Some people's business goal is how many can I bring in? The more people we can service, the more money we can make and the bigger the scripts.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:03:33

That's. That's not my goal. I would like a couple good ones that allow me to have a life and run a good business, um, and create opportunities for other people to do what they love.

Vipul Bindra: 1:03:45

Yeah and once you get to that stage where you can't maintain the relationships, that's when you bring in and a team. The thing is they have to build new relationships because it's very hard to hand off your relationship. Let's say you build this relationship with a company you know, know the owner and you know you guys are tight, gives you enough work. And then now you're like, hey, it's one thing to bring in a shooter or somebody, that's that's different. But I'm saying to be like hey, so from now on I'm going to be in the background. Here's my buddy, this ABC like in start. New relationships, like you said, slowly take over, but you still have to maintain unless you just want to let them go your existing clients, because the relationship is you and them right it's the people.

Vipul Bindra: 1:04:26

It's a tough one. Yeah, exactly, uh, but, but I'm saying you have a long ways to to go there right now, I think, to do that, um, uh. But the other thing also is uh, this is not like a typical business. We don't have a product to sell, right, we don't. We're not plumbers like a service, like plumbing.

Vipul Bindra: 1:04:41

This is a very, very creative space as in, like, the video that you're making, right, is not the video that I'm making, and then it's not the videos anyone else is making. It's our creative vision how we're solving their problems. Obviously, client cares that it gets solved. They don't care about the creative vision. But also, once you start to let go of that creative control, it's no longer your video. So it's very hard to maintain.

Vipul Bindra: 1:05:05

Because it's one thing to be like, okay, we'll go shoot this, this is the shot list or this is what I want, yeah, fine. But to be like, fully ripple, here you go, here's a budget, you are, you handle the crew, you handle everything, and as somebody who does that from time to time, you have to let go full control, because now you're no longer building a crew building the shot, whatever, right, you're just saying, as Adam K Studio. We're bringing in this much revenue. This is our cut, this is the production cost. They go do it. Obviously, you have to do it at a certain quality, but you're saying you have to let go, which is very different, because now it's no longer. Uh, you know your video, but it's your video and you have to keep creative control, which is hard to do when you're scaling that large.

Vipul Bindra: 1:05:48

I don't know, have you thought of that problem, or is it too far out right now to even worry about it? I've let go of that early because, like what I said earlier is uh yeah, you're gonna go so far because I'm like it gives me nightmares, thinking about letting go of control, but yes, I, I mean, I still have some control over it but it's.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:06:10

There's so many people like you and many others in this community that are better than me at shooting lighting, sound, all this good stuff.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:06:18

So I am. You know, whether it's my vision or my creative vision or not, that's I'm good like putting that to the side because it becomes like our vision, and that's even more rewarding for me. When you've contributed to something, I've contributed to something, editors in on it, the client has some input, input, then it's our vision together and I know that that's stronger and better than anything I could do on my own. I definitely like to do my own creative endeavors, but that's going to be for me like side projects passion and like stuff.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:06:54

If I want to like I don't know something I'd like to do more is go spend some more time out in nature and film some stuff out in nature. That's just for me and because I enjoy being outside and doing that kind of stuff. That's my vision. That's me showing the world through through my lens, when it's a client of adam k studio. It's our vision together. And how do we make it all come together? Because, dude, after a shoot sometimes I don't even look at the interviews.

Vipul Bindra: 1:07:26

Welcome to the world. I've had so many times shooters go how was my footage? And I was like I didn't see it. And it's not like being mean, it's the skin.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:07:35

It was good If I actually didn't see it.

Vipul Bindra: 1:07:36

That means you're good.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:07:38

Yeah, it means I didn't feel like I had to. Yeah, yeah, no, sometimes I don't look at the interviews at all, I just say this is Sometimes it can be beneficial. Here we go.

Vipul Bindra: 1:07:46

Don't watch Emmanuel's podcast, 100%. We were talking about your DC shoot. Something funny happened in it. I'm not even going to tell you, but we were talking about the DC shoot and one of the weird things was happening. So I can't wait for you to now go back and listen and then we'll talk about it after. But things that you don't notice, it's so funny to be on the other side. Yeah, the challenges that come up on set and then we have to resolve them. We have to figure them out. While we made sure the client had no idea what's happening. Right, the client has no idea, and I had even completely forgotten about it until when he came over and we talked about it and came up. So I'm so curious. Um, yeah, I would love to, yeah, I would love to, uh, hear your perspective, as now the owner who hired two people and they were having these technical issues.

Vipul Bindra: 1:08:31

so it'd be fun to yeah hey, but the client didn't know and we got the shot. The shots were incredible, so that's what matters, yeah, but anyway, so I yeah, that's the other side of it, right, that you're not, you know, privy to, I guess yeah, yeah, definitely.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:08:44

And so I you know I was saying is I just sometimes I don't even look at the interviews, I don't listen. All right, I do try to listen to them, um a little bit, when I'm getting a gauge for what's going to be good, and then I'll send it over to the editor. Um other times I'm literally transcribing the whole thing, printing it out and I'm highlighting stuff. If it's, if it's that kind of project where it gets that kind of effort. We have a um and my editor brought this to me from a production company she worked for before. It's a tiered system within um, our post-production process, which we rank projects Tier one, tier two, tier three. Tier three is let's just get this done. That probably means it's a lower budget and we're just getting something done quickly. Tier two is like where most projects land, which is let's do this well and efficient. Tier one is put your heart into it. This is going to be a portfolio piece and we want to showcase what we can do here.

Vipul Bindra: 1:09:45

The budget's there. I'm still sharing this with Julie.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:09:48

Yeah, you should, and my editor was like we need to start a tier system.

Vipul Bindra: 1:09:51

Do it.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:09:52

It's super helpful in terms of setting the expectations with an editor, For those of you out there too, that are looking to hire an editor. This conversation's already been worth it, but, yes, continue yes, I mean that that helps, like a lot of like I said a lot of times, it's tier two um, but yeah, the dc one was tier one because there's a lot of um. Yeah, plus the story we're telling is so story's valuable the budget.

Vipul Bindra: 1:10:14

I've never wanted to buy an ad more. You have no idea I can't wait people to obviously watch that. But yeah, I need to buy an adED more. You have no idea, I can't wait for people to obviously watch that, but, dude, I need to buy an AED and I never thought about that in my life. That's what I'm saying. The stories that we cover and projects that we do it can make a personal difference.

