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In this special end-of-year episode, I'm getting personal and reflective about 2025 - the wins, the struggles, and what I'm cooking up for next year. If you've been following along this year (or if this is your first episode), grab a coffee and join me for an honest look at what it means to build a sustainable creative business while staying true to yourself.
What You'll LearnOn Gratitude and Relationships
On Business Evolution
On Content and Platform Building
On Taking Action
"I've made a lot more mistakes than I have had successes, but I'm still here learning and growing." - Ryan Koral
"People pay me money to facilitate relationships and conversations. It's mind-blowing." - Ryan Koral
"Your word matters. Being a person of integrity means sometimes not announcing things until you're sure - but also learning it's okay to dream out loud." - Ryan Koral
LinksFind out more about the Studio Sherpas Mastermind
Join the Grow Your Video Business Facebook Group
Follow Ryan Koral on Instagram
Follow Grow Your Video Business on Instagram
Join the Studio Sherpas newsletter
Justin Kavanaugh (Coach Kav), CEO of Sites at Scale, breaks down why showing your creative process isn't just good content—it's a client attraction strategy that gets you paid more. We talk about beating perfectionism paralysis, the psychology behind why clients value transparency, and his AAA framework (Attention, Attraction, Accessibility) for growing your video business. If you've been holding back on launching something because it's not perfect, this conversation's your wake-up call to ship it now and iterate later.
Key TakeawaysJustin Kavanaugh, known as Coach Kav, is a six-time Olympic coach, performance strategist, and CEO of Sites at Scale. With two decades coaching elite athletes and advising business leaders, he helps people win the right way with integrity, clarity, and mastery. His frameworks (WIN the Right Way, Every Day is Game Day, Live Your Telos) fuse Olympic principles with business success, empowering leaders to scale, perform, and build lasting legacies.
In This Episode"All relationships are won or lost at the expectation level." - Justin Kavanaugh
"You're not going to learn through thinking. You're going to learn through action." - Justin Kavanaugh
"It's only a failure if you quit. So you want to fail fast, fail forward and then don't quit, because if you quit, that's when it actually is a failure." - Justin Kavanaugh
"Work in progress becomes work and profit for businesses if you showcase it." - Justin Kavanaugh
"If you just wait for that TED Talk and you get ready for your keynote speech, what's going to happen is you're never going to get that opportunity, because they don't think that you're the person that could come on stage and own the stage." - Justin Kavanaugh
Guest LinksFollow Coach Kav on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
LinksFind out more about the Studio Sherpas Mastermind
Join the Grow Your Video Business Facebook Group
Follow Ryan Koral on Instagram
Follow Grow Your Video Business on Instagram
Join the Studio Sherpas newsletter
Chad Godfrey has been running Summit Video Services for over 20 years, and he's built something most video pros overlook: a thriving business where 60% of revenue comes from video transfers and archival work. In this conversation, we dig into why his transfer business keeps growing year after year, how local networking and in-person relationships are still the best marketing strategy, and why teaching free workshops can actually land you more clients instead of giving away the farm.
Key TakeawaysAs a young child, Chad Godfrey was constantly infatuated with film and video cameras, audio recorders, and early personal computers. In 2004, Chad linked these interests together and started a business. For the past 21 years, Chad has been the owner of Summit Video Services, an audio and video production and photography services company based in Lee's Summit, Missouri. Chad is an Emmy-nominated and nationally-awarded video producer with recognitions in the areas of video production, editing, photography, design, documentary, motion graphics, and sound design.
Chad's professional work in video production includes documentary and brand films for businesses and the non-profit sector. He is a creative storyteller with a unique ability to structure a narrative, whether for a short film, commercial, music video, or YouTube vlog. Chad has an exceptional capability to pace a story, build tension, and create emotional engagement; all critical skills to the clients he serves.
Chad's photography is primarily commercial, providing services for architectural firms, municipalities, and the commercial real estate industry. Though less for profit, Chad's true passion is landscape and astro-photography. He's had many opportunities to travel internationally with a backpack full of gear (sometimes too full) to "chase the light."
Chad is a contributing member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Chad's spouse of 24 years, Suzie, is an elementary teacher in the Lee's Summit School District. Together, they have three kids, ages 22, 19, and 15.
