We were lucky to catch up with Freddie Carlini recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Freddie, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I think imposter syndrome is just the ghost in the room we all need to get used to. Sometimes lingering. Sometimes haunting.
With over 14 years of owning my own agency, as well as many more years in the industry before that, there’s still many days where I find myself questioning my abilities or a sense of doubt and anxiety that overtakes me when approaching certain projects.
I think in some ways it’s humbling when this occurs, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I find that in those moments when it hits, it makes me reflect on many of the projects and work I’ve accomplished, and during those reflections I find my way to “overcome” these moments of imposter syndrome. It makes me see how far I’ve come, really gain a true sense of my own abilities and talents, and remember, “I got this.”
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My name is Freddie Carlini. I am a founder and Creative Director of Bright Light Media, LLC (Bright Light).
I grew up on a healthy diet of video games, horror movies, TV, music, and popcorn, so I can get a bit wild with my imagination, but that tends to be very beneficial to both our clients and our company. I’ve had a love for computers, tech, and being an entrepreneur since a very young age, and got into design early during my high school years. I graduated from the Catholic University with a BA in Media Studies and a focus on film.
After working corporate jobs and taking on many freelance gigs, I founded Bright Light with my friend, Matt Corrado, in early 2010, and have been growing Bright Light’s client list and business for the last 14 years.
Bright Light is a small Washington, DC based creative agency specializing in design, branding, web development, video production, and marketing. It is currently run by myself and my business partner and CTO, Kevin Vess.
Being our own design and marketing team has also afforded me opportunities to develop my own passion projects. In 2014, I came up with my homage and love letter to 80’s horror, the board game, Mixtape Massacre. After working with several iconic brands and businesses for years, in 2015 our team at Bright Light Kickstarted our own product.
Mixtape Massacre is a Bright Light original product that was conceived, developed, and produced by our team. After the original Mixtape Massacre was successfully funded on Kickstarter, we were off to the races developing expansions, merchandise, additional products, and growing our idea into a full fledged brand. Mixtape Massacre has now sold out multiple times and turned into a cult-classic board game experience for the last 8 years. We continue to grow the product line and expand the intellectual property.
Thanks to the IP’s success, it has afforded us the opportunity to create other games such as the sequel, Escape from Tall Oaks, our aquatic horror game, FLOAT: From the Deep, and this year, in 2024, we’ll be unveiling our new game Christmas survival horror game, GTHO of the House.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Skills and knowledge are always a must, but they only get you so far without certain qualities that help make you stand out from the crowd. I think the qualities that are important in any relationship or partnership are also what have been most impactful on me during my journey of being a successful entrepreneur.
A Playful Nature
Maintaining this part of myself from my youth as I’ve aged has helped keep projects fun not just for myself and our team, but also for our clients. I think it’s a welcome reprieve when you go into meetings with excitement and laughter instead of the day to day slog of a stereotypical office environment. It makes me happy that clients enjoy working with me and look forward to our discussions and collaborations.
Trust
Being brought on to a major project where not just money is on the line, but also a company’s name and reputation is a big deal. I think as freelancers and consultants we sometimes take this for granted as the “grind” of getting clients can make many just look at each project as “the next check.” But really what a client is saying when bringing you on is they’re entrusting you with their company. Building and maintaining that trust with a client is what leads to lifelong partnerships as well as referrals.
Instinct: The “Right” Client
Just like dating, not everyone is a match. One of the most important things when working in this field is knowing which clients are right for you. This isn’t just important for you, but also for the client. It can make or break a project, as well as kill a collaboration. Picking the right client doesn’t just lead to a successful project. It leads to repeated successful projects with that client. If you develop the vibe early on at the start of a project that this may not be the right fit for you, follow that instinct. As much as the money might be a leading factor for some folks when taking on a project, going into a project with a client you don’t click with may very well make the money not worth it when all is said and done. As the years go on, you quickly pick up on the signs of not just “good” and “bad” clients, but also the “right” clients.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me was trust me and respect me very early in life.
They trusted me to do the right thing. They also trusted me to make mistakes. More importantly, they’ve trusted me to learn from those mistakes. And I have learned alot in 41 years.
My parents don’t approve of or love everything I do. And they don’t have to. That’s not parenting. They don’t like my tattoos. They don’t understand my lax way of dressing. They can’t believe I’m an athiest. They’ll never understand my taste in music and movies. But they respect me and they respect my choices.
They pushed me to chase my dreams, even if they didn’t understand them or that they weren’t the dreams they had for me. And they have always been proud of my accomplishments, but more importantly, to call me their son, no matter who I choose to be.
In a world where parents continually smother their children and try to shape them into what they want them to be, my parents only wanted happiness for me, and they have trusted me to find my own path towards it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://brightlightmedia.co and https://mixtapemassacre.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/oh_freddie/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/freddiecarlini/
- Twitter: https://x.com/_oh_freddie
