We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Heather Hukari a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Heather , 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?
I’ve been a video professional for over 20 years. As a female, it’s been impossible not to noticed that the industry has been male dominated that entire time. My first job after college was at an ad agency where I edited car commercials with a team of 5 other editors…all male. Being the new kid AND the only female, I put my head down and worked hard. I wanted to prove I could edit as well as any of these guys. Luckily, it wasn’t too hard to do because I loved video editing and learning how to get better at it was fun for me. I asked for help and advice as needed and the guys were really helpful for that. They didn’t treat me differently. They taught me what I needed to know and praised my growth along the way. That was a good start to my career and showed me that I was a great video editor, regardless of gender. I held on to that belief going forward and haven’t had a problem still being surrounded largely by men in this industry. I lead with my knowledge, experience and expertise.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I have been creating video professional since 2002. Within that time, I’ve become great at doing so! I’ve had the chance to create a lot of different types of videos and play different roles in the production process. I know and love video creation. I realize the impact it can have on people…either move them emotionally, teach a skill, or market a brand to reach their goals of making money. One recent change I’ve made to my business in 2023 is to offer more than production. Because just creation of video isn’t enough anymore. Clients need to see the ROI of the videos they’re paying to have me create. So now, I collect specific data to see how the videos are working, or not working so they can be adjusted. I bring a video strategy to the table that is build into the marketing of the videos to meet, and exceed, the goals of the client. It’s been a learning process to add this offering…but so interesting and so worth it! So instead of saying I own a video production company, I now say I own a video marketing company.
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?
1- Get really, really good at the skill you are going to offer. This way, when you do work for someone and they are wow-ed by what you provide, you’re guaranteed they’ll come back to you for more of that kind of work. If you’re only subpar, people aren’t going to stick around. And having return business is where it’s at!
2- Customer service is important in field. If your client has any kind of feedback or issue, take it seriously. Get used to saying “thank you for the feedback!” and then implementing it. This will keep people coming back to you, and recommending you to other people.
3- Stay up to date on changes in your field. Video has changed hugely since I started in 2002 with technology advances. A lot of video professionals got out of the field because either they weren’t willing to stay up to date and use the newest tech and got frustrated with it, or because clients moved on to other vendors who were using the latest tech. Don’t let this happen to you. Always be a student.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The amount of home videos my parents shot really impacted me and shaped what my career became. My dad had a big, clunky camcorder in the 80s and used it liberally. It normalized being around cameras for me, and I loved watching they footage of myself and my family. It showed me that video is a special thing. So it was no surprise that I went straight into pursuing video as a career when I went to college. I wanted to make videos because I knew how impactful they were.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.videoservicehub.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/videoservicehub/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/videoservicehub
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-hukari/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@videoservicehub
Image Credits
https://maryamor.com/ Mary Amor