In This Episode"There's no substitute for just talking to people and inviting them to and going to events and shaking hands. If you're not generating some buzz about what you do in your local area, then you're just not doing enough." - Chad Godfrey
"That seems counterintuitive—you're giving away the farm. But when people can actually see you as a leader in that realm and that you're giving away some of your knowledge, they're gonna wanna come back to you and pick your brain some more." - Chad Godfrey
"The quickest and easiest way to build trust with somebody is in person so they can really see what you're like. People will hire people that they know, like, and trust." - Ryan Koral
Guest LinksFollow Summit Video Services on Instagram
Visit Summit Video Services Website
LinksFind out more about the Studio Sherpas Mastermind
Join the Grow Your Video Business Facebook Group
Follow Ryan Koral on Instagram
Follow Grow Your Video Business on Instagram Join the Studio Sherpas newsletter
Brad Ellison went from selling insurance to building Michigan's highest-rated painting company in just a few years, and he's got some seriously practical wisdom about profit, personality, and perfectionism. In this conversation, we dig into why finishing jobs to 75% can actually be the smartest move for your business, how your core values should drive everything from your marketing to your hiring, and why contractors are the perfect clients for video producers right now.
About Brad EllisonBrad grew up in Royal Oak, Michigan and graduated from Oakland University. During school, his goal was always to run his own small business and he got his start at age 19 when he started a local window washing company to pay for tuition.
Brad and Rachel operate Ellison Painting together and now live in Oakland Twp with their 5-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son. They enjoy exercising, time outdoors, and being involved in the local community and church.
Key TakeawaysStop over-delivering: That last 25% of polish you're adding? Your clients often can't even tell the difference, but it's costing you real profit. Focus on meeting expectations, not exceeding them to the point of vanity.
Your core values aren't just wall art: Brad's company lists "levity" as a core value, which is why their funny ads work. Every piece of marketing you create should reflect at least one of your actual values.
There's a huge opportunity with contractors: Painting, roofing, and other trade companies desperately need help with video content but don't know where to start. If you can crack this market, there's serious money to be made.
Build around what you actually care about: Brad's business exists to support his faith, family, fitness, and friendships—not the other way around. Define what matters to you first, then build your business to serve those priorities.
[00:00] Welcome to the show!
[06:02] Meet Brad Ellison
[11:17] Success In Business
[21:54] Having Enough Leads
[22:50] Having Multiple Marketing Methods
[27:25] Word of Mouth Marketing
[33:10] Passion Work and Business Growth
[46:09] Connect with Brad
[47:53] Outro
"We have more five star reviews than any other painting company in Michigan and just like my jumper—it's not even close." - Brad Ellison
"For me, my passion lies with my faith, my family, my fitness and my friends. And I have a painting business to feed those four." - Brad Ellison
"You want to do a great job for your customers, but you also need to understand what their expectations are... that last 25% is purely for vanity and at the cost of his profit." - Brad Ellison
"Identify your core values and any ad that you put out should highlight at least one. Ideally two or more of those core values." - Brad Ellison
Guest LinksEllison Painting Website
Follow Brad Ellison on Facebook | Instagram
LinksFind out more about the Studio Sherpas Mastermind
Join the Grow Your Video Business Facebook Group
Follow Ryan Koral on Instagram
Follow Grow Your Video Business on Instagram Join the Studio Sherpas newsletter
Check out the full show notes
Maeve Ferguson breaks down why quiz funnels are dominating lead generation right now and how you can build one that actually qualifies your prospects instead of just filling up your inbox. She shares her journey from accountant to funnel strategist to AI obsessed entrepreneur, plus we get into the wild world of agentic AI—including the agent she built that finds speaking opportunities and matches them to her calendar automatically.
Key TakeawaysMaeve Ferguson Is A Business Strategist And The Creator Of The Client Engine™, a proven system that helps authors, consultants, and entrepreneurs transform their intellectual property into evergreen lead-generation machines. Specialising in diagnostic assessments and quiz funnels, Maeve helps experts attract, qualify, and convert high-ticket clients at scale.
With a background in private equity and a track record of working with 7- and 8-figure thought leaders, Maeve brings a unique blend of corporate strategy and entrepreneurial speed to the table. Her clients range from bestselling authors to global speakers who want to scale without shouting into the void or wasting time on unqualified leads.
Maeve has been featured in Forbes, appeared on Jen Kem's Stage, and leads a multi-6-figure business while raising two young kids on a horse farm in Ireland. Through a mix of systems, data, and diagnostic-driven strategy, she helps creatives turn their ideas into income and their frameworks into globally recognised assets.
In This Episode"Listen to your market and give them what they want." - Maeve Ferguson
"Where the world is going, those services of doing the doing will be replaced by AI. What won't be replaced is the tail framework." -Maeve Ferguson
"The things I'm building now didn't exist six months ago. Never mind where we're going to be next year, five years time. It's going to be a different planet." -Maeve Ferguson
"We're not trying to convince people that they should want video, because that's like pushing water up a hill." -Maeve Ferguson
Guest LinksGet your IP Assessment (in 8 minutes)
Follow Maeve Ferguson on Instagram
Connect with Maeve Ferguson on LinkedIn
Watch the Expert to Thought Leader Show on YouTube
Listen to the Expert of Thought Leadership podcast
LinksFind out more about the Studio Sherpas Mastermind
Join the Grow Your Video Business Facebook Group
Follow Ryan Koral on Instagram
Follow Grow Your Video Business on Instagram
Check out the full show notes
Pat Flynn, CEO of Flynn Industries and New York Times bestselling author, shares his "lean learning" philosophy for combating information overload. After watching his kids get overwhelmed by endless learning options, Pat developed frameworks for just-in-time learning and micro mastery that helped him overcome stage fright and build multiple successful businesses, including a Pokemon YouTube channel with nearly 2 million subscribers.
