I’ve been the owner and CEO of a broadcast television and video production company for 3 years. All of us know what these past couple of years have been like for many businesses. So, I’ve faced a wide range of uncertainties. After paying off a large debt, and just as we were beginning to show a profit, Covid hit. And as an “essential business,” we never closed. Now I look back at what it took to keep going.
Back then, I decided that the slow period was a perfect time to continue upgrading our facility and adding new technology. Making improvements inspired us and gave us hope. We knew that when we got past this time, we were going to look good and function well. I built a full soundstage known as the Battery Street Stage, added robotic cameras, live stream capabilities, and upgraded both broadcast studios. We also did a lot of remodeling and beautification in the rooms surrounding the stage and our Broadcast Green Room.
But beyond improving our physical space, it was always clear to me that the most important ingredients needed to survive as a business during difficult times were kindness and compassion for each other. All of us were stressed but understood we were living through a very strange time … and doing it together. A deep bonding began to take place – often around food, which became a big deal to us – even if we had to eat across the room from each other to be Covid safe.
What we also seemed to rely on a lot was a dose of humor and the ability to laugh in the face of the weirdness of Covid. I remember in 2020 when we had a company holiday party on our stage, all of us spaced around the room 6 feet apart from each other, wearing masks and cracking jokes. It feels poignant that we were able to find that hilarity within ourselves back then.
We did have some exciting projects and great clients in the past couple of years. First virtual, then hybrid, then all in-person.
Now, as the pandemic may be receding, and we face a brighter future, there’s a closeness among us, like veterans of war. We’ll always have that camaraderie. We’ve learned a lot about being human and living our best lives, despite the odds. And we’ve been building again. 
