How to Turn Missed Opportunities Into Seized Moments

It was 2014, we had just received one of those emails that makes you stop you in your tracks. It felt like this could be a big pivotal shift in our business. It was an honor alone that this company had even found us and was even considering hiring us for this grand project.

As two twenty-somethings, seeing the "suggested budget" they had in mind for this project was something like we had never experienced before.

This client reached out with a specific scope of work in mind and was looking for proposals from filmmakers from all over the area. We decided that an email back wasn't enough. We wanted to make our very best impression, we needed to pitch our vision to them in person. Stephen spent time creating a powerpoint presentation, researching the client and polishing everything to a T.  On the week of the pitch, we prayed really hard, and drove the three hours to pitch the biggest project of our careers.

Right from the beginning, the staff was incredibly warm and hospitable. They have such a prestigious brand, we were a little intimidated and didn't know what to expect. This put us at ease, and it was relaxed and casual, quite the opposite of what we imagined to our relief! After delivering our presentation, we left praying again, hoping to God we would book this project.

We left feeling fairly confident with our overall presentation, but also knew the pool the company was receiving proposals from also had immense talent.

Several weeks later, we got the email. Although they loved meeting us, and enjoyed the presentation, they had found another company who they felt was a better fit for what they were looking for. We didn’t make the cut! We were disappointed but also just grateful for the experience. We thought we would never hear from them again...

However, it turns out we had planted a seed, and made an impression that we didn’t even realize. Several months later, that company reached out again. They said they had been following our work, and they loved the way we told stories through our films. They had another project in mind just for us.

Now a couple of years have passed, and we've been able to develop an amazing relationship with this client over that time. We are now their main "go-to" commercial videographers. For the last few years, we have been contracted for multiple jobs with them every year. Stephen has been down there at least 20+ times this last year alone which is crazy! In a freelance type of business, relationships like this are the best job security you can have.

Not only that, working with them has been a dream. They are a luxurious brand, internationally known by acclaimed by many people in their field. Yet that first impression we got from them rings true to this day. They have been so down to earth and one of the most amazing clients to work with!

The fun part of this story is that initial quote we sent over with our first project pitch, remember the one that was higher than any video's cost we've ever quoted before? Through continued work with them, we've been able to 3x that amount. We mention that not to "toot our own horn" by any means, we say that because you never know how what might seem like a missed opportunity can turn into something so much more. Sometimes a shut door can lead to another open one that is so much better.

We can’t tell you how many times we’ve gotten amazing wedding inquiries that for one reason or another we can’t take on because of bookings or availability. Yet we've had some of these couples who we weren't even able to work with end up referring their friends and family members to us. How does that even happen? We think it happens because we've put in the work and strived to create a business that is so much more than pretty pictures and cinematic videography. For us, it's about the experience. Whether that standing out from the crowd by driving three hours to do a presentation in person, or the way we interact with potential wedding clients as well.

If you're in a place of feeling discouraged about what seemed like a missed opportunity lately, always remember, there is another better opportunity coming your way! It might take some time and it might come in a way you least expected it. But know it's there, look for it and chase after it. Keep hustling, keep putting in the effort and you will get there. Treat people right and more exciting opportunities will come your way!

The photo above by our extremely talented friend Lauren Carnes.