Key TakeawaysPat Flynn is a father, husband, and lifelong learner from San Diego who has built a reputation as one of the most influential voices in digital entrepreneurship. Through his diverse portfolio of businesses, award-winning podcasts, newsletters, YouTube channels, and thriving online communities, Pat reaches and inspires millions of people each month. He is the founder of SPI, an online community for digital entrepreneurs, co-inventor of the SwitchPod, and host of the Deep Pocket Monster YouTube channel as well as founder of Card Party, a large-scale live event for the community of Pokémon collectors. Pat also serves as an advisor to dozens of companies and is a sought-after keynote speaker. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, collecting Pokémon cards, and rewatching the Back to the Future trilogy.
In This Episode"We are obese with information right now. Find the right thing for the next step that you're doing." - Pat Flynn
"You cannot read the label when you are inside the bottle." - Pat Flynn
"Information at one point used to be valuable. If you were the smartest kid in the class, you were going to be the most successful. No longer." - Pat Flynn
"There's a reason why it's called shower thoughts. When you're in your shower, you have your best thoughts because it's literally the only place in the world now that you have nothing else to do but just think." - Pat Flynn
"Count uploads, not likes. Control the thing that you can control, which is you showing up and hitting record and hitting publish." - Pat Flynn
Guest LinksFind Pat Flynn online at Smart Passive Income & Deep Pocket Monster
Follow Pat Flynn on Instagram | TikTok | Twitter
Follow Deep Pocket Monster on Instagram | TikTok | Twitter
Listen on YouTube Pat Flynn | Deep Pocket Monster | Short Pocket Monster
LinksFind out more about the Studio Sherpas Mastermind
Join the Grow Your Video Business Facebook Group
Follow Ryan Koral on Instagram
Follow Grow Your Video Business on Instagram
Check out the full show notes
Dave Hunter started GreenRoom Video after a career in theater, building it from side hustle to a $1.2 million company. Recently discovering he's an integrator (not a visionary) through reading Traction, Dave shares how he's learned to delegate, scale, and break through belief barriers that were limiting his growth. His team now handles projects from start to finish while he focuses on business development and strategy.
Key TakeawaysDave Hunter is the Founder and Creative Director of GreenRoom Video, a Chicago-area production company that has produced over 1,000 videos for Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, schools, and nonprofits. With a background in theater and more than a decade of experience in performance and production, Dave brings a creative storyteller's eye to every project. Under his leadership, GreenRoom Video surpassed $1 million in annual sales and continues to grow with a focus on helping organizations communicate their messages with clarity, creativity, and impact.
In This Episode"If somebody can do what you're doing at 80% of what you can do, they should be doing it." - Dave Hunter
"There's several belief barriers we have where we don't think that's possible, but it is, and the only difference is choosing to try it." - Dave Hunter
"Your prices are too low if everyone's saying yes to your proposals." - Dave Hunter's business coach
"Act your wage as a company—profit doesn't mean your salary, profit means after your salary, there's still profit." - Dave Hunter
Guest LinksFind Dave Hunter online at GreenRoom Video
Follow Dave Hunter on Instagram | Facebook
LinksFind out more about the Studio Sherpas Mastermind
Join the Grow Your Video Business Facebook Group
Follow Ryan Koral on Instagram
Follow Grow Your Video Business on Instagram
Check out the full show notes
John Bunn recently launched his solo podcast "Shifting Focus" after years of co-hosting How to Film Weddings. Starting with over $400K in student debt, he's built a wedding business that now books $30K+ weddings and has his entire year's expenses covered by the first month. John shares the psychology behind premium pricing, why cash flow equals creative freedom, and how getting specific about your ideal client changes everything about your business.
Key TakeawaysJohn Bunn is a wedding industry educator and mentor who has dedicated his career to elevating professionals through practical, results-driven education. After starting his own wedding video business in 2007, Bunn went on to film and photograph over 550 weddings, gaining deep insights into what truly drives success in the industry.
Since transitioning to education in 2018, Bunn has mentored and worked with tens of thousands of wedding professionals, focusing on what he calls "the things that nobody wants to talk about" — the fundamental business practices that create lasting success beyond fleeting trends.
Bunn's approach is rooted in real-world experience and a belief that sustainable success comes from shifting focus to what actually matters. His passion for teaching stems from the countless success stories he's witnessed, from working mothers who've transitioned to full-time wedding businesses to professionals finally booking their dream clients.
