Stop trying to blend into the mix. That’s how you lose your flavor. And you have a LOT of it.
Gigi Rodgers is the Creative Director of And Stuff Studios where they specialize in video editing for brands and organization’s social media & ads promotions.
Here are a few other tidbits she’s willing to share about herself:
She knows that there’s nothing a good bourbon and a bacon flight can’t fix.
She knows that her spirit animals are Grace Jones & Ronda Rousey.
Therefore you should know that her spirit animals would eat your spirit animals and then wear their fur to fashion week.
She knows that her obsession with Bob Ross & Naruto re-runs is spot on.
She knows that the tv series, Daria, will one day make a full fledged comeback.
Where did the idea for And Stuff Studios come from?
I’ve been everything from a Creative Director to a video editor since the early 2000s (yeah, the single digit years).
I’ve been sharpening my craft in MANY aspects of marketing for the past 5 years.
After moving to Shanghai, China for 2 years and using my skills there to produce videos for a tequila company, a mini TedX conference, and fashion designers – I decided, when I returned to the States, to integrate the worlds of video & social media marketing to help brands & organizations reach their goals.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
My day is chock full of ticking off tasks.
Though the way I like to stay productive is to have 2-3 MAIN tasks that HAVE to get done by the end of the day.
I’ve finally distinguished between tasks that are important & ones that are necessary.
And when the task moves the needle closer to your overall goal, necessary wins.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I run in two modes:
Either I marinate on an idea for days, to weeks, letting it come to maturity…
OR
I have an idea – reverse engineer how I’d make it happen, and then I make it happen. Quickly.
The old YouTube search on “How to…” helps with that turnaround, if necessary.
What’s one trend that excites you?
I saw the new Volkswagen electric van.
That looks interesting.
Also, pineapple leather jackets.
Where it feels and looks like leather, but it’s made out of pineapple husks.
I MUST know more.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
The Pomodoro Technique.
That’s where I use a timer (on my phone) to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks.
So because I know I’m on the clock, I erase distraction (no answering Slack messages, checking my email, etc) and focus on the task at hand.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Stop trying to blend into the mix.
That’s how you lose your flavor.
And you have a LOT of it.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.
Rainbow Sherbert & French Vanilla Ice Cream are the bomb-diggity.
Also, Wendy’s French Fries dipped in their Chocolate Frosties – DELISH-IOUS.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Give yourself up to 72 hours before making a big decision, or a response, to something – especially if it’s an emotionally charged topic.
And this goes for your professional and personal life.
Your emotions can get ahead of you.
Give yourself some time for your head and your heart to meetup.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?
I picked up this BRILLIANT strategy from Nathan Collier of The Content Marketing Lounge.
If you’re in the service based business, like I am, use Google Maps to find new agencies and clients to work with.
For example, do a search in Google Maps for “Agencies in Palmetto, Florida” and it will give you all the agencies in that area that you can cold email & pitch.
After you’ve tapped that well dry, go to the next city, and so on.
Doing this, you’re funnel of potential clients will NEVER run dry.
Thanks Nathan.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
I’ve had at least 3 businesses in the past that were pretty much failures to launch.
They fizzled and went boom on the ground.
How did I overcome this failure to start again?
I didn’t like my other choices.
So I pushed aside (and locked away) my ego and I got up to do it again.
And that will be my story because I feel like…I don’t have any other choice.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A kick-ass training ground (or publication) for women.
Fight like Jason Bourne.
Drive like Vin Diesel.
Shoot like John Wick.
“Magic” powers like Criss Angel.
And swagger like Jessica Pearson (from the tv series, Suits).
And should the articles (if you choose to go that route) have cursing?
Abso-fucking-lutely.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
A teleprompter for my camera.
Why?
Because me having to setup my laptop next to my camera to read off of is, daunting.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?
Asana is a great, FREE, service to use for project management.
Monday is a paid project management service that is even BETTER!
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
For business: The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday.
It’s about turning trials into triumphs through stoicism, ingenuity, and of course, hard work.
For fun: When Elves Attack by Tim Dorsey.
Think Dexter meets MacGyver meets Ace Ventura with the addition of the main character having hints of ADD, being bipolar, and Bill Burr’s sense of humor. It’s hilarious.
What is your favorite quote?
“How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?” – Epictetus
Key Learnings:
- If you haven’t already, you should try Wendy’s French Fries and dip them in their Chocolate Frosty.
- Don’t blend into the mix. That’s how you lose your flavor.
- Women who curse, but still have class are awesome.
- Try not to let your heart get too far ahead of your head.
- If in a service based business, use the Google Maps technique to keep your prospects funnel full at all times.
Connect:
The Alter Ego: https://pucknkhaos.com
Carlyn runs the day-to-day publishing operation here at ideamensch and interacts with our awesome customers and entrepreneurs. She is likely editing this with a cat on her lap.