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Nine days. That's how long it had been since I filmed a vlog clip. Ellen and I were on our way home from our first ever trip to Europe, and honestly, it felt good to be back.
If you're a small business owner wondering what it actually looks like to run a marketing agency in Grand Rapids, this week is a good one to follow along with. Back home and into client video shoots, a 20 year brand story in Kalamazoo, a website check in at a family farm, our weekly Mastermind call, and my last long run before the 25K.
These are my notes from the week. Hit play on the video above and read along.
Quick recap of the trip, because it was a good one.
"It was the perfect trip length. I had a ton of fun, but I'm actually super excited to get home, dive back into projects, and be with the team."
That's the feeling I want to keep chasing. Not escaping the work. Being excited to come back to it. The flight home turned into my office for the next 10 hours. Honestly, not too bad.
Back home, my condo was literally boarded up because they're redoing the windows. Not great vibes. But that's okay, because we were going mobile anyway.
We shot social media video content at the shop, then headed out to a job site where work was happening in the field. This kind of content is gold for contractors and home service businesses.
Why real job site footage works so well:
Reagan and Daniel are spearheading a TV commercial for a roofing client. They wanted anamorphic glass, so we rented Blazar anamorphic lenses from Lens Rentals that fit right on the Sony FX3.
Super front heavy. But it's going to look pretty sweet.
A few weeks ago we shot content with one of our favorite clients - Buist Electrical. That project went well. They called back.
This time, their Kalamazoo branch is celebrating 20 years of being open, and they wanted to capture that story.
Here's how we approached it:
Daniel and Evan took the lead on this one. I tagged along, carried gear, and lent a hand where I could. The last video turned out great, so I was excited to let them run with it.
Friday morning, 7am. We usually meet on Thursdays, but we were on the road, so we tested out a Friday morning call. Everybody was down for it.
If you haven't heard me talk about it yet, the Launch Kit Mastermind is an online group of business owners across the United States with one business per area. We've got an automotive detailing company, a marketing agency, a transportation company, and more.
The idea is simple. It's a room your competitors are not in.
What we chop it up about every week:
It's a 50 minute call, Q&A style. I look forward to it every single week.
Friday afternoon we went mobile again, up to Rockford to meet with Nancy Krupp, the founder and owner of Krupp Family Farms. She's a website design client, and Mackenzie is building her new site right now.
Nancy is a hoot. And the visit was a good reminder of why I've always loved this work:
"Something about getting to go to the farm and help Nancy build something that's going to have a significant impact on her business and her legacy is the coolest job in the world."
That's what small business marketing should feel like to me. Not vanity metrics. Not chasing whatever is trending. Helping a real person in your community build something that lasts.
It was a good little Friday reminder to find something you love doing where you can make an impact close to home.
Sunny Saturday in Michigan. 13 miles. My last long run before race day.
The Riverbank Run 25K is May 9th, right here in downtown Grand Rapids. It's the biggest 25K in the country, so a lot of the pros fly in and there's a ton of hype around it. Running it in our hometown makes it that much more fun.
Where I'm at:
I don't love working out in the morning. My best brain power time is the first four hours of the day, roughly 6am to 10am, and I'd rather spend it on projects. But with events stacked all day, the early run was the only window. It is what it is. It felt pretty good out there.
If you're a business owner looking for a room where you can talk marketing, sales, and systems with people who aren't your competitors, come hang out with us.
Inside the Launch Kit Mastermind you get:
Start with a 7 day free trial, and your first week's call is free. I'll make sure there isn't already a business like yours in your area, and as long as the spot is open, you're in.
Join the Launch Kit Mastermind
And if you're a West Michigan business looking for website design, SEO, photo and video production, social media management, or Google and Meta ads, that's what we do at Launch Kit.
See you next week.