Vipul Bindra: 1:10:28

Because, not only, like I said, we made great images, we're telling an incredible story. We had fun in DC in fall weather, Can't complain but we're learning things that we would have never learned otherwise and that the whole world needs to know. So hopefully we'll make a real impact in the world. So thanks for bringing me into it.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:10:47

No, I mean that's where I want my work to go is to be on projects that are actually creating change. You know, because we do a lot of marketing and advertising stuff that's like the change we're creating is often like Money Top and advertising stuff.

Vipul Bindra: 1:11:00

That's like the change we're creating is often like money top line money, yeah good yeah, or or bring more staff and whatever that whatever the goal is I mean that's so money in the way.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:11:09

But yes, yes, yeah, different projects that are more meaningful in terms of making the world a better place, which is, I think, like one of the great powers that we do hold. As creatives, artists, video production people um, we can, through stories, make the world better, and I mean I wish like brands grabbed onto that and realized the, the potential there, um to utilize story and still weave your brand into it.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:11:40

Get your little brand recognition out of it, but like you can create real change and really affect people with good stories. I mean, maybe what's your vision for that in the future, like how organizations will use that, because I see that becoming more important.

Vipul Bindra: 1:11:55

Yes, so I'd get to do a few of those every year. So, like I said, documentary is my favorite part when we get to do a few of those every year. So, like I said, documentary is my favorite part when we get to tell a real story. I love it when brands go we want to tell a story 30 minutes, short documentary, 45 minutes or whatever. But here's the budget, go do it. I love the freedom Because then, funny enough, they get better ROI from me out of it, because I can now squeeze, and I'm even happy to ask a friend like, hey, and you know we will do it for each other. We're like, hey, can you take slight less rate? You know I'll give you maybe an extra day or whatever. Here let's go do better for this client because the stories that we're telling are impactful. But yes. So coming back to it, yes, the short, I would say corporate documentaries. Where it's not. And again, I love my brand story videos, all the testimonials.

Vipul Bindra: 1:12:36

I'm not letting the those go'm saying, yes, that is the most rewarding work we can do in this corporate and commercial field. Are you know where we can tell these long form stories, where we can take, you know, pauses? We can give the story the time it needs. It doesn't have to be all hyper rushed, because you know client, you know people will not watch more than a two minute long video, so, but when you create these, the stories that you can tell, not only impact you know their business like we're trying to. It also fulfills you, your creativity, and then they get a better product at the end and we all get to do what we are all trying to do, right, make great art without being starving artists. And so you know, I see more corporate document because you know I see more corporate documents because you know. Now I see what's happening. This became accessible, so everyone is starting to have brand videos and testimonials. So, slowly, I see what's going to happen is plus, ai is making our job easier. So what's going to, I think, happen is everyone's going to go in a few years like the same noise.

Vipul Bindra: 1:13:40

Right before it was like how do we step out from social media? Then was this. Now it's going to be like oh, everyone has a brand video, right, how do we pick now? Now, how do our clients pick us, right? So I think it's going to be these long form, longer form.

Vipul Bindra: 1:13:48

It may not be full in document but longer form, documentary-ish, I think, projects is where I see saying because, at the end of the day again, like we said before, people buy from people they like, know and trust. And if a business has a story to be told and a story that can be told that long because it's boring, I think people will watch it. Especially, you're trying to create those promoters, the top-end customers, that they not only buy from you, they go to every friend they know and if you can create that relationship, I think it's best for the brand, it's best for, obviously, us as creatives. So, yeah, I see more and more. I've already done a few of those these year, this year and, um, a bunch of people have been on podcasts that helped me make some of those. So um point is yes, I see more long-form documentaries being done by brands, which is less now, because that's the way they're going to be able to not put themselves apart from their competitors when they have similar content.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:14:48

I hope that's not just us validating what we want to do, but I mean, hey, that's great.

Vipul Bindra: 1:14:55

To be real in 2024, I was actually paid, and pretty good money to do that, so a few times over. It wasn't even just a fluke like oh there was a one-off.

Vipul Bindra: 1:15:03

So I clearly see that moving. But yes, obviously I'm wishing too on the other side because that's what we want to do, right, I love, I mean how much I like two-hour go interview, b-roll, hey, make a project, make good money doing that. You know I do like that. I'm not taking that away, but as a creative person, as somebody who wants to tell impactful stories or just tell a better story, because you know you need time it pauses.

Vipul Bindra: 1:15:29

You need breaks, you need more characters. You can't do that in 90 seconds to two minutes, the average length video that I'm targeting. That's all people watch based on studies. So I don't know. I I love that I'm targeting. That's all people watch based on studies. So I don't know, I love that. I'm just hoping there's more of it. I just see those climbing every year. It started from one, now two, last year four, so that, and then obviously I enjoy commercials, though they're becoming less and less budgets. I love making scripted, you know actors, directing actors, it's so fun to me building sets.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:16:02

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I like what you said. There is, everybody will have the same noise and then you'll have to be innovative on how you stand out from the crowd, and I think quality of stories surrounding a brand will be a differentiator going forward.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:16:20

I mean you can look at the top brands in the world that are using stories. Adidas does great stories on their athletes and their backgrounds. Yeti is a good one, where they go feature people out in the world, like out in their natural environment, that they love fly fishing or mountain biking or whatever. There's some subtle brand in there, of course, but those stories like where you're selling like the human connection, not like selling it, but you're making people connect with the human being and you're making them relate on a human level, while also like inching that connection close to the brand as well, is I think that's top notch exactly, and I think that's why people would buy it, because obviously if you just wanted an insulated cooler, there's enough inter imported, you know, cheap chinese ones on on the market, on amazon you could buy hundreds.

Vipul Bindra: 1:17:12

So you buy a yeti because you connect with those emotional reactions and that brand and and you want to support that brand, you want to support what they stand for.

Vipul Bindra: 1:17:20

Um, that's the same with a lot of things like patagonia is another example so there's there's a lot of brands like that and I think that's how it's moving, but I'm also thinking that's moving hyper local. It is currently the brands. I think that needs to be and that's what I'm trying to do, at least is I think local brands need to embrace that, because it works again. Again, let these big companies spend time and money researching and making, figuring out, then why can't local, not companies? Because I think it needs to be hyper-local. Like, hey, this is who we are, this is how much impact we're making locally. Like we're a local coffee shop, this is you know how much impact we're making in our community, or whatever.

Vipul Bindra: 1:18:05

I think those type of stories, like you said, making that brand elevate just like Yeti is, just like Adidas is, or whatever these bigger brands are I think that needs to now become hyper-local and I think that's where I see us moving and I would love to. I love helping small businesses. Hopefully they have the budgets to do that, but I think that's another way they can embrace it and bring it hyper Like, hey, look at my local coffee shop, look at my local flower shop, or whatever. They have stories too, instead of just a typical brand video or whatever. Right, do you see that or no?

