How Nick Closed $34K In Video Retainers - Master Filmmaker Review

I'm here with one of our clients, nick, who closed 34K in video deals. What's going on, dude? How are you?

I'm on top of the world, man. I'm great. How are you doing?

Let's go. Tell us a little bit about kind of your journey, how you got started, and just like your production company, what you do.

Yeah, absolutely. So my name's Nick or Nick David. I've been kind of in production for the past seven years. I got my start and I moved to Los Angeles about seven years ago. Got my start with working with influencers. They had millions of followers, so I kind of learned shooting, editing, account management from there. About, I'd say three, four years ago, I kind of broke off, did my own thing, experiment with getting my own clients based on what I learned. And it's funny, you guys, I saw one of your ads, like, at this point, a year and a half ago.

Just annoying the crap out of your Instagram over there.

Yeah, yeah, exactly, exactly. But it's so funny. And, you know, like, advertising, there's a good and evil, like, one they kind of. It's uncanny how specific advertising can get, you know, targeting me as a production company looking to grow, but also, it's a blessing too. But anyway, I saw your ad, and at the time, I had. I was building my production company with a business partner, and we saw your ad, and we're like, oh, this sounds like a great program. We hopped on a call with Evan at the time, and it was a little out of my budget. And at the. At the time, I was just like, in the mindset of, you know what? I'm going to try to figure this thing on my own. And it's funny, I saw your ad and I'm like, that doesn't look too hard. I could probably reverse engineer what you guys are doing. And it's. It's so funny. And it took a whole year of me trying to figure out on my own. And then consistently I would get hit up by the CRM, like, whatever you guys are doing, which is amazing. Just, like, checking in, seeing how I'm doing. And I was still. I still wasn't ready, still wasn't in the mindset of, like, okay, let me invest in this program. I still was in the mindset of figuring it out on my own. And then a year later, my business partner moved away to a different country, and I was just kind of here figure out. And then I'm like, something needs to change because I'm here. Like, I had one client at the time, one consistent client. But I would work on him. Kidding. Not every day, hours of my day, shoot with him multiple times a week. And he was an influencer at the time and I got him amazing views, amazing results. Like got millions of views consistently. But the thing was I was spending all of my time and he was relying so much on me and he was only paying me 4k a month, which sounds like a lot, but it's like every single day.

Yeah, that's crazy for every day. Yeah. Especially like as your only client.

Yeah, exactly. One post today and it was, I was like comfortable, but also I was working my ass off and it came to a point where I was like, I need, I need to get more work higher paying clients and have more time for myself as well. Because I, you know, I'm married, I have a wife and we like, I didn't really have time for life.

Yeah, for sure. Well, I think it's interesting because we hear the story a lot where it's like, people are like, hey, I want to try it myself. And by all means, like, I think a lot of people should try it themselves. But like, I guess, you know, at the end of the day you either pay in time or money. So it's like what kind of clicked for you to where you're like, hey, I just want to, I just want to pay. I just want to get, get going and get the key. I guess like what, what changed?

My client, I was about to curse. I just have to. I don't care.

You can do whatever you want.

My, My client, he started to become a headache and super grateful cuz he paid my bills and, and I got a lot of experience working with him. But it started to become a headache when it came to payment and it was. And he started being nitpicky and I was just like, I don't. Why should I deal with this? Like, and then I need something to change. Like if, if I continue to do what I was doing. I, I like one, I, I think I'm okay with like sales, but all my work has been from referrals.

I don't know what to do.

And like I'm good at the fulfillment side but as far as like a system to like, well, even, even the fulfillment side, I was still doing most of the work myself and the margins weren't there to like necessarily outsource and still keep a good profit. So Evan hit me up again and I was like, you know what? I. It was, it was weir, literally. I just thought like, something needs to Change. And same day I got a text and I was like, well, this is weird. So I'm like, you know what, Let me just revisit this.

Like, we can read your mind and we know exactly. That's a funny coincidence.

That's exactly. Yeah.

What. I guess like, why did you, and this is a weird question, but like, why did you I guess choose this program over maybe some of the other ones out there?

