In a fast-paced business environment, it can be really difficult to take the time to sit down and reflect on where you are and how you got there. But anniversary milestones often provide the necessary reminder to reflect on the ways in which you’ve reached (and continue to climb towards) success. As we’re celebrating our 8th year in business, I thought it would be nice to share 8 personal thoughts on our 8 years of life at 20/20 Visual Media.
1. Time flies.
It’s obvious but this old adage holds true. Sometimes I can’t believe we’ve been doing this for 8 years. I remember so vividly when Patrick and I started the company by working out of his apartment bedroom, not knowing whether this experiment would survive past the first year. Now, all these years later, we’re a thriving small business made up of people who love what they do each day. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to believe it’s true.
Where it all got started - Patrick’s first apartment bedroom. Amazing to think how far 20/20 Visual Media has come.
We started with two, and now we’re four. We’re proud of our team members, who work so hard each day to make our company the best it can be.
2. I really have the best team there is.
I’m biased here, but I’ll put my team up against anyone else’s. From the two owners to the interns we take on each semester, we are made up of some passionate people. Each member of our team is an outstanding professional. None of us are perfect, but we each care so much about what we do, and I hope that shows through our work.
3. Growth is both exciting and scary.
Both this year and last year, we’ve been named to the list of the top 100 fastest-growing privately held companies in Philadelphia. Last year, we were 31 on the list and in late October we will find out where we rank on this year’s list. It’s a great honor that shows the very exciting upward trajectory of the company. With it always comes a little nervousness, because as a business owner, you always want to be able to grow and provide for your team members, and for the clients, you want to be able to provide the same level of service they’ve gotten accustomed to since day one. It’s a delicate balancing act that we work very hard to perfect.
Among our team’s many accomplishments included producing 100 television episodes across five years, for Temple University Athletics and Phillies Nation. We celebrated the century mark in 2015 with our friend, turned colleague, turned client, Rudy Mezzy.
4. Relationships are everything.
When we first started the business, I didn’t understand this as much as I do now. I thought a service business like ours was about getting hired, doing a great job, and moving on to the next gig. But what I didn’t expect was the countless opportunities to get to know and develop meaningful relationships with our clients. Clients have become friends, and friends have become clients. That makes our job even better. Who doesn’t like working with people they like?
5. There truly is nothing we can’t do.
I remember there was a time when opportunities would arise, and Patrick and I would ask each other if we were even capable of pulling it off. Were we qualified to work on a campaign for a national brand? Could we build a set from scratch? Now when a new opportunity comes across our desk, whether we’ve done something similar before or not, we’re excited about a new challenge to learn and improve.
When we were first approached by Crayola and asked to build sets to replicate a child’s bedroom or playroom, we thought it might be outside of our capabilities. But we went into research mode, rolled up our sleeves, and now building sets is one of our most welcome challenges. Now, we feel there’s no challenge we aren’t up to.
6. Our support systems carry us.
From day one, we’ve had the most incredible support from the people around us. Our professors, families, friends, significant others, and more have been there to show us how to draft a contract, pay our taxes on time, direct a spot, design a kid’s bedroom for a set we were building, and so much more. We wouldn’t be where we are without that support system, and we’re so grateful for it.
7. Success is a two way street.
Among the many things we’re proud of here at 20/20 is that we have dozens of long-standing clients who we’ve worked with for many years. Temple University, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Presby’s Inspired Life, Little League International, and Crayola to name just a few, have each been clients for at least 4 of our 8 years (and some of them have been there from the very beginning). They remain clients to this day, and we’re proud to play a small role in their successes, as they’ve played large roles in ours.
8. We’re excited for what’s to come!
8 years in, I can speak for the entire team at 20/20 when I say we’re excited to see what this next year brings. We’re already starting to plan so many exciting projects and both existing and brand-new clients that we can’t wait to share with you. It’s going to be an interesting ride up to our 9th birthday next August, and we’re ready for what’s on the horizon!
Schedule a 15-minute phone call to learn how we can play a similar role in the success of your company, as so many companies have done for us. 2020visualmedia.com/book-a-time