Adam Kalinowski: 1:18:31

Yeah, I think what you maybe think there was about personalization of marketing.

Vipul Bindra: 1:18:36

Yeah, just making it bigger than just the flowers or the coffee or the you know, you know what I mean, but but at a hyper local level, instead of not this ginormous brand, because you know, like, again, yeti, they're making insulated coolers. Let's make it simple what they're actually doing. But the brand is bigger than that, right, the stories and stuff. So I'm saying what shouldn't small businesses be doing that? Because they can have the same impact. Why is their flower just a flower? They should have a story where the flower is picked and if it's hyperlocal, it's like look, I'm growing in my backyard these flowers, or I have this supplier who's local or whatever.

Vipul Bindra: 1:19:11

Whatever the story is, whether we're in Florida or citrus farms or whatever it is, I think it needs to be told in a similar way and obviously, as a creative, I would love to help them and I think they would get huge ROI out of it, because you're no longer just a flower shop, right, I think the branding overall needs to increase everywhere and especially, like you said, so much noise. You got to stand out.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:19:34

Yeah, those, the ones that leverage story at least this is how I discuss with my clients. The ones that leverage store are the ones that leverage story at least this is how I discuss with my clients to. The ones that leverage store are the ones that stand out, the ones that build that brand equity and that are going to last. Yeah, right, and why? Why does one? Why do you buy one water bottle for a dollar and one for five, like we would say that this five dollar bottle has four dollars of brand equity.

Vipul Bindra: 1:19:55

So that's. I had somebody on the podcast who's like it has to be smart water. What?

Adam Kalinowski: 1:20:01

you gotta provide yeah understand.

Vipul Bindra: 1:20:02

Otherwise I'm not happy now I'm just see that has a whole yeah, yeah. But you see what's the area? That's branding pay more yeah.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:20:09

So I mean that's successful for a lot of different businesses, building that brand equity standing out. Um, there's some quote that's like a product or service without a story is just a commodity. So if you're here, that water bottle is water. You got no story, it's got no label on it.

Vipul Bindra: 1:20:28

It's got no like the smart water it's got the goldfish in it or whatever it's got nothing like that.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:20:32

You know, not specifically talking about packaging. It just says no story behind it. This is packaging and she says no story behind it. This is this is water, drink water, h2o. You know that's a, that's a commodity, and if you're selling a commodity, then you're competing on price every time and that's straight to the bottom exactly and also, I think it's who you're targeting.

Vipul Bindra: 1:20:49

So now, uh, you know again, if you're making you know, um, I don't know fur jackets or whatever, like you know something, winter clothing, you're trying to market it to Florida. It ain't going to work. So it also, I think, is again localized who your audience is. You have to have a story and then it has to be relevant, I think. And that's exactly where we are right. We're here to help them do that.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:21:16

Yeah, yeah, yeah, in one format, uh usually yeah um yeah, it's, it's, it'd be. It'll be interesting to see how, like the corporate knowledge of the value of storytelling evolves over the next like five ten years or so um, you know, because I would say generally still you run into what maybe you experience this too if you're working with a large organization or a corporation.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:21:42

A lot of the times that most people you're gonna, you run into walls where people just do not get it they do not cannot grasp the value of a story and how it connects people and builds trust and credibility especially when they have shareholders, because the issue is, shareholders want instant return.

Vipul Bindra: 1:22:00

The thing is and we all know this, I mean this is not a hidden secret um, to build brand, to build wealth, it's a long-term play. Right, you have to go okay, this is the product we're going to develop. It's going to take us 12 months to develop, six, you know, I don't know six months to test, then another six months to market or whatever, and the, the ceo, or whatever, the, the pressure on the ceo and the marketing. No, no, we need money now and right. So so that creates, I think, uh, that issue where they don't get it because they don't see the long-term play with these storytelling, because you're bringing building brand value on our side, at least what we're doing, and, uh, sometimes they don't get it, or maybe they don't want to get it because they're so hyper-focused on, like, if I don't bring return this quarter you know it's not 3% or whatever 5%, whatever their targets are, it's not over year, over year Then I look bad. Then if I look bad, then you know the company looks bad, then my job's in a lot of trouble.

Vipul Bindra: 1:22:54

There's a lot more yeah to it than it needs to be Right, because, ultimately, yeah to it than it needs to be right because, uh, ultimately then you'll see, then they'll fire the ceo, they'll hire a new one who goes, oh yeah, I can fix this, but it'll take me two, three years and they'll implement exactly what was needed to be implemented. Because it's a long-term play usually right. Short-term plays generally don't. They may give you instant return for a little bit, then they don't. They don't last that long. Um, but yeah, so that's what I'm saying. Like I, that's what I do.

Vipul Bindra: 1:23:19

Like about small businesses. As somebody who who works with large agencies and then small, small ones, uh, small businesses can be nimble I find it so much easier when you can hop in a phone call and straight up talk to the owner, or at least the lead marketing director, whatever, and be like look, this is it, this is what we can do, this is what your idea is, what do you think? And you can instantly get yes, no, whatever. Or you can get their buy-in by telling them hey, look, this brand is doing this, you know, blah, blah, blah. Whatever the strategy is, it's a lot easier because now you're talking to the decision maker. When you find people in there, I think sometimes the the message can get lost too. Yeah, because the first person may have full buy-in and they understood it because you know you explained it to them. But by the time it got translated like the game of telephone right.

Vipul Bindra: 1:24:04

Yeah.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:24:05

By the time they got the CEO. That's not what I was talking about.

Vipul Bindra: 1:24:07

Yeah, the CEO's like what? And then sometimes you even get approval and you get the message and they're like, oh, so we want to do this. And you're like, where did that that change?

Adam Kalinowski: 1:24:21

the scope of work went from this to this and okay, well, we gotta redraft the contract, and you know blah, blah, blah you know, you know, how that is yeah, man, I yeah, so I I just, I guess I just wanted to get your angle on, like how you see that kind of evolving uh no, this is when you yeah, when you are, you probably do this too. You're trying to align with the the evolution of what's happening to video production businesses and how they're going to stand out and how you're going to be relevant in the future.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:24:47

I'm trying to think a little bit ahead to how does this look and what? How do people think in a couple years? Why?

Vipul Bindra: 1:24:52

I'm. I'm I diverse, diversified my income. Right, remember it was just production company. Here's what I see.

