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

Hi Heidi, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
It was a spur-of-the-moment decision! In 2018, I was working at a network as a longterm freelance writer/producer in entertainment marketing. When the company was unable to make me a staffer, I pivoted right there in that meeting and decided to try starting my own business.

In that moment, See Spot Run was born: A boutique entertainment marketing agency specializing in promos and other audio/visual content for networks and streamers.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m no different than a lot of people in entertainment marketing who have been obsessed with TV since before we could talk. When I got my first job at WAVE 3 (NBC affiliate in Louisville, Kentucky), I was a production intern hungry to learn everything I could about every job. I noticed the people in marketing seem to be having a good time making the promos. It looked really creative and fun. Eventually, I made my way to a job as a producer in that same department, working with the people I had admired.

One of the things I’m most proud of in my career is making the leap from local market to national network television. At one point, living in LA working in national television felt like a pipe dream. But I kept readjusting my mindset and continued to set goals. I took steps to get to the next level in my career, looked for opportunities and made certain I was prepared to make moves when doors opened. A few doors would shut in my face…it happens in everyone’s career path, right? But you look for lessons to learn, improvements to make, dust off and keep going.

Overall, I’ve always tried to lead with kindness. And that has paid off immensely. For starters, it just makes life a little better to have that reflected back to me in friendships and connections in my career. But the other benefit is that people are just more willing to help you out and be there for you if you were kind to them. And not one step in my career would have happened without the support of someone I had met or worked with before. It just makes all the difference.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d start with my adorable current hometown of Culver City. I’d show them the historical movie spots around town, grab lunch at Cafe Vida and go get drinks at the gorgeous Culver Hotel, where I love to impart the important trivia that the actors who played the munchkins in The Wizard of Oz stayed and partied there during filming.

If they’re up for some mild hiking, we’d go up Mt Lee for that surreal view behind the Hollywood sign. Maybe we drive to some favorite neighborhoods to just take in the vibe and grab some dinner…West Hollywood, Sunset, or Los Feliz.

Oh! Let’s catch a show at show at Largo. Surely some current comedy legend is doing a show with their equally legendary friends. Is there a great act at the Hollywood Bowl? It’s a hassle-and-a-half to get in there, but it sure is worth it when you’re in your seat at that breathtaking and historic venue.

Finally, we’d have to do a day at Disneyland. I have my strategies and apps at the ready to make sure we max out on fun and not waiting in line.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
At every single step in my career, I can point to specific people who helped me along or supported me. If I tried to name them here, I’d surely accidentally leave out a dozen more! It could be as big as making an introduction that lead to a dream job or as small as a coworker opening their office door for me to vent on a bad day. When I started See Spot Run, there were scores of people who stepped up to help make my new venture a success and made sure I hit the ground running with everything I needed. It was so affirming to have that many people say “I believe in you.

Website: seespotrun-tv.com

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

Image Credits
Main Image / Dogs photos by Matt Jacoby

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