I moved from being the 13th chiropractor in a big family to building a full-service video production and digital agency. Along the way I learned that visuals beat text, that storytelling beats flashy endorsements, and that leadership matters as much as creative talent. Below is a practical, nuts-and-bolts conversation about what works in video marketing, how to structure customer success stories, where AI actually helps, and how to lead a team so turnover becomes the exception rather than the rule.
Tell me about your path — how did you go from photography and chiropractic to founding Garlic Media Group?
I picked up a camera in eighth grade and thought I wanted to be a National Geographic photographer. Life had other plans. In ninth grade I hurt my back wrestling and ended up in chiropractic care — my family has nineteen other practitioners — so I followed that route for a while and completed pre-med and chiropractic school. But I never stopped carrying a camera.
At Life University in Atlanta I got lucky: I asked a guy about a big lens and somehow scored a pass to shoot a collegiate track meet. I turned in that film and, without expecting it, landed a PR photography job. I shot Olympic teams, awards ceremonies, and learned how visuals are used in marketing and PR. That was where a seed got planted: the internet was changing fast, bandwidth was increasing, and visuals — eventually video — would become the core way brands tell stories online.
About sixteen years ago I started Garlic Media Group. We grew from PR and photography roots into a full production house and digital agency, focused on strategy, video, and content that moves people to action.
What does Garlic Media Group focus on now?
We craft content-first strategies. That means strategy and storytelling up front, with execution across web, paid media, and owned channels. We serve tech, healthcare, consumer packaged goods, lifestyle brands, and pet products. We operate as a global vendor for large companies and as an outsourced marketing arm for mid-market brands. The difference for most clients is one thing: we don’t just shoot pretty footage. We design content that supports a marketing funnel and drives measurable outcomes.
What are three projects you’re particularly proud of and why?
I’ll pick three that highlight different capabilities.
- High alpine documentary for Breckenridge. We filmed up where there are no lifts, hiking with all the gear to 13,000-plus feet. It was an awards-winning piece and a technical challenge in extreme conditions.
- Bumble Figure 8 live production on Aspen Mountain. This was a live, multi-camera shoot with drone feeds and no cell coverage. We used satellite links to beam drone and camera feeds to control rooms far away and to the global stream, plus radio comms for in-field coordination. Live production in remote environments is a different skill set from staged commercials.
- Summa Health brand film in Ohio. We flew in expecting sets and actors but found almost nothing shot or arranged. We recruited locals, improvised scenes, and captured coincidences — the Goodyear blimp, bike riders, even a person unloading a horse — to build a two-week-looking film in a couple days. That one underscored how preparedness and resourcefulness create magic on set.
For a business that wants the best ROI from video, what types of videos should they prioritize?
Start with brand consistency: if your messaging and image aren’t aligned, even the best content will confuse prospects. Once messaging is consistent, focus on customer success and patient stories. In my experience over 15-plus years, those outperform everything else for conversion and long-term ROI.
Why customer stories?
- They build trust. Seeing a real person tell a concise, compelling story is more believable than a celebrity endorsement or a long product demo.
- They combine emotional motion with measurable proof. If the story is heartfelt and you can support it with metrics — time saved, percentage improvements, cost reductions — those stories convert.
- They scale. You can cut teasers, create 15 to 30 second ads, and make longer-form explainers from the same interview. That gives you creative assets across channels.
Do you still need brand videos, explainers, and ads? Yes. But if you can only pick one, invest in customer success videos with sound narrative, strong visuals, and clear data points.
What structure or components should every customer success video include?
There’s no single perfect formula, but here’s a reliable structure I use every time:
- Pick the right subject. Find a customer you want more of. The more the case study aligns with your ideal buyer, the better.
- Start with the problem. What was the situation before your product or service? Make it relatable.
- Show change and impact. Demonstrate the moment of change, the implementation, or the experience. Use visuals that ground the story — the tractor in the field, the doctor walking a hallway, the pet owner in the living room.
- Provide measurable proof. Include metrics when possible: percent improvement, hours saved, revenue impacts. Numbers back up emotion.
- Use authentic, unscripted responses. Leading questions are your friend because they help interviewees answer in a way that includes the key points you need on camera. But avoid scripted, unnatural lines. Keep it conversational.
- Polish the production basics. Good audio, clean lighting, and thoughtful framing. Bad audio or competing noise kills watch time.
- End with a clear call to action. If the customer would refer your product, get them to say that on camera. Prompt them: “Would you recommend this to someone like you?”