Like, what?

Is there anything that particularly led you here? Was it just that you had seen the ads a lot? Like maybe nothing.

Okay, I'll tell you this. So I hopped in a call and he, he kind of did a refresher on what everything I would receive in the program and in the process. And I thought it was really good. It's just in my mind I was like, this is too much money for me right now. But then there was like options where I could pay monthly or and whatever. So I'm like, okay, that's a little bit more doable. And my, my wife is like the, like the reality checker sometimes. And I was like, let's do it. But then I did look into another program that was similar. And then I looked up. I just, I kind of like weighed my options and I talked to their team and all this stuff. But the one thing that convinced me to go with you guys was one, after a year and a half of trying to figure out my own, y' all were the only ones who were consistently hitting me up. And I'm like, your follow up game is crazy. And obviously it worked because I became a client. I need something like that for myself, like to close clients for myself. And then two, I saw you had over 400 case studies. And I spent up until the, the day I signed up, I spent like the next two weeks like just like deep diving on this case you watch.

I'm so sorry you had to listen to me that many times.

No, you're good. You're good.

I'm like, well, dude, I've recorded so many. I'm like, I don't even know how many I have anymore. But that's how many you think you.

Watched before you probably until a couple months back. And then every time you would have a new case study, I would watch the new one. And a part of me is like, like, I was already convinced I was going to go with you guys until like, I actually was able to raise the money to, to start the program. But I needed to listen to that to kind of put my in the mindset of one, I have to Invest two of like. Like, visualizing myself. Successful case studies.

Yeah.

And I was like, when I entered the program, I told myself, I am going to be one of these videos.

You made it work. I mean, dude, it is a mindset. It's. It's 100% mindset. Because there's like. Like, you have to come in and say, how can I make this work? How can I make it work for me? Like, it's not. Will it work? Because it's like, you have to have the right mindset around it where it's like, I will make this work.

There we go.

Yeah, it's. It's having the mindset of, like, how can I make it work? How can I get the result right? And. And you visualizing, that obviously works. So I guess, like, obviously we work with you on a lot of things in the program, but, like, is there anything we've done particularly, like, helpful for you, like, going through the process? Yes. Okay.

So at first, the way. The way. Oh, I don't know if your viewers, like, know how it works, but it's like, half of the program is, like, the courses and then all the education. And then there's the accountability side with the Monday where, like, I check off, like, I. At this week, I should be doing this. This week I should be doing this. And then there's, like, the group calls and the mentorship. In the beginning, the most value I got out of the program was the courses because it was like, an overload of, like, new information. I'm like. Mine was like, you know, like, I don't know if you've ever watched Jimmy Neutron where he's.

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

It felt like that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

All good stuff, too. It was like an overwhelm of information, like, meaning, like, I'm like, oh, my gosh. I was. The fact that I thought I could recreate your process, I was like, dude, what was. It's so much involved and not even just like, A to B. It's like, the psychology behind a lot of the stuff you guys teach. And then once I kind of dived into that and kind of learned and implemented the stuff I learned from the course content into my material, the coaching came really valuable to me because then I was actually able to implement it. Especially, like, when it came to the ads, the copy, like, having that, that. That check to see if I'm doing things right. And then I had specific client. Client questions, like the problem client I had. In the beginning, I got a lot of really good advice from everyone on the team. And how to navigate that and it helps so much. And it honestly just the relief of knowing that I'm like someone who has built successful case studies and also has done it themselves, just that I'm going the right direction or I need to do this was like that peace of mind was enough for me. So huge.

Huge. I love it, dude. And like I guess obviously might be a weird thing to think about. Like where do you feel like you might have been if you hadn't taken the leap and like, like, because obviously it's scary, right? Like I've. I've bet on myself before. It's scary. Like where do you feel like you might have been if you hadn't taken that leap and taken that jump.

Okay. I would be. I would be probably the same place. And I'll say this, like the moment I chose to invest into your program, I'm very big believer of law of attraction. Like if you put the energy that you're going be successful or you put the energy that you're going to accomplish one thing, the universe, God will find its way to bring more of that into you. The. The moment I signed up kid you not the next month. This 10K deal for three months and.

