It's the end of the year, and this is a moment that naturally invites reflection: an honest look at who you want to be in the year ahead.

In this episode, I share the personal reflection process I go through every year around this time. It’s a way of stepping back from the noise, creating some space, and listening to what’s actually going on beneath the surface.

This is about getting clear on what actually matters to you. How you want to work. How you want to live. And who you want to be inside your business.

I talk about:

• Creating a state change to think more clearly

• Letting ideas surface without forcing answers

• Reflecting on who you want to be, not just what you want to achieve

• How your video business shapes the way you experience life

• Compromise, boundaries, and learning when to hold your standards

• Choosing the right relationships and getting the right help

• Letting go of things before resentment sets in

• Rebalancing physical energy and paying attention to what’s feeding you

• The idea of Memento Mori as a reminder to use your time well

I also share some very personal reflections from my own year, including lessons learned the hard way, and how those experiences are shaping how I approach business, coaching, and life going into the new year.

If you run a video production business, your work becomes a kind of mirror. What you tolerate. What you chase. What you compromise on. What you protect. All of it says something about who you are, and how you’re choosing to live.

This episode is an opportunity to pause and get clear on what you want from the year ahead. Not just in your business, but in your life more broadly.

And if, as you listen, you realise you don’t want to figure all of this out on your own, that’s where coaching can help. I work closely with a small number of video production business owners to help them think clearly, make better decisions, and build a business that genuinely supports the life they want to live.

You can find out more about how I work at ryanspanger.com/coaching.

January can feel like a dead zone. The inbox slows down, clients disappear, and it’s tempting to cruise.

But January is also your best window all year to work on the business, not just in it.

This is an archive episode I’m re-sharing because the idea is simple and it works: treat January like the off-season. Rest properly, recover from the year, then use that quieter space to lock in a few foundational moves that make the rest of the year easier.

In this episode, I walk through how I approach January in my own production company, and what I get coaching clients to focus on so they can hit February with momentum instead of starting from scratch.

You’ll learn:

• How to use the “off-season” concept without switching off completely

• Why “locking in the gain” matters more than obsessing over the gap

• The marketing proof elements to tighten up in January so selling feels simpler

• What to update on your website without doing a full rebuild

• How to think about showreels (and why niche or industry reels can be a big advantage)

• Why your proposal template is worth fixing when things are quiet

• How to stack proof with testimonials and Google reviews

• How to choose one main outreach channel and set it up properly for February

If you’re heading into January with less client work on the books than you’d like, or you just want to start the year feeling sharper and more confident, this one will help.

If you want support, you can work with me.

Learn more at ryanspanger.com.

Before the year wraps up, I wanted to leave you with one final conversation.

This is the last episode of The Business of Video Production podcast for 2026. There’s no teaching in this one. No strategies. Just a moment to pause and take stock before the break.

In this episode, I reflect on:

• What this year has actually felt like behind the scenes

• Why this end-of-year holiday looks very different to last year

• The idea of seasons in business, and why timing matters more than rules

• When it makes sense to keep working through December and January

• When switching off is not avoidance, but the right call

If you’ve had a big year and you’re feeling tired, this episode gives you permission to stop for a moment.

If you’re planning to keep working while others slow down, it may help you feel clearer about that decision.

And if you’re not quite sure where you sit, it’s a chance to think about what your business needs from you right now.

I also wanted to say thank you. To everyone who’s listened this year, reached out, or shared how the podcast has helped you in practical ways. Knowing this has meant a lot to me.

I’ll be back in 2026.

In this episode, I walk through the full structure of the 90-day program I’ve built for videographers who want to move into being business owners.

Think of this episode as a mirror. A way to see which parts of your business are actually supporting you, and which parts you’ve been avoiding, postponing, or hoping will sort themselves out.

You can use this as a thinking tool.

Or as a line in the sand for the start of 2026.

Or as a way to decide whether you want help doing this properly, instead of alone.

If you’re a video production business owner who’s tired of inconsistent income, unclear positioning, and feeling stuck in the daily grind, this is your chance to make a real change.

If you want to see how this work looks with support, you can find the full program outline at:

ryanspanger.com/transformation

If not, listen anyway. It should still make you think.