Vipul Bindra: 1:24:58

I, having done this now for 14, 15 years, I figured out, you know. I had to sit down and ask myself what do I enjoy? The truth is, I'm an artist. I want to be on big sets making good content, helping businesses grow and tell better brand stories. And the truth is me, at least. This may not apply to you and other people. It was simple, as I cannot be everywhere. I'm one person. I cannot maintain all sets, I cannot maintain all relationships, I cannot go be friends with every brand. So I had to start this thing, like I did with you, is partnership. I so my goal is obviously I'm going to continue my relationships, give them great content, but for me and my personal happiness, I'm good where I'm revenue wise. Obviously, we all want to grow and I want to grow, but the goal this year for me has been and I think I shared that with the group is just simply to be on more sets. I want to be on your sets and I want to be on David, which David is DP, but you know somebody else's production company and their set.

Vipul Bindra: 1:26:02

And other people said because, and and still obviously not discount my production company, uh, but the, the reason being is because that makes me happy. Right, it makes me happy. It's like, for example, again come back to that dc shoot. It made me happy telling that story and being even a tiny part of it, being able to say those are my images, even though it's about the story, but I could go, my images, you know, helped adam and the, the other, the rest of the team, tell this massively monumental story. Yeah, and I couldn't have done that because, guess what, I could have easily been like adam I'm busy building a studio, I don't have time. Sorry, adam, and you go to me like that's cool. Five other people, all right, we'll do it.

Vipul Bindra: 1:26:43

Right, it may not have looked the same, they might have looked different, but what I'm saying is technical, is not expertise, and not that hard to find. It's, you know, point I'm trying to make is I had to put myself out there. So, anyway, anyway, my goal personal has been this that I understand that right for me to be able to be part of amazing stories and obviously we tell great stories with our clients is to be able to open myself up. Bring be the dp again be the the gaffer again, be whatever role. I can help in other people's production, especially when I'm available right and plus.

Vipul Bindra: 1:27:15

The best thing with us is what we do is behind the scenes. We're are there, especially when I'm the production company owner. We are the guy behind the table. All I'm doing is booking people, booking flies, booking travel. You know what I mean? It's the producer aspect of it. I can do that anywhere. I still remember I did a gig for you what was it? Red Cross or something and you were like dude, are you okay? And I was, are you okay? And I was like you're, like you have a production company and it's funny, I was editing their thing and I was doing that at the same time, I was handling a couple of rental requests.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:27:46

I'm like dude, I'm running my production what are you talking about?

Vipul Bindra: 1:27:47

so I'm happy to be here exactly, and that's what and I've done that many times. Like, there was, I think, a project I did somewhere, um, with you I think it was hollywood or rivers and my buddy was like, oh, you gotta come to freaking philadelphia or whatever. It's like, yeah, look, I will come. You gotta fly me from hollywood because that's where I am gonna be and and for me also, commitment is very important. I told you, yes, that means yes, plus, I wanted to be there. We love that client, um, so, anyway, uh, you know, uh point is he was able to make that happen and, like you said, in a way, double dip, but I made you happy and I made that guy happy and I got to be on two cool sets.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:28:21

Yeah, I couldn't complain you know what I mean. So sometimes yeah, yeah, exactly that's winning.

Vipul Bindra: 1:28:25

And then, um, you know, obviously, uh, that's not gonna be able to sustain at this point, my cost. So that's why I gotta obviously go do my production stuff on the side and be able to make the revenue that I and, and that's just, this is how it is anyway so at least that's the revenue that I want to make and that's just how it is, anyway.

Vipul Bindra: 1:28:40

So at least that's the path that I am on where I want to be on more sets. Stop being this guy that I'm just this production company. I am bigger than that. I am an individual who likes to be on sets, but I'm also this production company owner. So I'm separating the two. If that makes sense and I think it's worked great for me in 2024, so if that makes sense and I think it's worked great for me in 2024, so I want to just continue that in 2025. At least that's the path that I'm on.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:29:06

That's awesome man Definitely can do and will definitely use you yeah, whenever it works.

Vipul Bindra: 1:29:10

Obviously, whenever it works. And the good thing is I make my own schedule so I can do whatever I want to do. It just comes down to is being able to be on cool sets. Anyway, let's pivot. I want to go to the stuff that people want to know from you. They don't want to. So what's your average ticket, you'd say. And obviously projects vary. You know, like my projects vary hugely in top to bottom. What would you say is your average nowadays? Or a project that you're aiming for or you're getting? Actually, that'd be more realistic.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:29:42

Yeah, I would say last year, probably averaged in the 8 to 12 range.

Vipul Bindra: 1:29:50

That's pretty good for corporate and commercial yeah it's solid.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:29:54

Those are usually two people on set, whether it's me, you or me and David, or whoever is Al, you and Manuel, or David and me.

Vipul Bindra: 1:30:07

Or David and you. That happened too.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:30:10

So that's yeah, that's the goal. A couple good ones that were 20, 30. Those are great. You know there's a lot more work, a lot longer of a process to deliver on those and more elaborate projects. But yeah, that's kind of we squeaked out the revenue that we made with yeah eight to 12.

Vipul Bindra: 1:30:33

And that's pretty good range, and mostly your work is actually corporate, not really commercial, right. Have you done any commercial or no, you stick to corporate right, I think that and corporate docs and stuff like that right Is that documentary corporate Yep, am I missing anything?

Adam Kalinowski: 1:30:47

No, I mean some of I mean the Red Cross stuff is more like it's still corporate-y. But it's like news-y type stuff.

Vipul Bindra: 1:30:56

Yeah, news-y, I would say when you're cutting the B-roll package and sending it over.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:31:00

Yeah, it's mostly corporate.

Vipul Bindra: 1:31:01

That's pretty interesting too, yeah, but no. So 8 to 12, which is pretty good. You know what type of you can round up, you don't have to give your exact numbers. But I want to know, like, what is the profit percentage that you're aiming for? Like, if you have a 12 grand project or, let's simplify, 10 grand project, what is the profit that you're aiming to make for the company, not you?

