An award-winning director and cinematographer based in Atlanta, Georgia, Steve Colby has driven operations at Pogo Pictures since establishing the production company in 1999. Under his leadership, Pogo Pictures has evolved into one of the most productive commercial film companies in the southeast. Steve Colby has assembled a diverse team of skilled directors and producers capable of consistently delivering projects with emotional impact, with a goal of surpassing client expectations.
In addition to his work leading business operations at Pogo Pictures, Steve Colby has overseen film productions in Georgia, 46 additional states, and dozens of nations throughout the world. He has completed many projects for Fortune 100 companies and headed numerous regional tourism campaigns all around the US. A project he filmed for Doritos was named the favorite Super Bowl commercial in 2013 and one of the top 50 Super Bowl spots of all time.
Mr. Colby balances his work as a director, cinematographer, and business leader with his role as a board member and president of The Bridge to Recovery, a philanthropic organization that provides support services to people living with childhood traumas.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
No two days look alike, which is probably why I still enjoy what I do. Mornings usually start with coffee, reading, and chasing ideas before checking emails. Lately I’m using AI to visualize concepts almost as fast as I can imagine them. It keeps clients from wondering, “What do you mean?” and lets them say, “I want that.”
How do you bring ideas to life?
I try to get ideas out of my head and into something people can actually see. Sketches became storyboards, storyboards became cameras, and now AI lets me build scenes in minutes instead of days. The technology is incredible.
What’s one trend that excites you?
AI isn’t replacing creativity—it’s removing excuses. A great idea doesn’t have to wait for a huge budget before people can believe in it. That’s incredibly freeing.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Curiosity. I ask a lot of questions, even if I think I know the answer. Sometimes the smartest person in the room is just the one willing to admit they don’t know yet.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Stop worrying about looking successful and spend more time becoming useful. The opportunities eventually find the people who solve problems.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
I think technology is making it easier to be more human—not less. If AI handles the repetitive work, we have more time for empathy, storytelling, and imagination. I know that sounds backwards to some people.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Show people your ideas before they’re perfect. I’ve learned more from an awkward first draft than from a polished masterpiece that never left my computer.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I go outside, take a walk, or work on something completely different for an hour. It’s amazing how often the solution shows up when you stop chasing it. Also, coffee. I’m not pretending coffee isn’t part of the process.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
I’ve always tried to solve bigger problems than the one I was hired for. If a client asks for a commercial, I start thinking about a campaign. If they ask for a campaign, I start thinking about a brand story. People remember the person who brought ideas they didn’t know to ask for.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
I’ve spent too much time trying to convince the wrong people. Eventually you realize that not every great idea has the right audience. Now I spend more energy finding people who are excited by possibilities than trying to convert skeptics. It’s a much happier way to work.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Every town has remarkable people whose stories will disappear when they’re gone. Create a company that produces cinematic legacy documentaries for families, businesses, and communities using AI to make archival photos, letters, and memories come alive. In 20 years, I think these will be treasured more than almost anything else in a photo album.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
ChatGPT has become part collaborator, research assistant, and sounding board. Combined with AI image generation, I can go from a rough thought to a visual pitch in a fraction of the time. It doesn’t replace experience—it amplifies it.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?/
Probably on a dinner with friends. Great conversations have sparked more good ideas—and saved me from more bad ones—than most business books ever have.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. It’s a simple reminder that the hardest part of creative work isn’t talent—it’s showing up. I revisit it whenever I need someone to politely kick me back to work.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I enjoy British mystery series such as Dept. Q and Adolescence. Or anything else before Taylor Sheridan.
Key learnings
- Technology works best when it helps people communicate ideas more clearly, not when it replaces creativity.
- Curiosity and asking thoughtful questions lead to better work than pretending to have all the answers.
- Sharing ideas early and inviting feedback speeds up improvement and builds stronger results.
- Long-term success comes from solving bigger problems than clients initially ask you to solve.
- Stories have lasting value, and preserving meaningful human experiences may become one of AI’s most important applications.