Known for his straightforward, no-nonsense approach, Bunn emphasizes that "trends come, and trends go, but those who shift their focus and put in the work are the true success stories." His mission is to help wedding professionals cut through industry noise and concentrate on the strategies that will genuinely impact their businesses and families.
As both mentor and coach, Bunn brings over 15 years of hands-on wedding industry experience combined with a track record of transforming careers through focused, practical education.
In This Episode"You come across completely different in your sales calls when you don't need the money." - John Bunn
"Cash is oxygen in your business. It's hard to make good decisions when you don't have oxygen." - John Bunn
"If you're not being intentional about where you want to go, you're going to be running someone else's race." - John Bunn
"There's nothing wrong with saying, I need to go pick up a part-time job. Stop by on your way to where you're heading." - John Bunn
"What does your business look like if you didn't need to make the sale today? That's the secret to selling." - John Bunn
Guest LinksFind John Bunn online
Follow John Bunn on Instagram
Follow John Bunn Films on Instagram
Listen to the Shifting Focus podcast
LinksFind out more about the Studio Sherpas Mastermind
Join the Grow Your Video Business Facebook Group
Follow Ryan Koral on Instagram
Follow Grow Your Video Business on Instagram
Check out the full show notes
Clinton Haby has spent 16 years building a legacy filmmaking business that charges $8K-$24K per project. Starting with a desire to capture his grandfather's stories, he's developed a systematic approach to intimate storytelling that can't be replicated by technology. In this emotional episode recorded shortly after his grandfather's passing, Clinton shares his three-tier pricing model and announces Legacy Film School to teach others the art of premium storytelling.
Key TakeawaysClinton Haby is a legacy filmmaking pioneer and the founder of StoryKeeping. What began as an urge to keep his grandparents' stories has taken him on a journey of non-stop learning. Listening to clients' wants and striving to deliver beyond their expectations has pushed StoryKeeping to standards far beyond what Clinton initially envisioned.
Having served on the board and executive committee of the Association of Personal Historians, Clinton has had a front row seat to the legacy film industry from its infancy to today. Tested by the market and time, Clinton wants to help others capture the legacies of our personal heroes by launching Legacy Film School.
In This Episode"There's nothing like the first person perspective. It needs to come from pop, my grandpa, for it to resonate and for it to retain that magic." - Clinton Haby
"People tell stories differently depending upon who's in the room." - Clinton Haby
Guest LinksFind Clinton Haby online
Learn more about Legacy Film School
Follow Clinton Haby on Instagram | Facebook
LinksFind out more about the Studio Sherpas Mastermind
FREE Workshop Available "How to Consistently Earn Over $100k Per Year in Video Production While Working Less Than 40 Hours Per Week"
Join the Grow Your Video Business Facebook Group
Follow Ryan Koral on Instagram
Follow Grow Your Video Business on Instagram
Check out the full show notes
Lauren Cobello built a million-dollar PR agency in just 10 months as a single mom of four, working with celebrities like Kurt Angle and major influencers. She breaks down why personal branding isn't optional anymore, how to do a simple audit of your online presence, and why your story is the key to charging premium prices in a crowded market.
Key TakeawaysLauren Cobello is a Book Coach and Founder and CEO of Leverage with Media PR. As a renowned national TV personality, 4x author, and a prominent figure in the world of entrepreneurship and public relations. She has an impressive track record of success and a charismatic on-screen presence and has captivated audiences on national TV on shows like the TODAY show, GMA, Dr. Oz, Rachael Ray, and hundreds of others for over a decade.
In This Episode[00:00] Welcome to the show![04:18] Meet Lauren Cobello|[06:02] Lauren's Story[20:26] Personal Branding[22:32] AI Search Results[24:52] Importance of Writing a Bio[35:00] Dig Into Your Story More[37:07] Your Zone of Genius[45:51] Connect With Lauren[50:04] Outro
Quotes"Failure is my fuel and I'm one of the strongest, most resilient people that I know." - Lauren Cobello
"I've got one life to live, and I'm going to be damned if it's a miserable one." - Lauren Cobello
"What is the brand? What comes up when people Google you? Plain and simple." - Lauren Cobello
"Your story matters. If I didn't have my personal brand set up so well on the back end, I would have just blended in with the rest of the agencies." - Lauren Cobello
"You are sitting on gold. Your story is different from everybody else's story." - Lauren Cobello
Guest LinksFind Lauren Cobello online at Leverage With Media
Follow Lauren Cobello on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube
LinksFREE Workshop Available "How to Consistently Earn Over $100k Per Year in Video Production While Working Less Than 40 Hours Per Week"
Join the Grow Your Video Business Facebook Group
Follow Ryan Koral on Instagram
Follow Grow Your Video Business on Instagram
Check out the full show notes
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