Grow Your Video Business with Ryan Koral

After 22 years in business, I hit that all-too-familiar wall where I'd fallen out of love with the whole thing again. In this solo episode, I get honest about the self-imposed deadline I gave myself to quit, the 160-mile Camino pilgrimage that made me question all of it, and the decision to get my business "skinny" so I could finally make moves I'd been too stuck to make. If you've ever felt burie...

In this episode I sit down with my friend James Harrington, founder of the Ugandan Water Project, for a conversation that's way more about your business than you'd guess from the title. We dig into the art of storytelling that actually moves people to act, why the most relatable character in any story is rarely the obvious one, and how to figure out where excellence really pays off. It's part craf...

Most video business owners are stuck chasing reach when what actually grows a business is resonance. In this episode, storytelling and speaking strategist Jay Acunzo joins me to break down why mattering more to the right people beats marketing to everyone, and how to communicate with enough conviction that clients seek you out instead of the other way around. If you're tired of competing on price...

Andrew Nycz went from rock bottom to running a thriving video production business in South Florida—and his story is proof you really can rebuild from just about anything. In this episode, he shares how he validated a brand-new podcast offer with cheap Facebook ads before signing his first studio lease, why hiring editors was the smartest first move he made, and how he keeps a remote team that feel...

AI filmmaker and 14-time author Jason Moore joins me to unpack how artificial intelligence has reshaped the way he tells stories — without stripping out the creativity behind them. We get into a real client project that only became possible because of AI, his three guiding principles for using it well, and how he handles the inevitable wave of online critics. If you're curious (or a little nervous...

In this live coaching episode, I sit down with Evans Wilson of Zenith Creative, who's spent years running his video business as a side hustle alongside a full-time corporate job. We dig into the real reasons he's stuck on pricing and growth, and I walk him through a paid discovery workshop strategy I've used more than 50 times to win bigger clients and build instant trust. We also get into the fut...

In this episode, I sit down with Zack Thompson, co-founder of Bumpy Road Productions, for a live coaching session on pricing, packaging, and positioning. Zack's growing a sketch comedy series offer for brands, and we dig into why his current price points are leaving serious money on the table. If you've ever struggled to charge what your work is actually worth, this one's for you. Key Takeaways Yo...

Lynn Friesth spent 41 years at John Deere before stepping into what he calls an "encore career" — and now he helps other retiring professionals do the same. In this conversation, we dig into why story is the most underrated strategy in any business, how to draw real moments out of people who don't think they have a story, and the surprising market opportunity for filmmakers willing to serve the 65...

In this episode, I sat down with filmmaker Derick Fischer of Fishbowl Media for a live, no-script coaching session. After getting laid off from his corporate TV gig last November, Derick is officially making the leap from side hustle to full-time business owner—and he was honest about the messy middle of that transition. We unpacked his pricing, the systems he's missing, and the specific tools he...

Park Howell, the world's most industrious storyteller, joins Ryan to break down why most brand stories fall flat—and the simple framework that fixes it. From making the pronoun shift from "me" to "you" to walking Ryan through a live ABT exercise on the podcast itself, Park shows exactly how to stop pitching and start proving your worth to the right audience. Key Takeaways Your story isn't about wh...

In this solo episode, Ryan pulls two real hot seats from a recent mastermind call and unpacks the patterns behind them—outbound efforts that lead to ghosting, and messaging so vague even the owner's mom can't explain what they do. He also shares why he's writing a book this year, the AI stack he's using to buy back time, and the client-interview exercise that turns your favorite customers into you...

486  Overview Daren Smith — indie film producer and founder of Craftsman Films — is back on the show, and he's bringing a whole new level of clarity on what it takes to build a sustainable creative business. He breaks down the MOVIE framework from his new book Blockbuster, shares the LinkedIn strategy that grew his audience from 800 to 12,000+ followers, and offers a totally fresh take on selling...

