Welcome to Creatives Grab Coffee, a podcast on the business of video production. Hosted by Kyrill Lazarov & Dario Nouri https://www.creativesgrabcoffee.com Produced by www.LapseProductions.com
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#118 Invest in Marketing, Win on Retention (ft. 17 Projects)
Season 6 Β· Episode 118
Tuesday, July 21, 2026 β’ Duration 54:24
Rob Arevalo of 17 Projects on launching a video company two months before COVID, marketing with no budget and then with real money, cold calling in New York, government RFPs, toning proposals down for corporate buyers, and why client retention drives growth.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:46 Meet Rob Arevalo and 17 Projects
3:13 From the Air Force to launching during COVID
6:35 Why keep going when the industry stopped
8:13 Corporate clients and the easiest path in
10:31 Client retention beats chasing new clients
12:59 Systems that keep clients happy as you grow
14:38 A two-person core with a deep freelance roster
15:57 A thousand cold emails: marketing with no budget
18:56 The marketing bets that took 17 Projects full time
20:18 How Lapse grew: SEO over paid ads
22:40 Evolving the marketing mix year to year
24:03 Do mass cold emails still work?
27:32 Cold calling in New York
29:07 Timing, brand awareness, and staying on the radar
#117 Winning on Trust in a Crowded Market (ft. Offbeat Creative)
Season 6 Β· Episode 117
Friday, July 3, 2026 β’ Duration 01:05:08
Gabe Nazario, founder of Offbeat Creative in Jersey City, joins Dario and Kyrill for a candid, tactical conversation about the business of video in the New York metro. He built Offbeat on the side of producer and editor roles at Fox, Disney, and JP Morgan, then went full time once the profit matched his salary. In this episode: growing slowly and hiring deliberately, why a lean 1099 crew sometimes scares clients, treating AI consulting as an SEO play, the tools that speed up the work, chasing simple-deliverable retainers, and why in a market where everyone makes good videos, you win on trust and follow-up.
2:07 From Fox, Disney, and JP Morgan to going solo
5:09 Making the leap from a corporate job
8:51 A lean core team plus 1099 crew
10:26 Why a small team spooks some clients
12:29 AI consulting as an SEO play
16:39 The AI tools Offbeat actually uses
28:32 Social media: phone-tier content and volume
33:08 Corporate and commercial: the bread and butter
35:00 Chasing retainers for a monthly pillow
42:30 Google reviews, SEO, and the 70/30 split
45:31 Take the one-off
46:59 Jersey City vs New York
49:41 Competition and winning on trust
53:14 The sale is closed on the hello again
#116 Why One Video Is Never a Strategy (ft. MultiVision Digital)
Season 6 Β· Episode 116
Wednesday, June 24, 2026 β’ Duration 01:14:34
What happens when a sales guy, not a camera guy, builds a video production company?
Rob Weiss started MultiVision Digital 15 years ago in New York City with no portfolio and no editing skills, and has since produced more than 1,700 videos. In this episode he sits down with Dario Nouri and Kyrill Lazarov to break down the system behind that run: batch producing so one shoot day becomes ten deliverables, selling clients on a video-first strategy instead of one-off projects, a trade show sales machine built on business cards and a script he has used for years, niching so hard into manufacturing that he launched a second website, and going chest-deep into AI without burning through the budget.
In this episode:
- Batch producing, and why you never make just one cookie
- How to sell clients on a video-first strategy
- Where clients really are on video adoption (a 1 to 10 scale)
- The 14-FAQ-video story: aligning budget to goals
- A trade show playbook built on "I just want to say hi"
- Niching down until you need a second website
- The YouTube Shorts epiphany and repurposing to TikTok
- Using AI in real client workflows, and pricing it with contingency days
Chapters:
00:00 Intro: A Sales Guy Who Built a Video Company
03:29 Batch Producing: Why You Never Make Just One Cookie
05:23 Stop "Just Carving Out Snippets," Plan Your Reels
08:41 Selling Clients on a Video-First Strategy
11:19 Where Clients Really Are on Video (a 1 to 10 Scale)
14:21 Aligning Budget to Goals + the 14-FAQ-Video Story
#115 Experience-Based Hiring & AI Tools (ft. LivaLittle)
Season 6 Β· Episode 115
Friday, June 12, 2026 β’ Duration 01:21:38
In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee, we sit down with JD Gonzalez, founder of LivaLittle, a boutique production company based in Brooklyn, New York. JD is a cinematographer, producer, and director who's built his business around a unique philosophy: experience-based hiring β rotating crews and giving people the opportunities they need to grow their careers.