Always prepare eight to ten leading questions. Make sure interview subjects look presentable and feel comfortable. Capture B-roll tied to the story. And plan for short teasers — five, fifteen, and thirty second cuts — to pull people into the longer story.
How should those videos be used on a landing page or website to maximize conversions?
It depends on what you’re selling. If it’s an e-commerce product you want someone to buy immediately, make the journey frictionless: landing page, product video, and a clear buy button. If it’s a complex B2B service like ERP implementation, the buyer needs more assets: long-form case studies, downloadable data for board presentations, technical one-pagers, and reference contacts.
That said, always prioritize owning the audience. Social platforms can drive traffic, but they control the audience relationship. Your website and email list are the assets you own. Capture at least an email and a phone number. Bring people back to a place you control where you can present all the materials the buyer needs to make a decision.
Are there different approaches for podcasts, YouTube, shorts, and social platforms?
Absolutely. Platform matters as much as creative concept.
- Podcasts build authority and relationship. They’re ideal for thought leadership and for connecting your leadership to audiences over time.
- YouTube supports both long-form and short-form: long videos for education and credibility, shorts for discovery and virality. You can also run YouTube ads that reach people across devices.
- TikTok and Instagram Reels are for discovery and native, in-the-moment content. Audiences and buying patterns differ by platform — Instagram shoppers behave differently than Facebook shoppers.
- Test each “pond.” The fishing analogy is useful: test the platform until you find where your audience bites, then double down.
And always measure conversion, not just views. We once had a celebrity endorsement that drove three million views and zero sales. Views don’t equal revenue. Measure what matters: leads, trials, demo requests, and purchases.
Where does AI fit into modern video production and marketing?
AI is not a gimmick; it is a productivity multiplier. We started experimenting as early as 2018 and now use AI tools daily to speed up sound work, color correction, and initial cuts. The result: our production throughput has roughly tripled compared to a few years ago.
Practical ways we use AI:
- Audio cleanup. Removing hisses and background noise saves hours of manual editing.
- Color grading assistance. AI-driven tools speed a process that used to take a colorist much longer.
- Logging and assembly. Tools that auto-log footage and create initial timeline assemblies can shave 20 to 30 percent off the edit process by replacing repetitive junior editor tasks.
- Clip discovery for shorts. Automated systems can find soundbites and memorable moments for short-form clips, speeding social output.
That said, not all AI is equal. There’s hype, and many novelty features (like talking pets) are entertaining but not necessarily converting. The key skill is prompting — knowing how to instruct the tool to generate useful options. If you’re leading a team, sharpening your prompting makes you a clearer delegator and a better leader.
What does AI mean for roles like junior editors?
Some routine junior editor tasks are being automated. That means the role shifts: junior editors who learn AI tools and how to prompt them can accelerate into senior editor responsibilities faster than before. The opportunity is to become more strategic and creative while letting machines handle repetitive work.
You said Garlic Media hasn’t fired anyone since 2019. How do you build and maintain that kind of team stability?
I made leadership mistakes early in my career. Over time I intentionally changed how the company operates because people want to feel seen and supported.
Here’s what helped:
- One-on-ones that are not performance reviews. We offer regular one-on-ones where the conversation can be about relationships, finances, buying a home, or professional growth. This signals that the company cares about the person, not just the work output.
- Career pathing and support. We ask team members where they want to go and help design projects or learning opportunities that move them there. If they leave for a leadership role elsewhere, we support that — because good relationships extend your reach.
- Empowerment and autonomy. We encourage people to make decisions within guardrails. Let people spend time to perfect something when it matters. Trust improves ownership and performance.
- Neutrality on polarizing topics. We keep the workplace focused on collaboration and respect so the team can operate together even when they have diverse views.
Those practices don’t guarantee no departures, but they do create a culture people want to stay in. And when someone leaves on good terms, they can become an ally down the road: a client, partner, or advocate.
How do you handle it when someone does quit?
It’s not a failure. If your leadership helped them self-identify their next step, that’s a win. Maintain the relationship. You never know when a former teammate will become a CMO, an agency partner, or a referral source. If you part on positive terms, it expands your network and reputation.
What are the biggest mistakes founders make when scaling from small to medium-sized teams?
Several repeats show up often. Avoid these traps:
- Hiring for convenience instead of need. Early-stage founders often hire friends or fill roles based on who’s available, then shape services around the person. Instead, list the skills you need and hire for that role. Don’t let hiring choices dictate your strategy.
- Trying to be well-rounded. Be exceptional at one or two things. The companies that win often focus resources where they can be top ten in the world, not mediocre in many areas.