Adam Kalinowski: 1:31:36

the company.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:31:36

What is is how fast that goes, you know like when I say costs, I mean mostly paying my, the freelancers. An editor, um you know, charging a day rate for myself if I'm on the set, um charging for the pre-production time, um, that leftover margin gets spent pretty quick, yeah, whether that's little pieces of equipment, it's subscriptions, it's um you know phone, internet another thing you brought up that was so great like we have some costs that we are not accounting for, but we should like storage costs right, you talked about um, you know and rental costs or whatever equipment causes so much.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:32:17

Yeah, stock music, stock media uh it just, it gets eaten up so quick and then you look at your, your accounts, you're like wait, I thought I was making a good part yeah, I mean, and then the last year, and for you as well, um was an expensive personal year with house and baby and stuff. So it's like you know, numbers sound fancy at the top.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:32:39

Of course, I will say one number that I am even more proud of than my top number is the amount I spent on contract labor, which is all my freelancers. I think it was about $110,000 I spent on freelancers last year, do you?

Vipul Bindra: 1:32:54

know how much of that was me.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:32:55

Probably half.

Vipul Bindra: 1:32:57

Because I need to do. Funny enough, I did all my numbers but I didn't do specific like what I got from you.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:33:03

Yeah, but it's probably half of it. But that to me is even cooler Because from my efforts Of starting Adam K Studio, getting these clients 110 grand, I mean, that's like Two to three decent jobs From my efforts of starting Adam K Studio, getting these clients 110 grand, I mean that's like two to three decent jobs. Call it two, two decent jobs, salary jobs. But I'm not looking to hire people on salary, I'm just saying that's like what you hear in the news or whatever.

Vipul Bindra: 1:33:30

Small businesses create opportunities for America.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:33:32

It's like wait, yeah, I am one of those little guys that's making a job for a couple people, and it's you and it's other freelancers that get to do what they love and get paid, mostly what they want to get paid. Yeah, and same thing for me.

Vipul Bindra: 1:33:43

I'm like excited 1099 is a good thing. I, like you know, because I'm are. I mean we are creating opportunities. I mean, uh, that's exactly what it is. But we couldn't do it by ourselves. Like you said, I couldn't do what I do without any of the people I hire, because at the end day, when I it's my set, I'm directing.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:34:03

I don't want to be.

Vipul Bindra: 1:34:04

You know, obviously I'll make some inputs on the camera and stuff, but I want to be focused on the client and the result and the story, because that's far more important than the technical aspects of it. And so I couldn't do anything without the people that I hired. But I'm hyper obsessive. Thank goodness to you again, that's what I'm saying. Working with you is so great because you're not like me, because I'm like, before I show up, I've already decided what the aperture is going to be, what the shutter angle is going to be, what the frame rate is going to be. So free my freelancers. They get like very creative limitation, as in like this is it? You can control the lighting, you can't. You know, cameras already set, because that's the look that I'm going for.

Vipul Bindra: 1:34:41

Um, a point I'm trying to make is, like you know it's, it's uh. I couldn't do anyway what I'm doing without the people that I hire that who are able to come in and help me tell the stories that I'm trying to tell, uh, but at the end of the day, you're right, we're creating, you know, money, we're supporting so many companies and we're supporting uh all the way from equipment to retailers like bnh and adorama, to uh, you know, to freelancers like me and you and I mean I don't know, I mean. So in the end, we are supporting the economy.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:35:10

Yeah, 100%. Part of it, A tiny little spot in it. And when I look through my report at the end of the year in QuickBooks and I see that number and I think how do I improve my business, how do I grow my business? How do I grow my bottom line? Because bottom line is a little more important. Well, I guess it depends on where you are in your business At this point. It a little more important. Well, I guess it depends on where you are in your business at this point.

Vipul Bindra: 1:35:41

It's becoming more important to me.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:35:42

How do I improve that. That's one area where I'm like I will not cut like but that number. That number will only go up for me because I want to pay people what they want to get paid. I want to pay the right people that are experienced and are going to do it right the first time and also not take your clients or ruin your relationship.

Vipul Bindra: 1:35:55

But the other thing I was going to say is you can't. I know people who've started production companies and hired people, and nothing wrong with hiring people, but you know as having been an employee, because guess what happens when you hire people, at least in my experience. I'm not again against hiring people.

Vipul Bindra: 1:36:09

Yeah, they leave. They also. They need PTO, they need time off, they get sick, which is human, but they need healthcare, which is massive, massive on top of the salary. Plus. Now you're on the hook for the equipment. Guess what, when you bring in David, if his FX6 breaks or whatever, he's on the hook. Or me to have the separate camera, whatever. You're not on the hook, versus if you're providing the FX6 and they drop it or whatever, like they're on the hook for you know what I mean. So you're not only on the hook for them, you're on the hook for their benefits and they call in, which they have a right to.

Vipul Bindra: 1:36:45

Now what Versus with a freelancer? You know they're coming because I'm coming. I'm not getting paid, if you know I don't show up, so so there is inherent advantage. Obviously it wouldn't work if, uh, you know you were hiring me 365 days of the year. Now you're like that doesn't make sense, obviously. But if you know, it's how it is, which normally it is for shooters, because we're not shooting every single day. For me at least, it doesn't make sense to hire and I've seen people, companies, go out of business because then they'll hire someone and they'll ask the same person to edit because you want to use their time efficiently and then they're not as good at editing, or they're not good at shooting.

Vipul Bindra: 1:37:17

At least that's what I've seen. I don't know. Obviously you haven't done it, so you know I mean which is why I've like every year I go, I would love to have a full-time person here, especially now that I have a space. But then I'm like, what are they gonna do? And do I want them to multitask? Because then they're not good at everything. Right, they're not. Yeah.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:37:34

Yeah, and I think it's just like decreasing your liability when you're trying to grow your business. Like I have a buddy that has several employees and is a production company and they do great and, yeah, it works great for him.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:37:48

They got a good amount of revenue coming in recurring revenue, which is key when you have employees and uh, they got some funding from a? Uh partner and uh, so they're able to sustain that. I have another buddy that's uh, maybe a small step behind where I am in terms of revenue and he's like dude, I got to hire a salesperson. I'm like dude, don't hire a salesperson. Like I got to hire a salesperson, I'm like dude, don't hire a salesperson.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:38:14

I've gone through the same thought process. I'm like I need to have someone to take this on, especially when you go through a busy period. You're like dude, I can't do all this. I need somebody to take this on. Like dude, just contract somebody. That's what I did end of last year to just get this ball rolling, as I contracted a project manager part-time to help me keep up with all the details and communications and start building out processes within my business so that can be a little more efficient and I can hand over some stuff to her. I didn't have to sign an employment agreement, I just said hey, here you, 20 hours a month max, and let me know when you're getting close and we'll start working on these things. You know, I have no commitment I can leave. You know exactly I my goal is that she be. I work her up to 40 hours and she's happy with it and, um, we have we get enough value out of that.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:39:12

If she ever wanted to take that step further, great. If not, then that's cool.

