Hey, I'm Scott Markowitz. Welcome to the reinvention studio lab podcast. You're in the right place. If you wanna start a photography and or video business, but you don't know where to. or maybe you're already doing creative services on the side and you really want to go full-time with it.

Not sure if this is the right place to park your earbuds. That's fair.

Indulge me for a minute...

(Wayne's World Dreamy Ripple Transition)

Iimagine that you're in Burbank, California sitting in a studio audience for Let's Make a Deal.

You're a little itchy all over because, well, it's hot out and you're wearing a homemade costume.  Yes. You're dressed up like a centaur.

But wait!  The host of Let's Make a Deal, Wayne Brady himself, is pointing right at you.

He wants you to come down the aisle and play the game. All that hard work, making yourself look like a centaur has really paid off. You can't believe it.

You look great by the way.

So, you fumble about in the hooves that you made out of old platform shoes, and you manage to make it down the aisle to greet Wayne Brady.

Immediately, he hist you with the obvious horse joke.

"Why the long face," or something along those lines? I mean, you know, Wayne Brady, right?  He can't help himself.

Oh, my. He just gave you a prize bundle to barter with!

"Must be your lucky day. It's a solid cash offer," The announcer is giving us the details.

"You've won a full-time job at a creative agency. You'll be promised a nine-to-five job at a company that claims to put family values first. The starting salary is slightly below the industry standards, but there's room to grow with the company."

Wayne Brady pipes, up to keep the game moving.

"All right, you can keep the salary job and earn the same 15 years from now with no adjustments for inflation and having to sacrifice nights and weekends because the owners have no idea how to manage large clients. You'll undoubtedly wind up jaded, 15 pounds, overweight and miserable."

With a wink, he adds, "Good luck. Finding a romantic companion, willing to frequently wait alone at restaurants while you finish that proposal for the boss."

"Any creative vision you have left will be stifled at every possible turn. You'll end up watching Marvel cinematic universe movies in the hopes that you remember there are fun projects in the world that you will never, ever be part of."

He's starting to depress himself now, "Oh, and you end up pissed off at age 43, hitting that you feel trapped at a job that doesn't value who you are.  Hell. You're not even confident in who you are yourself anymore. You think you've forgotten who you truly are."

Yikes!

That landed pretty hard with you.  All you can do is stand there on stage dumbfounded in your cute little centaur suit.  Then, you stumble a little bit on the platform shoes.

"Careful," Wayne Brady says, "don't make a foal of yourself."  Wayne Brady is visibly proud of that one and he continues, "you can take the job and the steady paycheck, or you can take what's behind the curtain."

Ooh, the crowd starts shouting and you experience a wave of anxiety washing over.

It's suddenly super, super hot inside your centaur suit. And you begin to perspire. Oh, but Wayne Brady is relishing your dilemma with a half wink. He mugs to the camera and says you can be your own business.

So, I ask,  "is it yay or is it neigh?!"

And ... scene.

My friends. What would you pick?

Which prize is most appealing to you? Would you keep that full-time job or would you roll the dice and see what's behind the curtain? Have you already made your choice?

This podcast is going to help you break down these big questions.

1. How can I safely choose what's behind the curtain?
2. How can I be secure in my decision to give up a weekly paycheck for a completely unknown future?
3. Am I crazy?
4. If I quit my job, how do I deal with the anxiety that my spouse is no doubt going to have? Ah, yes, that's right. Ask me how I know the answer to that last one. That's a whole episode.

My friends, the Reinvention Studio Lab is a safe place where you can explore the idea of starting your own photography or video services business.

We will discuss what you need to know to maximize your chances of success. The risks involved in being your own entrepreneur.

No stone will be left uncovered, and you will be more likely to get your business off the ground and growing.

I'm Scott, Markowitz, the owner of Ryan and Scott Media in Naples, Florida, and your host.

The reason for me wanting to launch this podcast is because I was the guy trapped in a corporate job, wanting to create my own photography and video business.

And I was scared.

I had built up an amazing career as a TV and film editor, working for some of the country's largest media companies and creative agencies. I gave it all up in 2014 to start my own production company.

Unfortunately, the business I started in 2014 was a complete and utter failure. I fell flat on my face. Kaput. I was toast done.

It was embarrassing.

It was humiliating and it completely shifted how my wife looked at me- and not in a good, sexy way, believe me.

So in 2015, with my tail, between my legs, I went back to corporate to be the Director of Post-Production for a small advertising agency. To be honest, taking that job was a way to cover up the shame- or at least an attempt at covering it up.

If they didn't lay me off amidst the chaos of the COVID-19 lockdown, I'd likely still be there.

So, my friends in 2019, when I was out in the cold, I decided to reignite my desire to run my own creative services business. I rolled up my sleeves and ignored the wounds of the past.

And I went about things better... smarter.

Today after growing Ryan & Scott Media from zero to six figures in less than three years, I want to share what I've learned. My deep and diverse career path, I believe, will greatly serve you, as you dive into your own business.

My intention for the show is to make your pathway out of corporate and into your own studio, one that is not riddled with booby traps and hand grenades. My goal for this show is to share my growth path as an artist, a business person, and a human being and not just share my path, but to hopefully widen the path for many others to walk with me, there's enough business for everyone. Believe me.

So if you've made it with me this far, I'm no longer counting you as a friend.

Now you're my fellow photo fiend.

That's right. If you're still sticking around, that means that you're passionate about photography and videography. You're determined to make your own studio business work, somehow.

You caught the bug, you caught the bug of serving and you will not be. yep. That makes you a photo fiend. If you truly want more from life, if you want to lean in and learn how to run a successful business and how to be an amazing service to your clients and how to become a better self-leader, then join me each week in the Reinvention Studio Lab. We'll learn about the creative studio path. Then we will study it and share ways to apply those lessons in your life. In your real life. As a brand new creative studio owner. How's that sound? Are you ready to reinvent yourself? Are you ready for the Reinvention Studio Lab?

Let's go. My photo fiends.