- Skipping systems. Systems enable scale. Put basic processes in place early for onboarding, project tracking, and client handoffs. You don’t need bureaucracy, but you need repeatable ways to deliver quality.
- Neglecting advisors and mentors. Seek mentors who are one level ahead of where you want to be. Ask for advice, not money. Most executives love to be asked for guidance and will respond if you frame the ask respectfully.
- Ignoring profitability. Revenue is sexy; profitability keeps you in business. Focus on margin and cash flow as you scale.
How should founders pick advisors or mentors?
Go to people who are one layer above your next target. Prepare a short list of specific questions. Offer a clear time commitment — monthly 30 minutes or quarterly coffee. People often get asked for money but rarely for advice, and most leaders will give time if asked properly. Build long-term relationships; mentors can become clients, referral partners, or board members.
How do you balance entrepreneurship with family life?
It’s a negotiation. If your partner isn’t on board, entrepreneurship is an uphill battle. That doesn’t mean impossible, but you need clarity and shared expectations about time, risk, and responsibilities.
Practical rules we follow:
- Block time for family events in advance. If you tell someone you’ll be offline for a recital, it won’t disappear.
- Practice deliberate responsiveness. If an opportunity is real, it usually survives being delayed a couple days.
- Make tradeoffs visible. Know what you are willing to sacrifice and what you’re not. That prevents resentment later.
What books or frameworks shaped your approach?
One of my favorite short reads is The Richest Man in Babylon. Its lessons are simple: pay yourself, protect your capital, and invest for tomorrow. In practice that translates to focusing on profitability and sustainable growth — valuations don’t help you put food on the table.
What’s your single most important piece of advice for anyone starting with video marketing?
Stop measuring vanity metrics and start measuring conversion. Views are meaningless if they don’t change behavior. Create content that matches a specific point in your buying cycle and measure the action you care about: email capture, demo requests, purchases, or trials. Then test, iterate, and double down on what converts.
Any tactical tips for creating shorts and social clips from long-form interviews?
Use a mix of automation and human judgment:
- Use AI tools to surface candidate clips: moments with strong emotion, key phrases, or spikes in loudness.
- Manually review the AI picks. Context and intent matter. A short needs to land without the full conversation.
- Create several variations: 5 seconds as a thumb-stopper, 15 seconds for platform algorithms, and 30 seconds for storytelling.
- Always test captions since most people scroll with sound off.
What does Garlic Media look for when deciding to take on a client?
Fit and clarity. We ask: Can we measure success for this project? Do we understand their ideal buyer? Are we solving a business problem, not just making something pretty? If the answer is yes, we build a strategy and execute assets designed to move that metric.
How can someone reach you or work with Garlic Media Group?
I’m reachable and happy to talk strategy. Head to garlicmediagroup.com and use the contact button. Ask for me — I review incoming requests and will set time for a consult if the project makes sense. I also host a podcast, Regenerative Inspiration, where I interview entrepreneurs and leaders. If you want practical advice, get in touch; I like pouring into founders who want to grow.
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FAQ
What type of video gets the highest return on investment?
Customer success stories and patient success videos. When they combine emotional storytelling with measurable results, they consistently outperform other forms of video in driving conversions.
How long should a customer success video be?
It depends. Have a long-form version for storytelling and evidence (3 to 5 minutes), a core conversion piece (60 to 120 seconds), and short teasers (5, 15, and 30 seconds) for social and paid channels.
What are the must-haves for a customer testimonial shoot?
Choose a relatable subject, ask leading but authentic questions, capture supporting B-roll, ensure clean audio and lighting, and include at least one measurable metric to back the story.
How should I measure success for video marketing?
Measure conversion-focused metrics: email sign-ups, demo requests, product purchases, trial starts, or meetings booked. Track the metric tied to the video’s objective rather than raw views.
Is AI replacing editors?
AI automates repetitive tasks and speeds workflows, which means junior editor roles evolve. Editors who learn to use AI tools and improve how they prompt those tools can progress to more senior, strategic roles faster.
What’s the best way to choose social platforms for video ads?
Test different platforms — think of them as different ponds. Measure conversion, not just views. Double down on platforms where your target audience engages and converts, and don’t assume duplication across platforms will perform equally.
How do you keep team turnover low?
Offer meaningful one-on-ones that aren’t performance reviews, support career development, give autonomy, and cultivate open communication. Treat people like teammates you want to win with rather than replace.
Should founders take advice from busy executives?
Yes. Ask for specific, time-bounded mentorship. Most executives enjoy giving advice but are rarely asked. Prepare focused questions and offer a clear agenda for any mentor session.