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 β Intro: Meet JD Gonzalez of LivaLittle
01:50 β Experience-based hiring & a DEI-focused production company
03:58 β Building a network by rotating crews
10:23 β Getting remembered in a new market: consistency over time
12:17 β JD's backstory: film school & teaching high school film
17:00 β Crafting the Image: running free filmmaking workshops
23:46 β Virtual production & partnering with rental houses
25:09 β Why film education should be free
27:19 β No one can steal your perspective
30:10 β Could Creatives Grab Coffee go live & in person?
31:21 β Why JD moved from Denver to New York City
34:30 β Breaking into the NYC market
36:38 β Does owning a camera still win you work?
39:11 β Consigning gear with a rental house
40:41 β The logistics of filming in NYC: trucks, insurance & freight elevators
48:22 β Branding, SEO & landing direct-to-client work
51:23 β Running a lean, direct-to-client production model
53:05 β Building PrepViz: a scene design & previz app made with Claude Code
#114 TV Doc, RFPs, and AI (ft. Bee Video Productions)
Season 6 Β· Episode 114
Friday, June 5, 2026 β’ Duration 01:30:14
Brigitte Sachse of Bee Video Productions returns for her third visit to talk shop with Dario and Kyrill. We get into how Bee Video landed a documentary series on TVO ("The Nature of Design"), why animation became their secret weapon, and the recurring theme of the whole episode: diversifying your work, your income, and even your project timelines so you never have all your eggs in one basket. We also dig into whether AI video is actually a threat (spoiler: not yet), the great raw-footage-and-project-files debate, the pain of government RFPs, public pricing, SEO, and a couple of brutal "client didn't pay us" war stories β plus the copyright-strike trick that gets you paid.
00:00 Catching Up with Brigitte (Bee Video Productions)
01:00 "The Nature of Design": Pitching a Doc Series to TVO
05:20 How Animation Became Their Secret Weapon
07:30 Working with a Broadcaster vs. a Corporate Client
11:10 Making a Passion Project Profitable
14:15 Why a Diversity of Timelines Prevents Burnout
19:35 Why Is Everyone So Busy Despite the Economy?
21:45 Is AI Video a Real Threat?
29:45 Raw Footage, Project Files & the "Costco Hot Dog" of Post
41:45 Government RFPs: The 50-Page Slot Machine
55:00 What's Next: Personalized Video & a Shared Studio
01:03:30 The Real ROI of a Podcast + SEO
01:06:15 Should You Make Your Pricing Public?
