Almost Creative Podcast

What happens if you're stranded on a deserted island... but somehow still need to shoot content? In this fun episode, Travis and Chris challenge each other to pick a equipment they would trust if they could only bring a handful of gear. In This Episode- One camera we'd trust with everything- The most versatile lens for almost any shoot- Camera gear that doubles as survival toolsTimestamps0:00 Intro0:21 The Deserted Island Challenge1:58 Choosing One Camera3:17 Picking the Perfect Lens4:57 Best Lighting Setup6:17 Tripod vs Gimbal8:57 Audio Choices10:20 Camera Gear for Survival13:22 Bonus Survival Accessories13:59 Phone vs Laptop?14:43 Final Thoughts🎁 Free Tools & ResourcesFREE Pricing Template - https://bit.ly/wedding-pricing-templateMusic (SoundStripe) - https://soundstripe.com?fpr=almostcreAI Clipping Tool (Opus) - https://www.opus.pro/?via=almostcreativeCRM (17 Hats) - https://referrals.17hats.com/?r=gspzs📲 Follow Almost CreativePodcast - @almostcreativepodTravis - @trheberlingChris - @chrisshootsvideoIf you enjoyed this episode, leave a comment below:What camera, lens, and accessory would YOU bring if you could only choose one of each?

In this episode of the Almost Creative Podcast, Travis sits down with Donald Keith Reid, founder of See Visions Global, to talk about branding, marketing, organic client acquisition, and building a business that doesn’t completely depend on you.

Donald shares how growing up around his father’s construction business shaped his approach to entrepreneurship and eventually led him to build See Visions Global. What started through photography, videography, music, and other creative outlets eventually evolved into a strategic branding company focused on helping businesses break through growth ceilings and attract new clients organically.

They discuss the difference between branding and marketing, why your brand story matters, and how businesses can grow without immediately relying on paid advertising.

The conversation also dives into leadership, partnerships, delegation, and the challenge many entrepreneurs eventually face: realizing you can’t do everything yourself. Donald shares how learning to let go of certain responsibilities helped him build stronger teams, create more freedom, and rethink what it actually means to lead a growing business.

In this episode:
• Branding vs. marketing
• Growing a business without paid ads
• Organic client acquisition
• Building a strong brand story
• Partnerships vs. traditional employees
• Leadership vs. being a boss
• Learning what to delegate
• Creating more freedom as an entrepreneur
• Knowing when your pride is getting in the way of growth

Follow Almost Creative Podcast: @almostcreativepod
Travis: @trheberling
Chris: @chrisshootsvideo

n this episode of the Almost Creative Podcast, Travis sits down with marketing expert and business owner Lauren Young to talk about how AI is changing the way customers search for businesses and what that means for marketing, SEO, content, and business growth.

Lauren shares her journey from balancing multiple jobs during the 2008 recession to building a marketing company, along with the lessons she has learned from nearly two decades in the industry. They break down the shift from traditional search toward AI-powered platforms, why YouTube and original content still matter, and why businesses can't expect AI to do all of their marketing for them.

They also discuss the problems with one-size-fits-all marketing packages, building a marketing strategy around the actual needs of your business, diversifying your lead sources, using AI without losing your voice, and why kindness might be one of the most underrated advantages in business.

Whether you're a filmmaker, photographer, freelancer, small business owner, marketer, or creative entrepreneur, this episode offers a practical look at how marketing is evolving and what businesses can do to adapt.

John Gallagher returns to the Almost Creative Podcast to discuss what truly separates memorable creatives from everyone else: storytelling.

Together, we explore why asking better questions leads to better interviews, how to create emotional brand films and testimonials, why conflict is essential to every great story, and how storytelling principles apply to weddings, nonprofits, documentaries, and commercial work.

We also discuss the Hero's Journey, the StoryBrand framework, and why AI still struggles to replicate authentic human experiences.

Whether you're a filmmaker, photographer, content creator, or creative entrepreneur, this episode is packed with practical storytelling lessons you can apply to your next project.