Vipul Bindra: 1:39:16

You know, like I'm.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:39:17

I'm comfortable with people being where they tell me they want to be, um, and I'm going to wait to hire people until I can absolutely say yes. Paying this salary equals, um, you know, 1.5x that salary and revenue. Whatever the formula is, that makes sense to get a return on that hire.

Vipul Bindra: 1:39:38

Yeah, you want it more than that.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:39:39

But yes, that's a, whatever the formula is yeah, like it's, you got to be pretty big to get to that point. Right, you have to be able to be efficient.

Vipul Bindra: 1:39:46

My whole thing is, and it's so good to hear. That's why I'm like having this conversation If somebody is working it, because, like I said, my experience it's hard to be good at both, like I said, editing and shooting and all that you know it's, it's true, it's different art forms and uh so, uh so. So making that work seems harder to me. Plus, like I said, you have to have extra people on staff now because if they call in whatever on a shoot day, you have to be able to make sure you can cover that shoot or whatever. Right, there's a lot to it and obviously nothing wrong with hiring. I know huge agencies that have huge people on staff. Obviously, funny enough, they still hire me.

Vipul Bindra: 1:40:22

So but, yeah, I mean so. Obviously there's many different ways to obviously work this out. But that's good to hear your perspective on it, what you're thinking and stuff like that yeah, man, we, we get hired by large organizations that have in-house video production teams too, so it's like they're doing it like you know, but it's hard to say that it's wrong yeah, and and just the thing is the same thing.

Vipul Bindra: 1:40:47

that's why they hire outside, because it's really hard to keep them trained, keep them with the right equipment, with the right benefits and the costs. It's really expensive because part of my business is providing marketing and we've talked about this marketing agency with the people that they can shoot for them and edit for them, and all that and that's the reason why it made sense for them to go through me.

Vipul Bindra: 1:41:11

Because guess what? If one of them calls in, I can send another freelancer and they'll never be out of that to have that issue. It's that liability that they don't want. Plus, if the equipment gets old, broken, whatever, it's on me. But then on my side it's like, hey, I can make good revenue off of this because I have the equipment, I have all the expertise, I have these freelancers with me that I can send over to get whatever they want done. So it's like I guess it's beneficial for them to do it that way.

Vipul Bindra: 1:41:37

It's beneficial for me to do it this way, so we're all winning at the end. That's all that matters.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:41:42

That's why, where I was thinking about this recently, that's why I think we and other freelancers and small production companies are well positioned for the future, because having employees is very expensive and, uh, large organizations are you always hear about laying off all these employees, cutting all these people, eliminating this department? Um, you know, I, I think in, even in like an economic turn turn down, like a slow economic period, companies look to cut costs. Yeah, maybe that means they cut out some of those large agencies. Like a slow economic period, companies look to cut costs. Maybe that means they cut out some of those large agencies, huge production teams that are bringing 40, 50 people out onto their set that we can do with like 10.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:42:24

Exactly, and get you 90% of the quality, I think we're well positioned for that, as well as being freelancers and operating outside of the organization, so that the cost of you know, health insurance 401k plans payroll all that stuff is like gone, like. Why don't you just eliminate that? Pay me the rate that I want to get paid, you'll save. Yeah, we'll win, everybody wins I think we're positioned well in that sense for the future.

Vipul Bindra: 1:42:52

You absolutely said it, especially when it's actually the economy takes a downturn, video is even more important because people are buying less. You need the more reason to buy. And, funny enough, you say that I've done that where a large agency has reported. Oh, these talking heads will be on the higher end level, be like quarter of a million or whatever. And I've been able to come in and I'm like I can do the exact same thing.

Vipul Bindra: 1:43:17

And this is not to undercut, it's just I'm looking at my costs. I have my own formula, right, I have my production fee, I have my director's fee, and then I'm like oh yeah, we can bring two, uh, uh, arri, alexa, lfs and the you know can do it for 50k. And they go whoa, you know what I mean. And and I'm making good money I'm like I have no idea how much their margins are and maybe they need to be higher because, again, they need to pay for the employees wages and you know all the extra thing. So, like you said, we are way more lean with it because you know we don't have those like that production designer isn't sitting in my team, they're the freelancer I'm gonna hire. And that gaffer is, again, I'm gonna hire. They're not like on my team, so I have no cost.

Vipul Bindra: 1:44:00

Like, once they come in, I pay them their day rate. They go and work, so we can, um, I guess, separate the cost for all our clients, right, uh, and somehow at the end we win. But they win, everyone wins and the client gets the look and the feel and the content that they wanted, but which is great. Like I said, at the end we are all winning, which is why, like I said, it was great partnering with you last year and so many of your projects where I could help in. I guess David wasn't available, so you're like let me reach out to my backup guy.

Vipul Bindra: 1:44:30

But no, you, you're part of it. The funny thing is, like I said, the cost went so high. So normally I'm I'd be. Even though people think I've spent a lot of money, I'm very efficient. I have formulas like this is business, how I'm running costs. It's just, you know, thanks to your inspiration, I was like okay, I gotta buy this house. And then you know I was really you know once you vision it.

Vipul Bindra: 1:44:50

I know what's worst financial decision, because it's one thing. To buy for rental, that's a different. Real estate can be a great investment, but when you're buying for yourself, it's not really an investment, it's a place to live. So worst cost thing ever Because I'm not thinking about selling this right. So there's no return on this investment Anyway.

Vipul Bindra: 1:45:08

So now I'm putting all this money into it. It's taking time for my shoots and my production company on top of that. Now I've emotionally invested Cause I'm like I need the space and now I see where I can park my man, cause that was the issue with the last place. You know HOAs and stuff. You can't just park production ranches anywhere. So I was like, well, I can, I'm talking about. So anyway, and I think it was your Red Cross gig that was so freaking incredibly helpful, because I think the hurricanes was delaying this process, and so it was great to be able to just take my mind off things and while these other people, whoever figured out how to make this work and to be able to take my mind off. So at that time it wasn't just that it was a gig, it was also time off, cause if it was a home I would have been dealing with you know all these people like what's going on.

Vipul Bindra: 1:45:59

Well, let's say I'm distracted, I'm looking at people's homes just gone. I'm like, okay, I'm not that bad I'm, but technically you are kind of responsible partly. I mean, I would say what one do math? $150,000. No, you're $55,000 B of my revenue. Anyway, I guess you're responsible for this plant. You can take this tree home.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:46:25

Your revenue paid for this.

