Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Anna Boyter . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Anna , so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
The world is changing but navigating the terrain as a female in an historically male-dominated industry has had its share of unique obstacles. Here’s an example.
Picture this: you’re a 20-year-old woman, just starting to find your footing in your chosen field. You seize every opportunity to showcase your hard-earned skills, diligently arriving at work before anyone else and staying long after the others have left. Then, one day, the company’s most prominent client walks in the door. This is your moment, the chance to prove your worth to both the client and your organization. You are prepared because you’ve been working ideas for this project at home on your off hours and you’ve got some fun and unique solutions. Your boss calls for an all-hands-on-deck meeting and you’re stoked because you’re ready.
That was the situation I found myself in. So, I swiftly grabbed my project notes and headed upstairs excited to reveal all of these great ideas, eager to contribute to the team.
In the hallway, I caught up to my boss and the illustrious client. The client, a renowned movie producer and comedian juggling multiple film projects, engaged in conversation with me about his work and production, and we found ourselves in an animated discussion. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to establish a professional rapport in that brief 30-second corridor encounter before the big meeting. But then, in a move that felt deliberate, my boss cut off our conversation, turned to me in front of the client and remarked, “I don’t need you in this meeting; I need you to take my dog for a walk.”
While this incident may not appear earth-shattering on its own, it was just one of numerous instances of micro-aggression I encountered while trying to carve out a niche in my career. Such occurrences were so prevalent that I realized early on, I was going to have to fight every step of the way if I was going to earn even an ounce of respect.
I realized I had to demonstrate that my contributions were more valuable than any potential bruised egos over the fact that “a girl” had worthy insights to offer to the team.
I learned to play a different kind of game, chess. It might seem unrelated at first, but the parallels are unmistakable. If I wanted to succeed in the competitive arena of my career, I had to master strategy and make moves that positioned me where I could help my clients could thrive, all while seeing any obstructions not just as obstacles in my path but also as hindrances to the client’s interests.
I knew my absence from that crucial meeting was a disservice to the client but there was no going back. No way to prove it. No way to contact the client directly. So, I made a savage move. My own version of a Marshall Attack, if you will. I left that job and took a revised version of my ideas to a competing client ultimately crafting one of the most captivating campaigns that sky rocketed their promotional efforts.
From that day onward, I always had a rightful place at the table backed by my own video agency team of bad ass creatives, and that dude can take his own dog for a walk.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am nothing without my video team. We are creators, thinkers, explorers, and outside-the-line colorers. We value each other equally as artists and video strategists. We don’t just produce videos for websites, commercials and streaming platforms, we also media buy for the best possible placements for our brands. Our goal is not to make our brands grow, it’s to make them unstoppable.
Yes, we’re bizarre little artists, but we’re also carnivorous beasts when it comes to getting things done for our clients. Cute and fun with a vicious roar are the same dynamics we bring to creative video campaigns.
It’s not just about making Hollywood quality videos either. We know businesses are facing unique challenges that require sophisticated strategies. We attack complex problems head on, fearlessly, and stop at nothing to fight for our client’s rightful stake in their market.
Our ad strategy is just as unrelenting as we are, making video advertising solutions simple and sniper concise, for maximum ROI.
Our hustle game is strong, we’re fiercely competitive for your clients, we’re backed by a flawless reputation, and we dance. A lot.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Aside from a general knowledge of filmmaking from learning how to be organized and communicative in preproduction, precise in production and a killer in post production – enough to build a team that is better than me in all of those areas, I’ve had to learn people.
How do you use video to tell them a story they’ll believe in? Not only does it have to capture their attention but it has to move them into action. Maybe it’s to buy a product that will help them solve a problem, or book a service that will benefit them, or introducing them to a brand they can fall in love with that just makes them feel happy.
I’ve had to learn people’s behaviors across all kinds of different markets that are ever-changing and it’s always a challenge I’m excited to meet. In all of this people learning, I’ve become a better friend and a better team leader and a better person.
So, yeah, learn the craft, of course, but also learn people. At the end of the day, people are what matters.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Collaborating is the name of the whole game.
We collaborate with our brands’ internal marketing teams, external marketing agencies, freelancers in the industry. We even collaborate with our competitors. All the time.
I’m always stoked to meet and network with people in the video industry, adjacent industries or even people that don’t know anything about it but want to learn more. I can be reached directly at anna@bearhandsmedia.com anytime. Yeah, bring it on. Go Team!
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Main Photo by: Roshan Moayed
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