Devoted to Local Businesses
Owner and Entrepreneur of Devoted to Video’s, Dionne Baldwin isn’t just a videographer. Sure, she’s passionate about her craft and creating outstanding videos, but it’s learning about and promoting local business owners that motivates her the most.
Dionne’s mission is to utilize video to help other business owners tell their story, their ‘Why’, spread their message, share their mission, and be discovered by new clients. She also coaches her clients on taking that next step in producing videos regularly with their smartphone to share on social media channels. “Video is a great medium for clients to ‘meet’ a product maker, business owner, or service provider before they actually meet.”
Dionne takes time to get to know her clients and their work thoroughly enough she can assist them with presenting their best self and all the various positive aspects of what they do and how they’re making an impact in the community. She also takes time to understand her clients on a personal level.
“It’s scary to be in front of the camera,” says Dionne. “I help by understanding my clients’ fears, whether it be of criticism, seeing themselves on camera, or speaking. When I take the time to learn about them as people as well as their business, I build strong relationships that allows me to help them shine through the video. I take a personal interest in their success.”
THE BEGINNING
Dionne was drawn into entrepreneurship because she loved the idea of creating her own product. She started her venture into business ownership with a card-making company, which did well enough that her products were sold in three different local stores.
Dionne faced some truly challenging times, going through a divorce, which resulted in facing the circumstance of raising her child alone. Creating cards was no longer an option, but Dionne still had the same drive and desire to own a business and produce her own product.
After flexing her creativity, she recommitted herself into business ownership with a new career in food blogging. Entrepreneurship allowed her to be the best mom she could be. It allowed her the flexibility to provide for herself and her child financially, as well as giving her the opportunity to participate fully in her daughter’s childhood. Instead of taking time away from her daughter, this was a career that allowed Dionne to share work projects with her daughter. The ability to involve her daughter in various jobs gave Dionne parenting and working flexibility that was invaluable to her as a working, single mother.
THE SHIFT
Along the food-blogging journey, Dionne fell in love with the craft of videography. She also discovered she had a huge heart for showcasing and shining a light on local, small businesses. So, she moved from the food blogging industry to videography, specifically in support of local businesses who needed help being discovered by customers.
In this work, she loves uncovering a business owner’s unique traits and reflecting those positive points back to the owner to build their confidence in themselves which translates to video. By being authentically curious about the business owner she’s working with she’s able to paint a picture through videography that illustrates her clients as the dynamic powerhouses they are and what they have to offer to the world.
THE IMPOSTER SYNDROME
Throughout her food blogging career, Dionne had the fortune of working with exceptional colleagues and mentors. Not only did these people provide valuable feedback on her craft, but also gave solid support as an entrepreneur. They also provided referrals to jobs and collaborated on projects. Those meaningful interchanges with others in her industry were inspiring enough, Dionne offers the same support to other business owners.
The thriving part of her journey didn’t always come easy. Dionne’s biggest obstacle as a creator and entrepreneur has been self-doubt.
“It’s like when you’re on a cable bridge and you’re almost across. Then you look down and question whether you can really do this. You ask yourself, ‘What were you thinking?’; ‘Who do you think you are to have decided to climb a cable bridge?’,” says Dionne. In those moments, Dionne had people who encouraged her to keep going, reviewed all her previous success, and pointed out she was already doing the thing she was questioning whether she could do. That positive and exterior perspective on her work pushed her to success. She notes there are still times, even after 17 years, that she still faces that same self-doubt.
“I believe if you’re still growing and putting yourself out there as a business owner and as a person you are frequently re-evaluating yourself. But, when you come through the experience of self-doubt, you know yourself better. And you can say, ‘Hey, Self-Doubt, hit the road. I got this.’ And move on,” says Dionne.
ADVICE TO ENTREPRENEURS
When asked what advice she’d give to any new entrepreneur, Dionne says, “If you want it bad enough, don’t give up!” She also says if you find something about your business isn’t working, be brave enough to change it. Talk to someone you trust who’s successful in business and find a way to shift your strategy. Adapt.
She’s a firm believer in perseverance through the challenging times. And there will be challenging times! Dionne knows from experience there are a plethora of demands on a business owner.
That’s why her other best piece of advice for an entrepreneur and business owner is to start with ONE. Whether it’s one task on your checklist, one phone call, one social media post, or one video. No matter how insurmountable a thing may be, there is no way to accomplish it without taking one step first. By focusing in on just one task, you’ll feel less overwhelmed by the number of things to do.
Dionne highly recommends business owners find a mentor who’s doing what you do and doing it really well. “Find someone who inspires you,” she says. “Then find ways you can incorporate the strategies they use that make sense for your business,” she says. Want to thank your mentor for their help? Dionne recommends giving them shout-outs and shares on social media. You can also provide personal referrals, and recommend them at networking meetings. Let your mentor know how much they inspire you.
HER GREATEST JOY
All that personal growth and mentorship led to Dionne’s highest compliment. As an entrepreneur and creator who works with business owners success means new customers for her clients. Her greatest joy is when her clients tell her they received new clients from their new videos.
“Seeing the pride on their face, or tears of happiness, especially when they felt they’d never get in front of the camera, is priceless,” says Dionne. “You can’t get new clients if no one knows you exist. I love helping local businesses showcase and share their greatness.”
If you’d like to learn more about Devoted to Video, visit her FB page at facebook.com/pg/devotedtovideo.
Learn more about how Saturn Barter supports local businesses at About Saturn.
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