13.75 Year Reflection

When I started ARIA Studios in 2008, I had big dreams but absolutely NO PLAN. I was 25 and just left my "dream career" of being a TV News Journalist at Hawaii News Now. My business partner Jay asked me, "What do you want to do with your life?" I thought I wanted to work in news, but I really wanted to do was to tell and share stories that mattered. Stories that made a difference in people's lives. So, we bought 2 video cameras that we could not afford and started a production company.

Back then, I didn't know many female entrepreneurs. And, definitely not in filmmaking. All of my "competitors" (many of whom became colleagues and friends) were dudes with 10x more experience and 10000x more knowledge. They actually knew what ISO and shutter speed meant, and how to turn the dang camera ON! Like many new entrepreneurs I had NO IDEA what I was doing or where this new journey would lead. I told my parents, "I'll try this out for a year or two and see how things go."

I mean, what could go wrong?

Looking back 13.75 years later and I can honestly say SO MANY THINGS went wrong. But, so many MORE things went beautifully right. I am amazed and humbled at where this little idea has taken me. I would have never imaged back in 2008 that I would get to travel the world with a team I love or shoot hundreds of weddings and then expand to allow others to do the same. I would have never imaged working with the brilliant brands that I have admired my entire life or getting to mentor dozens of young creators. And, I DEFINITELY never imagined getting to do this work while also being a mom.

I am so grateful.

I am a true believer that all great leaders need great leaders. And, I would not be here today without the mentors, business coaches and tribe that helped me navigate this wild journey. Today, I get to coach other young filmmakers and entrepreneurs and here are 3 pieces of advice that I live by:

It's a marathon, not a sprint. If you want a long life, you have do all the things: eat right, exercise, get enough sleep, etc. If you want a long business life, you have to do the same. Granted, there will be times in your business that you'll need to push a little harder but, in order to avoid burnout and have a long healthy business life, you need to prioritize your well-being. Hustle culture is canceled. Healthy work-life integration, planning ahead and time management is so 2022. Taking care of yourself is taking care of your business.
Every vision needs a plan. I remember my first business coach said she knew what she was doing every single day for the next year+ of her business. At the time, I thought that was crazy because I barely knew what I had to do on any given day. Over the years I've realized the importance of not just having a goal but to have an actionable daily, monthly, quarterly, yearly (yes, keep going) plan on how to make it happen. Do you know what you'll be working on 6 months from now? If not, start planning today!
TRUST YOUR GUT. There have been many times where I had to make the unpopular choice. Times that I went against the business books or what my coaches recommended. At the end of the day, your business is a reflection of you. You created your business out of thin air and pumped life and soul into it. Sometimes you'll just need to trust your instincts. It has gotten you this far and it will take you even farther!

Mahalo for the last 13.75 years. I can't wait for what's in store.