We had the good fortune of connecting with Rob Wiltsey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rob, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Taking risks is a pre-requisite for success. Not all risks are worth taking, but growing a business is impossible without risk taking.

I’ve always thought of risk taking as very rational. When you are starting off, and you have very little to lose, it is actually riskier to not take any risks because it is guaranteed that you will never have high levels of success.

However, risk taking also has different seasons to it. The risk-taking equation changes as you go from having nothing to lose to having a lot to lose. As you grow and you continue to advance in life, you have more to lose. Your risk equation needs to change once you have established a certain level of success, and it becomes more about preservation.

When I started my business back in 2016, I had no employees, no clients, and very little assets. All I knew is that I wanted to scale a video production service, and serve clients better than anyone else. It was worth trying anything to find a product-market fit. I used to make 100 calls a day, send emails, knock on doors. Once we’d sell stuff, I’d make big promises, then figure out how to over deliver. It was extremely challenging, but also exciting and energizing. I look back on those high-risk days very fondly.

Today, I have around 25 employees, and we create thousands of videos for hundreds of clients. I also have 2 kids. I still take risks on a daily basis, but the risks are much more calculated as there is also more to lose. Every day is about making high-quality decisions and taking the right risks at the right times.

You can’t just ask the question “what is the risk of doing this”. You have to also ask “what is the risk of not doing this”. Once you answer both questions, you can make the best decision to meet your own goals.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
VideoFresh is a special video production company. We have solved all of the pain points of hiring a video production company for your business or organization. We have simple & transparent pricing, high quality work, clear communication, and a total guarantee on every project. We primarily offer long-term subscription relationships, so brands can solve their video production needs once and for all. We create social media ads, eCommerce product videos, fundraising videos, branded content, and more. We work with brands like Stella Rosa Wines, Cuties, Kaiser Permanente, Naturewise, Post Cereal, and hundreds of others.

On a personal level, I am most proud of our team. I get to work with the most talented, passionate, hard working people every day. We solve problems together, respect each other’s opinions, disagree well, and truly love the work we get to do.

There are a lot of things you need to do to grow a business. You need to have a market that needs what you do, you need a clear offering that people appreciate, you need to retain clients for the long term by delighting them at every step, and you need bring the right team together and develop an effective culture.

Doing this for the first time is incredibly challenging for every business owner, myself included, and the learning is never done.

I love business because I love puzzles, and business is just and endless series of puzzles. It truly never feels like work, and I love working on it every day!

I’ve learned there is nothing more important in business than TRUST. You need to develop trust with your team, and earn the trust of your clients. At the end of the day, “brand” is nothing more than your reputation, and everything you do in business (and life for that matter) impacts your reputation.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Our office is in Old Town Pasadena, and there is so much good food there. Some favorite spots are Osawa, Edwin Mills, and Raymond 1886.

I also love the area around the Arts District, I love Soho Warehouse, Manuela, and Sushi Enya. Little Tokyo is an incredible place to hang out.

Venice also has an incredible spot called Barrique, which has some of the best Italian food I’ve had outside of Italy.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My wife has been with me since the beginning of the business. 8 years ago my business was just a vague dream, but she let me take risks along the way. I couldn’t do it without her support, and today we are running the business together and raising 2 boys together. I’m so thankful for the support and encouragement she gives me, and also grounds me in my decision making.

Website: videofresh.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getvideofresh/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robwiltsey/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClw5c8PSSvxzqn2HB0T04YA

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.