In this episode:- Asking interview questions that uncover real emotion- Creating stronger testimonial and brand videos- Why conflict makes stories memorable- Storytelling for weddings, nonprofits, and documentaries- The Hero's Journey and StoryBrand- AI vs. authentic human storytelling

Follow the Almost Creative Podcast for more conversations with filmmakers, entrepreneurs, and creatives sharing the lessons they've learned while building meaningful careers.

Travis and Christian switch things up with a fun round of This or That, debating everything from shoot days vs. edit days and prime lenses vs. zoom lenses to Mac vs. PC, weddings vs. commercial work, and even Dunkin' vs. Starbucks.

Whether you're a filmmaker, photographer, freelancer, or creative entrepreneur, this episode is a laid-back conversation full of opinions, behind-the-scenes stories, and plenty of creative debates.

This week, Travis flies solo to share one of the biggest lessons that's helped grow Visual Filmworks and Bella Tiamo Films: speed.

From responding to inquiries faster to delivering content while clients are still excited, Travis explains how moving quickly has become one of the biggest competitive advantages for their business.

In this episode, we discuss same-day wedding teasers, faster client communication, simple automations, creating momentum through quick delivery, and why "done today" often beats "perfect later."

Whether you're a filmmaker, photographer, freelancer, or creative entrepreneur, this episode is full of practical ways to improve your client experience, generate more referrals, and book more work.

In this episode of the Almost Creative Podcast, Travis sits down with graphic designer, vocalist, and longtime friend Tom Cirillo to talk about creativity, design, music, freelancing, and building a sustainable creative career.

Tom shares how he got started in graphic design, why music and design have always gone hand in hand, and how he's balanced freelance projects alongside a full-time creative career. They also discuss client work, creative problem solving, working in churches and nonprofits, and the growing impact of AI on the design industry.

In this episode:
• How Tom got started in graphic design and music
• Freelancing vs working full-time as a creative
• Why client work can make you a better artist
• Building a career in design without a traditional agency path
• Working in churches, nonprofits, and creative teams
• The future of graphic design in the age of AI

Whether you're a designer, videographer, musician, freelancer, or creative entrepreneur, this conversation offers an honest look at building a career around creativity while adapting to a rapidly changing industry.

The Sony A7R VI is here, and it got us asking a bigger question: do new cameras actually matter anymore?

This week, Chris and Travis look back at the evolution of cameras from the DSLR boom to today's mirrorless flagships and discuss whether we've finally reached a point where gear is no longer the limiting factor for most creators.

They talk about camera history, Sony's impact on the industry, the gear acquisition trap, and why business, storytelling, and creativity often matter far more than the latest specs.

Whether you're a photographer, videographer, filmmaker, or just a camera nerd, this one's for you.

Welcome back to the Almost Creative Podcast.

This week, Travis flies solo for a different kind of episode after speaking to students at a career center about creative work, videography, photography, drones, business, and building a career in the industry.

The episode turns into an honest Q&A covering some of the biggest questions beginners ask when getting started as creatives. From what camera to buy, to booking your first wedding, building a team, making money, and getting out of your own way… this episode is packed with practical advice for anyone trying to turn creativity into a real career.

The Almost Creative Podcast is for creatives trying to turn their passion into a full-time career through honest conversations, business lessons, and real-world experiences from the creative industry.

Welcome back to the Almost Creative Podcast.

In this episode, we break down one of the biggest client projects we’ve ever taken on: a nonprofit campaign that turned into a $50,000 production involving multiple shoot days, 12+ deliverables, interviews, strategy, revisions, and full-scale project management.

We walk through the entire process from discovery calls and pitching to pricing, pre-production, client communication, revisions, and the realities of scaling creative work beyond just making videos.

If you’ve ever wondered what larger commercial productions actually look like behind the scenes, this episode gives an honest look at the business, pressure, and systems required to pull them off successfully.

🎯 In This Episode
• Landing a $50K video project
• Competing against larger production companies
• Discovery calls and client communication
• Structuring proposals and pricing
• Managing multi-day productions
• Scope creep, revisions, and organization systems
• Lessons learned from one of our biggest projects yet

📲 Follow Almost Creative
Instagram: @almostcreativepod
Travis: @trheberling
Chris: @chrisshootsvideo