You take your creation to the world, learn from market reaction, fix what’s wrong and repeat the process.
Jay Arora (a.k.a Misterhattan) is an Independent Filmmaker and Social Media Influencer. Whether its flying over Manhattan to capture breathtaking visuals or taking selfies with the sharks in the deep water, his work is anything but ordinary. In the past few years Jay has successfully established a mark in the entertainment industry with a wide variety of projects ranging from web shows to feature films.
Where did the idea for Misterhattan come from?
One day I saw a movie and thought to myself “I could’ve done a much better job” and then I did. Now I am always out there capturing the world through my lens. Since then, I have been working with several brands and film studios for TV commercials and documentaries.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
Once the tornado of thoughts settles with the sip of my morning coffee, I start my day. I am either found on a film set or out executing spontaneous plans. I don’t like to pre-plan my days so everyday is a surprise and every night I sleep with the curiosity of what the next day brings. To stay productive, I set my goals every morning and try to accomplish them before the day ends.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Reality is boring. I have always been that person with a vivid imagination. When writing screenplays, I don’t just think, I see my characters interacting with each other and developing various scenarios. All that’s left for me to do is recreate that in real time.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
Oh, that’s an easy one. It’s Virtual Reality (VR). I am excited to see its range of applications and further development into gaming and cinema. It’s one of those trends that could bring about a paradigm shift.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
Falling off the grid. Yes, that’s exactly what I mean. Every now and then I fall off the grid for a very limited period of time to step away from the noise and spend some time on a yacht with a glass of wine. Entrepreneurs hustle hard on a daily basis and thus require some alone time to figure themselves out and reflect on their goals.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I don’t think it matters because I wouldn’t have listened.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Reality Check. You can’t proceed without one. It is very easy (especially in the entertainment industry) to get distracted from your goals. In order to grow your business, knowing where you stand is what enables you to take the best possible steps into the future.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how?
I’m always hunting for unexplored territories. Bringing something new to the table in every film has kept my audience entertained. Also, always be thankful.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
Striving for perfection. As an entrepreneur one can’t predict the outcome without market test runs. I kept trying to better what I created as I felt it wasn’t good enough to be launched. I learnt quickly that nothing will ever be perfect. You take your creation to the world, learn from market reaction, fix what’s wrong and repeat the process.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Cinemagraphs. Remember watching Harry Potter films and being fascinated by the moving photographs? That would be a phenomenal shift in the photography industry.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
I rented a private jet for an hour and just flew around. Although I must admit it was a lot more than $100. Totally worth it.
What is one piece of software or web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Google Maps. I travel a lot every day and time is the most important asset to me. Having the right info about what route to take saves me time, which I use to grow my business and building relationships with my clients.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
“What Every Body is Saying” by Joe Navarro. The book is an excellent guide to non-verbal communication and deception analysis by an ex FBI agent. Learning body language helps business in more ways than one might imagine and I would recommend this book to everyone.
What is your favorite quote?
That sounds impossible. Let’s do it!
Connect:
www.misterhattan.com
Jay Arora on Facebook: www.facebook.com/jayaroranyc
Jay Arora on Instagram:
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.