BUSINESS
The Power of Saying No 🙅🏻

_{(Links to help you say ‘no’ are provided at the bottom of the email)*}

Steve Jobs was a master of focus.

His approach to business wasn’t just about innovation; it was about making intentional choices that aligned with a clear vision. Jobs believed that success wasn’t just about what you say yes to, but perhaps more importantly, what you say no to.

This mindset is crucial for creatives, especially in fields like videography, where opportunities might seem vast, but not all are worth pursuing.

How many times have you got the DM on Instagram from a random account asking if you can edit a birthday slideshow for $300?

That’s what I mean by vast, but worthless.

Getting in the habit of saying no is a bit difficult, especially if you tend to be a “Yes” person like me. But here is why you NEED to start being more mindful about it.

• Maintaining Quality:

  By focusing on fewer projects, you can invest more time and energy into each one, ensuring higher quality and more meaningful results.

• Avoiding Burnout:

  Spreading yourself too thin can lead to creative burnout. Saying no to projects that don’t excite you or align with your goals can preserve your passion and energy.

• Building a Stronger Brand:

  Consistently choosing projects that align with your vision strengthens your brand identity. Over time, this attracts clients who resonate with your values and are willing to invest in quality.

When Jake and I first started Runaway Vows, we said yes to just about everything under the sun.

And it came back to really hurt us. We would find ourselves working for free with something that we no longet cared about, and it would just add to ur backlog, making it harder to accomplish our actual goals.

Does this sound familiar to you? You’re not alone, we all do it.

We could have avoided a lot of wasted time if we simply had a clear vision in mind.

BUSINESS
Defining Your Vision

Jobs was obesessed with two core principles:

Excellence and simplicity.

Everything Apple focused on aligned with those two values, and by doing so, Apple revolutionized the relationship we have with technology.

You and I might not create the next iPhone, but we can strive for excellence and simplicity in our work. We can also hone in on core values that will set our work aside from others.

Here are some tips on how you can clearly find your vision:

1. Identify Your Core Values:

   What principles guide your work? Is it storytelling, innovation, client satisfaction, or perhaps a specific style or genre?

2. Set Long-Term Goals:

   Where do you see your business in five years? What kinds of projects will get you there? These goals will help you evaluate whether a new opportunity is a step towards or away from your vision.

3. Create a Vision Statement:

   Summarize your vision in a statement or a few sentences. This will serve as your North Star, guiding your decisions and helping you stay on track.

One of these afternoons or evenings, our challenge to you is to sit down with yourself and go over these points.

Really, go over them and think about them.

One of our biggest advices to someone starting a wedding videography brand is to hire a brand designer.

When we did this, we ended up sitting down for about 3 hours and defining our work, and where we wanted it to go. This helped Jake and I have a little more clarity over what we wanted, and it helped us know how to evaluate opportunities.

One thing was for sure, we wanted to film luxury weddings for luxury clients.

And since you can’t just wake up and cold call luxury couples and get a booking for the following week, the fastest way to get ourselves on the market was through…

Styled Shoots. 💡

We immediately invested in muliple styled shoots to give our portfolio a boost of luxury content that we could leverage when emailing luxury wedding planners (more on this later in the week)…

And you wanna know something crazy that came from that?

The host of the first workshop we went to has now turned into a business partner of ours: Emma K Films.

ELEVATE YOUR PORTFOLIO
An Opportunity You Don’t Want to Miss 👀

We have recently partnered up with Emma K Films and The Wedding Filmmaker Workshop to host something BIG in 0ctober of 2025.

We are heading to Morocco to capture luxury content with filmmakers who are looking to attract luxury market clients.

Styled shoots offer a controlled environment where you can fully express your creative vision, experiment with new techniques, and produce high-quality content that attracts your ideal clients.

These shoots are not just about creating beautiful imagery—they’re about telling a story, showcasing your skills, and aligning your brand with the kind of work you want to be known for.

After coming to Morocco, I promise you will have all the opportunites to have content that will enable you to increase your prices and expand your network.

Why this workshop is a must-attend:

• Exclusive Access: Shoot in some of Morocco’s most iconic and visually stunning locations, curated specifically for videographers.

• Connect With Industry Icons: Execute your styled shoots with guidance from industry professionals, such as Will Sarmiento, Aaron Tharpe from 31Films, Emma K Films, and Runaway Vows.

• Network and Collaborate: Connect with like-minded creatives, build lasting relationships, and expand your professional network in an inspiring setting.

If you wanted to join our Ireland 2024 workshop that is happening next month, but it sold out before you could get a ticket, this is why we are opening applications up so early.

These tickets will sell out, but we want you to be there with us.

Payment plans are available*

If you have any questions about the workshop, simply reply to this email and let’s chat 💬