That 10K a month.

Yeah, 10K a month.

So 30K.

Wow, that's crazy. Yeah, 10K a month. And first month was like 10K. Second month was like 11. Third month was like 13 because there was bonuses involved. It was like a very specific. And and then after that recently I was able to land a client for 6k a month for 4 months for trial. And then after the 4 months we'll see how. And I know I'm going to kill it for them.

Multi hundred thousand dollar contract almost right there, dude. After that, right?

Yes, exactly. And because. And, and you know what? Like all the knowledge aside, the person I was able to become with the confidence like dude, that was enough. If I didn't close any clients within the program I've signed up, I. The program will be worth it just because of the person I was able to become in the confidence I was able to get.

And it's sales calls confidence in like where do you feel like that that's really shining through like the confidence.

Okay. So the process of pitching clients before in the program you teach like okay, I don't know. I don't know if I. I'll keep it for your. No, do it. Say whatever you want.

Yeah, it's fine. There's no secrets. It's fine. Yeah.

Okay, cool. So before I would like Tell, like, you know, like, everybody in this industry gets. How much are your rates? How much? You send me a proposal.

Send me a proposal. Yeah, yeah.

And I used to do that, but now throughout the program, I've learned, like, that's like, number one rookie mistake. You want to have control of the process, not have them control it. Because if you do that, if you send them the rates, send them the proposal, they can just take with it. And then it becomes a game of, like, comparing rates.

You're actually taking them through a sales process now. And really, like, yeah, exactly. I love it. That's what I love hearing too, because, like, when you guys have confidence, like, that's something you're going to have for the rest of your life. Like, knowing how to operate these calls and, like, command authority.

Right.

Because then they're not looking. I always felt, when I was a freelancer, when I didn't know that stuff, I always felt like I was like. Like they were just like, oh, you hire you. You. You go over there and film this thing. Right. I felt like, like this kind of less than freelancer sometimes. And like, I hated that because I was like, I don't really know how to operate in these conversations or, like, navigate them when I was first starting.

Yeah.

So, like, I love giving you guys those tools because I feel like you start to really understand, like, I know how to hold my own in these conversations and, like, actually demand what I'm worth instead of just like kind of taking whatever you can get because you don't have. You're not equipped with the tools on, like, how to actually negotiate and close deals, you know?

Exactly. It felt like a superpower when.

Yeah.

Mindset switched when I'm like, I don't need you, you need me.

Like, they're the ones with the problem, not us.

Exactly. Yeah. Such a mind shift. And like, I. It's almost like a game to where I can. I don't have to rely on somebody's gig. You know what I mean? I still take gigs for fun because honestly, I have a passion for filmmaking. Absolutely. I don't need to because you know what I mean? Like, I have my current clients 100%, dude. I love it.

And last question. I guess if anybody's maybe just on the fence like you were maybe on, you know, they're on the fence about booking a call. They maybe want to wait a year or two years or whatever, try it on their own. Like, what advice would you give them, kind of knowing what you know now.

Stop being stubborn and figure it out. Like, figure out how to get the money to invest, because literally the moment I did, I made my money back tenfold.

Like.

Like, it's.

It's.

I'm almost kicking myself, but I'm almost kicking myself that I didn't start sooner, because if I did, I would be in a much better place sooner.

So, dude, you're here now. You're crushing it. Now I'm going to let you get back to closing deals. I appreciate your time. Keep crushing.

Thank you so much. And funny. Funny enough, I found out we were from the same town, so it's like.

I know you went to Roswell High School, right? Centennial High School and Roswell. You went to both.

No, no. Grew up in Roswell, but.

Grew up in Roswell. Went to Centennial. I got you, dude. I love it. Yeah, I was. I went to Chattahoochee, so it's funny. It's like small world. As we start to grow and get more clients in the program, we see people from, like, every single area, which I love. It's huge.

Yeah, we'll do.

Keep crushing it, and we'll do another one of these when you're closing huge, huge deals and just growing from there. I love it.

Let's do it. All right. Thanks so much.