Thanks for listening.

If you run a video production business, chances are you’re thinking about next year already.

Better clients. Better projects. Better pricing.

Maybe a new service. Maybe more consistent work. Maybe fewer compromises.

Most people respond to that by hunting for strategies. New offers. New funnels. New tactics.

In this episode, I want to talk about something that sits underneath all of that.

Because in my experience, the biggest changes in a video business rarely come from a clever strategy. They come from one decision most people never consciously make.

The decision about what is now acceptable.

I share an insight from a recent coaching conversation where a client realised that his biggest progress this year did not come from learning something new. It came from raising the standards he holds himself to. How he shows up. How he delivers. How he markets. How he follows through.

This episode is especially for you if:

• You feel capable of more than your business is currently producing

• You know you sometimes tolerate things you shouldn’t, with clients or with yourself

• You’re tired of tweaking tactics without seeing the change you want

• You want 2026 to feel different, not just busier

This is not a tactical episode.

There are no hacks.

No step-by-step plan.

It’s a reframing that could change how you operate your business next year.

It can influence how you make decisions next year.

If you’re at a point where you know something needs to change, and you don’t want to figure it out alone, you can explore my coaching offer at ryanspanger.com/coaching and see if it makes sense for you.

As we get close to the end of the year, there’s a moment every videographer reaches.

You look back at the last twelve months and either feel proud of the direction things are heading… or you feel that familiar tug that says you expected more from your business than what actually happened.

If that second feeling rings true, this episode will speak to you.

Because today we’re talking about the point where things finally start to change. The moment when you stop operating like a one-person band and begin building something real.

And I’ll walk you through the model that has helped other filmmakers move out of the cycle of random leads, low budgets, and constant pressure… and into a business where people actually notice you, respect your expertise, and want to work with you.

Plus, I’ll share something special I’m running in January for those who are ready to make next year look very different to this one.

Take the next step

As the year winds down, it’s normal to feel tired and think about easing off. This Short Cuts episode is a reminder that the final couple of weeks can make a real difference.

I share why this period often creates unexpected opportunities, how one of my clients landed a significant project right at the end of the year, and what to focus on so you head into January in the right way.

If you’ve been tempted to coast into the holidays, this will help you stay steady, finish well, and then enjoy a proper break.

ryanspanger.com

There was a time when I loved being a one-person band. Shooting, editing, doing everything myself. It felt simple. It felt pure. Until it didn’t. The late nights in the edit suite, the low budgets, the scramble for the next job… and that creeping feeling that the whole thing was resting on me.

If you’re a videographer who knows you’re capable of more than just getting through the next project, this episode is for you. I walk through the messy middle between “gun for hire” and genuine business owner, talk honestly about the traps that keep talented filmmakers stuck, and share the turning points that helped me grow beyond a one-person operation.

We also start unpacking a simple structure you can use to move from invisible and underpaid to being seen as the go-to video business in your market. If you’ve ever wondered what it would take to build something bigger than you, hit play on this one.

Get my help

There’s a lot of big talk about AI right now. Some people pretending it’s no threat at all. Others convinced it’s going to wipe out every job in the industry. I’m not in either camp.

In this episode I talk through something that happened on a recent shoot that really brought the whole question into focus. Not in a theoretical way. In a very real, very practical way.

And from there, we get into the part nobody seems to be talking about. The part that actually decides whether your business survives the changes ahead.

If you’re running a video business, or you want to move beyond being the person who does all the labour, this is worth a listen.

Most video producers love the creative work… but tense up the moment money enters the conversation. Invoices. Payment terms. Chasing. Awkward follow-ups.
It’s the side of the business no one talks about, even though it affects everything.

In this episode, we get into the real-world process of getting paid: how to set the tone early, how to avoid late payments, and how to deal with the uncomfortable moments without damaging relationships or losing your cool.

We also look at why late payments happen more than ever, when to be flexible, when to stand firm, and how to build the kind of buffer that gives you confidence instead of anxiety.

If you’ve ever delivered great work and then waited… and waited… this one will land.

Coaching info: ryanspanger.com/coaching