Vipul Bindra: 1:46:30

I mean, but it was definitely helpful and what I do like I do want to tell people, which is why our friend David is, you know, dp. There is an inherent advantage. I don't want people to think there's total negative of working for other people, because guess what, when I charge, sure I could charge people $30,000, $50,000, $10,000, whatever $8,000. For projects we have costs. So our profit may only be three on a, let's say, 10 grand project. Like you said, three, four, five grand profit and much, even less percent wise on a 50 grand profit may only be like 10 grand. Uh point I'm trying to make is versus uh, sure, I'm not making that much on your project, but that's all profit right, I miss that.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:47:09

Yeah, being a freelancer.

Vipul Bindra: 1:47:11

So there's nothing wrong if that's the path that I think helps somebody, because food is provided, planes are provided, hotel is provided. At the end your costs are being covered by the production company, which hurts when you're the production company doing it, but it's really good when you're the freelancer. And then, whatever your rates are and your equipment rentals are, if you can build that in, at the end day it's 100 profit right, so that money can be very, very lucrative too. Sure, the top line revenue doesn't look that nice, but it's all profit right. So there is an inherent advantage to being a freelancer too if that's something somebody is interested in. Obviously I wouldn't want to do that full time, but it doesn't hurt to have that extra revenue on the side.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:47:59

Yeah, no, that that helps me a couple of things there it's. It's profit in the sense that you, it all goes into your, your bank account. You know you don't have those liabilities of like I got to pay this camera off, I got to pay this PA, whatever Um, you still got your costs and your expenses of course. So your profit, your net profit, is a little different than that that day rate Um, unless you're padding in, unless you're a freelancer, padding in more on top of that to build your, your business, which most aren't, because they think that probably prices them out. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't, depends on where you're at Um. I think it's a great model to be a freelancer and the amount of the mental load of freelancing um in in terms of the, the actual work, is lower, uh, than being the production company where you've got to coordinate multiple people, you've got to handle post-production. It's way more drawn out. You've got to do all that invoicing.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:48:58

You know the mental load of freelancing, the shoot it and boot it kind of deal where you shoot, you hand off cards and you're done and you wipe that off your mind. It's like dude. I envy that sometimes for sure. I envy that sometimes for sure.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:49:22

The second thing I was going to say on that is yes, freelancing, balancing out freelancing with my own projects helps out a lot because it is immediate cash flow injected into my business. So a lot of projects that I'm working on, there's maybe a deposit and then a final invoice that could be net 30. It can get delayed. A final invoice that could be net 30. It can get delayed. I had one recently that was sent to my old address and then flagged as a duplicate and I just finally got it like 61 days later and it's like dude, you're on the hook until you get that.

Vipul Bindra: 1:49:45

Especially as a production company, I like to pay my freelancers like the day of the shoot.

Vipul Bindra: 1:49:50

So sometimes you have to float that cash, Right. But I mean, typically I try to charge my clients all upfront. I used to do 50 long time ago, 50 deposit and then 50 ad delivery. I changed that. Now most of my big clients will just pay 100% upfront. That helps a lot, but even the people who want to split it which is okay, 50% upfront and I do 50% before shoot. And the advantage of that is that now you're no longer having to float that, because in the past I've had to do that. Where you're floating from your bank account because I expect I at least like to pay my shooters like, hey, you're done with the shoot, here you go, here's your Zelle or whatever, but again you don't want to be floating out of your own money. So if you're waiting on a check, that can be a pain.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:50:35

Yeah, I'd really try not to do that. I know we had one.

Vipul Bindra: 1:50:39

You were sitting on one from me that I was also sitting on, I did end up actually just Adam, how dare you.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:50:45

Well, I did just end up floating that because it is so important to me to have good relationships, which I appreciate you.

Vipul Bindra: 1:50:50

you didn't need to because we're cool. And again, I just want everyone to know you can't do that to me. This is Adam. We've worked enough and you know we know each other. I would call you a friend now, so I'm not worried about you. Know, a few thousand dollars here. I mean it's fine, it's not the end of the world, it's okay yes, I do get it.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:51:14

You don't want to be floating, yeah, yeah, and that's that's why you know, most of the time my deposit covers all of my costs, uh, in terms of freelancers. Um, sometimes it, if it's a smaller budget thing, maybe the the uh, the bill for the editing is like worked into that second half, but most of the time I try to have all of my freelancer costs covered up front. So that way, no matter what, if somebody does work for me, they're never out, they're never going to be in a position where they're not getting paid. Like I might not get paid if, like, that client disappears or something, or something random happens.

Vipul Bindra: 1:51:47

That is a risk you're taking as a production company.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:51:49

Obviously Right, so I try a production company obviously yeah, right, so I try to try to make sure like pay obsessively on time and bill at least enough to cover all my costs up front, so that nobody's ever out, because your relationships with your contractors and your freelancers are so valuable and important.

Vipul Bindra: 1:52:06

You know exactly, because you know you get priority to, at least for me, when I'm hiring people, I've noticed that, uh, when you have that relationship and they know that they can expect to get payment immediately, they're more likely to want to you know work with you over others.

Vipul Bindra: 1:52:23

So you have an advantage of getting dates and other things. At least that's what I found. Obviously, buying the house process was a pain, and then again that's where the relationship comes in. Where people were patient, they're like no worries when it closes, you know we'll happily, you know, get paid then and so and that's exactly what it's about same thing with us. You were like, hey, it's not coming. I was like, that's cool.

Vipul Bindra: 1:52:43

whenever you can, that's fine it'll be nice but not necessary. And and that's that's where, again, same thing with clients comes down to your contractors just having a good relationship. And that's why working with people you like know and trust, you know, um, you know, if somebody just hires me, I'm like okay. So who you are, what do you want? You know, blah, blah, blah. You're like, hey, you want to go here. I'm like sure, because I know what to expect you know, I hope that makes sense.

Vipul Bindra: 1:53:07

Yeah and I hope that's the same with the other people you're hiring, and at least that's the same when I'm hiring people too, because you're built in relationship.

Vipul Bindra: 1:53:14

It gets very sometimes I have to hire a production and I like to hire owner operators like me because it reduces risk. But I'll find an owner operator, I don't know, in some town and I'm like okay, first let me build this relationship. Can we hop on a call? Because I want to know that if one of your guys calls in, you know you'll have another guy with you Because at the end of the day you're still representing Bindra Productions and I can't have. You know, terrible, but that's what I'm saying. You have to start now that relationship from scratch, versus being able to send in people I know or being able to go by myself, but sometimes you just don't have the budget to go travel, you know.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:53:54

Yeah, yeah, the budget to go travel, you know, yeah, yeah, definitely, man, yeah, that's just just one way to to roll. And, yeah, keep your, keep your cash flowing and keep your people happy. And yeah, again, just want to like enable people to do what they are best at and what they like to do and um, that's one of the most rewarding things, for sure is yeah, you can bring friends on and that's that's like. My peak is like friends working together, hanging, hanging out doing good work, having a good time getting paid.

