As the one-person producer behind Shaw TV’s Vernon coverage, Sarah Smith was used to juggling everything from setting up the TV guide and the station’s social media posts to shooting, scripting and editing stories about the community.

“It was everything,” says Smith, who also worked in this role for Shaw in Merritt and Whistler. “I wore a lot of hats.”

Little did she know, all that industriousness soon would come in handy as an entrepreneur. In 2023, just as Smith was preparing to return to work after a maternity leave, she learned that the station was being bought out and her role was coming to an end. At the same time, her eldest child had a friend whose dad was in the Community Futures North Okanagan Self-employment (SE) Program.

“All of that happened within weeks, so I thought, that seems like the path I should take.”

So, in September 2023, Smith began the SE program with ideas of bringing her video storytelling skills to the business community. Instead of simply sharing text on the About page of a business website, Smith envisioned a video version that “brings it all together and lets people see the real you.”

While Smith’s years of producing for Shaw gave her incredible resourcefulness and a strong work ethic, she quickly learned how much there was to learn about running a business.

“I was blown away by how much goes into creating a business—and by how much support they offer at Community Futures for new entrepreneurs.”

For her, the weeks spent focusing on financials—and determining what to charge for a service that been offered for free to businesses in her previous role—was especially helpful. “Until we did that work, I had no idea. I needed help with that.”

She found the SE program offered the perfect balance of challenge and support: “You had to put in to it what you wanted to get out of it. I think I’m the number one fan of that program. I’m always telling people about it.”

By November, Smith had a business plan and a vision for Sarah Smith Media. She was ready to launch. She admits that while she was busy creating content for her website and her own social channels and participating in networking opportunities, she had to continue to practice diligence and flexibility.

While she had hoped most of her time would be spent on corporate videos, she’s found greater demand for social media videos and related services. She’s also offering legacy videos that capture the cherished family stories of a senior.

“My strength is really in interviewing and finding that genuine story in a three to five-minute video that really encompasses the business values, passion and personality as well as services and why they exist…but I’ve just adapted to what’s needed and I’m staying open. I enjoy all of it.”

When a client reaches out with positive feedback after sharing a video, those are the moments that remind her she is in the right place.

“It can be a rollercoaster with your emotions and confidence and success, but after I hear back from a client, I just feel right and I know there’s value in what I’m doing and I’m making people happy.”

Are you interested in exploring self-employment? Discover how Community Futures North Okanagan can help!  https://www.futuresbc.com/self-employment/