01:14:40 Getting Stiffed & the Copyright-Strike Fix
#113 Building a Values-Driven Production Company (ft. Tiny Studios)
Season 6 Β· Episode 113
Thursday, April 23, 2026 β’ Duration 01:31:36
Welcome back to another episode of Creatives Grab Coffee! In this episode, we are joined by Ed Rowe and Celia Hodgson from Tiny Studios. Tiny Studios is a B Corp certified production company based in London. They work across various sectors to produce impactful web and social content that truly shifts the needle. Today, we dive into their journey from freelance life to agency ownership, the importance of building a healthy on-set culture, and what it's like to navigate an agency acquisition while staying true to your core values.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Tiny Studios
07:00 The Journey from Freelancer to Company
13:56 Building a Team and Company Structure
19:57 Navigating Client Expectations and Budgeting
29:02 Lessons Learned and Future Aspirations
29:48 Building Through Word of Mouth
34:25 Navigating Gender in the Industry
37:47 Creating Inclusive Spaces for Filmmakers
41:06 Challenging the Burnout Mentality
49:29 Understanding Client Value Propositions
53:42 The Journey of Acquisition and Integration
01:04:37 Building a Pipeline for Success
01:06:55 Navigating the Acquisition Process
01:09:59 The Value of B Corp Certification
01:16:00 Preparing for B Corp: A Guide for Businesses
01:21:04 The Importance of Documentation and Processes
01:25:01 Final Thoughts and Future Directions
01:30:02 Outro
#112 Expanding to Multiple Cities & Potential Career Change (ft. Tone Films)
Season 6 Β· Episode 112
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 β’ Duration 01:05:15
In this conversation, Andrei from Tone Films shares his journey of starting a videography business during the pandemic, the challenges he faced, and the strategies he employed to grow his company. He discusses the importance of SEO, building a reliable team of videographers, and the creative processes involved in producing high-quality content. Andrei also reflects on his aspirations for the future, including a potential transition into accounting and the importance of work-life balance.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 The Birth of Tone Films
03:08 Learning the Videography Trade
05:43 Expanding the Business
09:03 Building a Reliable Team
12:09 The Importance of SEO
14:56 Vetting Videographers
17:47 Editing and Delivery Process
21:00 Creative Projects and Pre-Production
23:48 Communication and Client Relations
27:09 Future Aspirations and Career Transition
46:43 Reflecting on Life and Happiness
49:06 Balancing Work and Personal Life
51:37 Daily Routines and Time Management
54:03 Exploring Career Paths and Future Aspirations
57:06 The Challenges of Live Production
01:00:08 Building a Business and Future Ventures
01:03:41 Outro
ποΈ About Our Guest
Andrei Tone
Founder & Creative Director β Tone Films
#111 Filming Under Fire (ft. Highlight Films)
Season 6 Β· Episode 111
Thursday, February 5, 2026 β’ Duration 01:08:53
In this episode, we sit down with Noam Shalev, founder of Highlight Films, to discuss a side of the production industry few get to see. Based in Israel, Noamβs team handles everything from high-end corporate shoots to gritty news coverage in active conflict zones. We dive into what it really means to be a "fixer" , how remote production technology has allowed directors in LA to direct crews in Tel Aviv , and the massive logistical pivot Noamβs company made on October 7thβshifting from seven corporate productions to managing 15 news crews overnight. Noam also opens up about the emotional toll of documenting history , the safety protocols required when filming under fire , and why, despite the chaos, he refuses to leave.
Timestamps
00:00 - Intro
00:21 - From Doc Filmmaker to "The Fixer"
02:08 - Defining the Role: What does a Fixer actually do?
02:45 - How COVID changed remote production forever
07:17 - Why Noam started doing corporate work
11:09 - October 7th: Pivoting from corporate shoots to war coverage overnight
15:56 - Safety Logistics: Walkie-talkie apps and missile alerts
17:22 - Storytime: Hiding tapes in underwear in Iraq
20:55 - The emotional toll of interviewing survivors
34:55 - The impact of political instability on the tech sector
37:40 - Managing a business when staff are called to reserve duty
43:12 - Why stay? The pull of "Home" vs. moving to LA
47:51 - "Real Chaos": Why cameras are treated like weapons
50:47 - Building a reputation without advertising
56:01 - Protecting the business: Deposits and spotting bad clients
#110 New Years Goals, Growth, & Gen AI (ft. Signature Video Group)
Season 6 Β· Episode 110
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 β’ Duration 01:09:30
Welcome to Season 6 of Creators Grab Coffee! To kick off 2026, weβre joined by one of our OG guestsβChris Stasiuk from Signature Video Group. Chris is celebrating 16 years in business, and in this episode, we go deep into what it actually takes to survive and thrive for nearly two decades in the creative industry.
