17 Sep Tips on how to Start a Production Company or Any Business Really…

When starting off with any new idea or venture, one feels a mixture of emotions, both excitement and fear. Both of these emotions can drive us closer or further away from our goals. Too much excitement and we forget to slow down and build a strong foundation for our dreams. Too much fear and we tend to doubt our own abilities.

People often ask me what it takes to start a company like Moth to Flame. My answer is always, I have no clue, I just did it. Sometimes we must learn to accept that the future does not hold all the answers and that we must maneuverer ourselves blindly. Except, we honestly are never blind or alone because I guarantee someone in the world has attempted something similar or at least something that follows the same principals. Whether a software company or a production company, the basis of good business does not always differ greatly.

So how do you start a production company? Same for any business… you start off with a vision that you believe in and/or are passionate about above anything else. With a clear vision of what you want, you will make an effort each day to get closer to it. Sometimes we will backtrack, but as long as we learn from our mistakes, we will always be one step closer.

Second, you find people who you can trust, who will have your back during the good and bad times. This does not necessarily mean people who will work for your company. These are the people you choose to surround yourself with: mentors, friends and family, who will continue to encourage you and offer advice and expertise. Without my friends and without people that I can go to commiserate with, running a business is challenging, both physically and emotionally. When you start a company, you are the business. Unfortunately anything personal indirectly becomes part of the business. If you get sick, if you become emotionally incapacitated for any reason, you affect your business.

Third, you do your best and you just do it – even if this means starting off very small. Though planning and strategy are very important, if you cannot deliver a product that people want, appreciate, or see value in, then you have no business. If you spend all your time planning for every possible problem, you will never get started because life is uncertain. People are dynamic. Even the most predictable people can be unpredictable. If you want to start a production company, just do it. Borrow your friend’s camera and film something. Build your own website. Say yes to everything in the beginning. Just do it.

Focus on what you can control, which sometimes means nothing at all. However, in these times, I have learned to just sit down, be flexible, and enjoy the ride.