Vipul Bindra: 1:54:16

well, it makes the time go by faster when you're hanging out with people that you like. It makes the set go much smoother, but then also you can provide clients a better result. And also, at least for me, I find that you want to work harder. So, for example, that Red Cross, and also, at least for me, I find that you want to work harder. So, for example, that red cross thing, at least for me it was like, hey, I'm there and I'm talking to these people, but I'm representing you. So I'm like doing what I would normally do. I'm like so what do you do, you know? And then I find out, oh, they, they do this event where they need a video person. I'm like, oh, so how do you? Who do you have a video team? Yes, or oh, why, oh, why isn't Adam and I?

Vipul Bindra: 1:54:51

doing it you know, I'm like and, and, and, and, and I'm like already trying to find a lead for you. Cause, cause, why wouldn't I? I mean, I have that time anyway. We're doing a freaking hour long, multi hour long drives every day going through these disaster zones and again because when I leave, the set.

Vipul Bindra: 1:55:09

I'm done, but it doesn't hurt to then look out for my buddy because I'm like, instead of sitting here and being on my phone, I might as well, plus, get to know the person I'm hanging out with. But what I'm saying is it can result in better output at the end because it's like, hey, oh, you need video people. Huh, well, adam's here, right, and we're here, so let us be, let us give it a shot, or whatever. I don't know, I'm saying it just and I've had that happen.

Vipul Bindra: 1:55:36

You know, sometimes uh, it's rare sometimes you can bring a stranger and they try to talk to your client or whatever, versus you bring friends and who are trying to, um, talk about a man who I've been on sets with him, where the client's like what's your number? And he points to my sticker like there's a number right and that's what you want you don't want the guy to go.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:55:51

Let me give you my number, come you know what I mean.

Vipul Bindra: 1:55:53

That's what? Because at that time you're working for bindra, you're not right.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:55:57

So, and that's very important, uh oh yeah, it's small, but not everybody, not everybody does yeah, but those people don't come back, at least for me.

Vipul Bindra: 1:56:04

I don't know about you yeah anyway. Uh, all right, man, it's time to almost wrap up. So before we finish, I can't believe it went by so fast, uh, and I have so many more questions uh you know yeah I know that's the good thing about I love about this uh format that you know this goes great.

Vipul Bindra: 1:56:22

Obviously I'm just doing this because I've already learned this. Value enough for me. Hopefully other people will find value in this and uh, if it goes great, we'll do another season and then you're welcome to come back uh anytime, obviously, and I like to have enough detailed question that I could ask you.

Vipul Bindra: 1:56:38

That I think will help people and me, uh, but before we wrap up anything else, you want to add anything new you learned this year or I don't know what you want to tell people um, I would just say I'm proud of you seeing you uh charge on with everything that you've committed to doing with the van and the studio and the house and the business. Like, just got to give you a nod for this Like I think.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:57:00

I walked in here and I said holy like dude, what have you been doing?

Vipul Bindra: 1:57:06

This is why I've been off the. But you know, to be real, I'm done being the construction work. I'm a filmmaker. I want to go back to being a filmmaker and a business guy. So for a few months I had to go back, you know, to to and juggle all this. This was happening while I was on shoots with you and other people and other companies and handling rentals. Point is so glad it's over. I'm so glad we have this space. But, to be real, the goal was this isn't really a public space, but you know we've talked about it I just wanted to have space where we can come have this a conversation.

Vipul Bindra: 1:57:33

Obviously we're recording it, but they don't have to be all recorded. Now we have a place where we can just hang out, where it's like, hey, um, you know, adam, come on, let's have a drink or let's just talk, or whatever, you know. Uh, and now we have a space where and then also I have work life separation, you know because now I I have kids.

Vipul Bindra: 1:57:50

You know this now. So for years there was no work like separation. Now it's like I cross the store, here's where the cut man is, there's the work, and if I go over there, obviously I'll still do some computer work, but outside of that, that's home, right, yeah, and I think this is incredible. Plus, it saves me time. I hated doing rentals in the past. I just did it to help people because you know I had to go to my office and load and wait.

Vipul Bindra: 1:58:13

People are never on time. Now, just like they come to me. If you want it, come here, get it, go out of here. So, yes, so finally, I'm excited and I'm excited just have a have a space for us to come chat and talk and like this. Already I'm like the type of conversations I'm having. Man, it's it's been incredible the amount I've learned and in the past few weeks, just doing some of these episodes is just crazy. So, like I said again, you're welcome back anytime you have so much knowledge. Before you go, please share people your Instagram so they can go follow you or whatever.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:58:46

Yeah, at Adam K Studio on Instagram and I'm one of those people that's trying to be on LinkedIn this year. So Adam Casey, who on there too, yeah, seriously reach out anytime, like little tangent conversations.

Vipul Bindra: 1:58:59

LinkedIn, if you're trying to be a production company, is where the where is the tat? You know, trust me, that's where the money's at, because the people that we're trying to find are on LinkedIn, so that's that's great, that's great, yeah, be on LinkedIn, man. That's more money, more work for me, you know. Let's put the man to work right.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:59:18

Let's put it to work, all right.

Vipul Bindra: 1:59:20

Adam, I really appreciate you coming. My friend, this has been great and you're welcome back anytime. Hopefully we'll run this again. And audience if somebody is listening, I can guarantee it.

Adam Kalinowski: 1:59:30

Anybody's out there? Please anyone out there?

Vipul Bindra: 1:59:32

write questions and I want detailed stuff. I'm pretty sure you're like me. We're happy to share actual numbers, actual details, because, at the end of the day, if this can help even one person, why not? It's not going to hurt our business. And so if you want to know any specific things from Adam, I would love to bring you back and then we can run over specific, because here's the questions that I had that we didn't get to go over. Like you know, how do you run client meetings, how do you run, how do you get clients? And now people are going to be like, why didn't you ask that? But you know, but this is just the first one. How do you get actual clients? And then you know, how do you you know with them for future leads, stuff like that. So there's a lot we can touch on. So we definitely have to run this again, but again, for now this is enough.

Adam Kalinowski: 2:00:16

So thank you, it's very cool. Yeah, thanks for having me. Thank you for coming, man.