Chapters
00:00 Celebrating Six Years of Podcasting
02:58 Reflecting on Business Growth and Goals
06:07 Maintaining Momentum in Business
09:02 The Importance of Marketing and Content Creation
11:59 Navigating Business Challenges and Scaling
15:10 The Role of Freelancers and Partnerships
17:53 The Impact of Goal Setting and Manifestation
33:32 Trusting the Process
36:56 Navigating Client Loss and Diversification
39:27 Maintaining Client Relationships
42:36 Maximizing Content Value
43:39 The Impact of Generative AI on Content Creation
49:35 AI as a Tool for Creatives
52:11 The Future of AI in Creative Industries
ποΈ About Our Guest
Chris Stasiuk
Founder & Creative Director β Signature Video Group
π§ Hosts:
Dario Nouri & Kyrill Lazarov β Lapse Productions, Toronto
#109 Vertical Dramas, Values, & Hard Times (Ft. Corbin Visual)
Season 5 Β· Episode 109
Friday, December 5, 2025 β’ Duration 01:28:22
In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee, Jon Corbin β Founder of Corbin Visual β returns for his third appearance on the show, making him the official CGC Champ. οΏΌ Jon dives into the new era of creative entrepreneurship: How vertical dramas are transforming storytelling online, why client value beats trend-chasing, and what it takes to stay profitable during hard economic times in the video industry.
Timestamps
00:00 β Intro
02:18 β Jon returns: The Hat-Trick Episode οΏΌ
07:25 β From trend-chasing to client-value
11:33 β Understanding real business challenges
18:32 β Outbound vs. inbound sales realities
27:47 β The new bar for βgood enoughβ in marketing
33:59 β Adapting in tough economic times
41:07 β The isolation of being a creative business owner
52:16 β Enter: Vertical dramas
55:10 β Hiring the right team + not doing it all yourself
1:04:27 β Staying ahead of industry shifts
1:25:17 β Whatβs next for Jon & the future of CV οΏΌ
1:26:40 β Sign-off
ποΈ About Our Guest
Jon Corbin
Founder & Creative Director β Corbin Visual
Toronto-based creative agency specializing in video strategy, branded content & next-gen storytelling formats.
π§ Hosts:
& β , Toronto
1:01:42 The story behind the name Offbeat
Creatives Grab Coffee is a podcast on the business of video production, hosted by Dario Nouri and Kyrill Lazarov and produced by Lapse Productions (https://www.lapseproductions.com/).
17:34 A Softening Market and Smarter Client Questions
20:38 Trade Shows, Business Cards & Planting Seeds
24:05 The "I Just Want to Say Hi" Sales Approach
29:01 Postcards, QR Codes & Email Sequencing
33:57 Running Sales While Running a 5-Person Team
40:09 Coming From Sales, Not the Camera
43:25 Long-Term Freelancers and a Team Mentality
47:21 Why Manufacturing Became the Niche
49:55 A Separate "Video For Manufacturing" Website
Creatives Grab Coffee is a weekly podcast about the business of video production. If you are enjoying the show, follow and leave a review, it genuinely helps. Watch the full video episodes on YouTube and find every episode at https://www.creativesgrabcoffee.com
58:49 β Teaching yourself to build apps with AI
1:02:41 β Building a custom CRM
1:03:54 β Are you locked into one AI platform?
1:09:44 β The ups and downs of the AI train
1:11:41 β Standing out when everyone uses AI: you get out what you put in
Creatives Grab Coffee explores the business of video production, featuring candid conversations with studio owners and filmmakers around the world on scaling, creativity, and industry evolution.
Creatives Grab Coffee explores the business of video production, featuring candid conversations with studio owners and filmmakers around the world on scaling, creativity, and industry evolution.
Creatives Grab Coffee explores the business of video production, featuring candid conversations with studio owners and filmmakers around the world on scaling, creativity, and industry evolution.
Creatives Grab Coffee explores the business of video production, featuring candid conversations with studio owners and filmmakers around the world on scaling, creativity, and industry evolution.
Creatives Grab Coffee explores the business of video production, featuring candid conversations with studio owners and filmmakers around the world on scaling, creativity, and industry evolution.
Creatives Grab Coffee explores the business of video production, featuring candid conversations with studio owners and filmmakers around the world on scaling, creativity, and industry evolution.
Creatives Grab Coffee explores the business of video production, featuring candid conversations with studio owners and filmmakers around the world on scaling, creativity, and industry evolution.