Quynh Nguyen, Jessie Chu, and Sara Kim are paper flower artists, educators, and co-founders of a mastermind built specifically for creative makers. In this episode, they share why story — not just skill — is what separates thriving artists from those who stay invisible. We also dig into why the creative maker market is a surprisingly powerful niche for video professionals to explore, and what it r...

Ryan goes live — sort of — and ends up doing what he does best: real, honest coaching. In this solo-ish episode, Ryan chats with Mark Cruz about the fear of hiring help and what it actually looks like to start delegating in a small video business. Ryan also gets candid about overcoming perfectionism and why launching imperfectly beats not launching at all. Key Takeaways Hiring a virtual assistant...

Alex Yu is a real estate team leader and coach out of Orange County, California who's spent 21+ years learning what it really means to serve the right people — not just more people. In this conversation, Alex and Ryan get into the surprising parallels between real estate and the video business, particularly around audience clarity, the danger of copying other people's content strategies, and why b...

Brian Bogert is a human connection expert and voice architect who helps people identify the hidden patterns and emotional blocks that keep them stuck — in life and in business. In this episode, we dig into why so many creatives struggle to charge what they're worth, how childhood experiences shape our business decisions, and what it actually looks like to "drop the armor" so you can show up with m...

Bill Grant is a partner and creative director at As Told By, a production company out of Columbia, South Carolina. After 20+ years in the industry—starting in weddings and grinding through social media retainers—he landed on something that actually works: long-form storytelling for nonprofits, built around a framework that helps clients use  their videos and actually raise money with them. He also...

In this conversation with Jeremy Vest, we explore the real challenges of running a sustainable video business—from figuring out profitable pricing to building systems that let you step away without everything falling apart. Jeremy shares his journey from underpricing his work to creating a business model that prioritizes recurring revenue and genuine client relationships over the feast-or-famine c...

Skye Waterson joins the show to talk about something that hits home for a lot of creatives—why we start everything but finish nothing. She breaks down the connection between ADHD symptoms and creative entrepreneurship, shares her game-changing filter for deciding what actually deserves your attention, and explains why having fewer goals will get you further faster. This one's packed with practical...

Brian Galke breaks down how to decode people's facial features to connect better with clients and prospects. He shares practical tips on reading eyebrow shapes, understanding personal vs. business sides of the face, and why soft skills matter more than ever as AI automates technical work. This isn't manipulation—it's about truly seeing people and serving them at the highest level. Key Takeaways Th...

Jonathan Mast (the White Beard AI Guy) breaks down how video professionals can use AI to handle the administrative grunt work that's eating up their time—without sacrificing quality or creativity. He shares his proven strategies for creating consistent content, automating client onboarding, and using AI as a creative partner instead of a replacement. If you've been overwhelmed by AI or skeptical a...

Elisa Trentham is a legacy storyteller, founder of Sherwood Media, and adjunct instructor who's learned how to build a video business on her own terms. In this conversation, she shares why elevating client experience matters more than having the fanciest gear, how she's building her own distribution platform through live events, and the importance of defining success based on your values—not someo...

Rob Clark from That Tall Family has generated over 5 billion views on social media, and in this episode, he breaks down exactly what it takes to get attention in 2025. We talk about why most video businesses are posting the wrong way, how to create content that actually converts, and the game-changing mindset shift you need to stop chasing clients and start attracting them. If you've been struggli...

Paige Burns is shifting her entire business from brand work to schools and nonprofits—and she's being refreshingly honest about how hard that pivot actually is. In this conversation, we dig into why networking still beats any sales funnel you can build, how hiring your "competitors" actually grows your business faster, and the one random conversation that's made her tens of thousands of dollars. K...

Molly Mahoney drops serious knowledge about using AI to amplify your creative business instead of fearing it. She walks through how she built an interactive tool that generated 130 sales in three days, ran a Facebook auction that hit $30K in eight minutes, and why helping others succeed is the secret to growing your own business. If you've been wondering how to actually use AI in your video busine...