Although Brighton works in business coach marketing, he is also a virtual videographer for professional coaches and their clients working with businesses worldwide. Brighton has been working with coaches since 2015 and has been working with video for 10 years prior to selecting that niche. Brighton’s video skills were collected over the past 15 years taking night classes in narrative and documentary filmmaking. His big break was creating a successful web series, after which people started asking him, “How do you get people to watch your YouTube videos?” At the same time, Brighton’s entrepreneurial side was starting to show up – thus was born Brighton West Video.
What was your background before you performed business coach marketing?
Before becoming an entrepreneur, Brighton was the deputy director of an environmental nonprofit in Portland. He’s also had a career in IT and carries around a degree in Landscape Architecture (which served him for exactly 6 months in the professional world, before he threw up his arms and proclaimed that he could not design one more parking lot.)
What do you love most about helping business coaches market their service?
In his prior role as Deputy Director, he was tasked with growing the nonprofit’s largest program 300% in 3 years. And that program relied on thousands of volunteers and clients. Immediately Brighton saw a marketing challenge. How could they triple the number of volunteers and clients in such a short period? Those people needed to know, like and trust the nonprofit – quickly. Brighton worked with billboards, social media, video, print and online advertising. But video was the most fun – and the part that most people remembered. They made videos to bring in new people and to help them understand how the process worked.
In the nonprofit world, Brighton was making a positive environmental change, which was great. But working with coaches, he’s able to take his marketing and video skills and help coaches impact their clients. Coaches leverage their skills – especially business coaches who have employees, contractors and clients. By helping coaches reach and convert more clients, Brighton’s work impacts thousands of individuals.
Was there any defining moment that led you to pursue your current path?
When starting Brighton West Video, Brighton explored many types of clients: web series creators, real estate agents, small business owners, etc. But coaches were the clients Brighton enjoyed working with most – and they were the clients seeing the most positive results.
Tell us a little about a typical day as a person that helps business coaches market their service?
Brighton spends his days in front of a computer, which doesn’t sound like much fun. But that computer can be located anywhere in the world. You’ll find Brighton in Portland, Oregon on most days. But winters are spent more often in Ocean Beach – part of San Diego, California. You’ll also find him in Europe and Mexico. Anywhere that has a strong Internet connection.
Brighton loves getting to know his clients and their clients over Skype. Hearing the positive results coaches have with their clients while collecting testimonials confirms daily why he chose to focus on working with coaches.
What are some of the challenges that you have faced and how do you face new challenges?
Like any small business owner, starting up was hard. The roller coaster of revenue (and not revenue) was a challenge financially and emotionally. But after a few years of trying different things, he’s focused more on his niche and providing exemplary service. And it’s paid off through referral clients.
What work are you most proud of in terms of your business?
Brighton is most proud of creating a business the way he wanted to. Location independence and working with clients he loved were both important when starting a business. Coaches are usually in the same boat – creating a business they really love, delivering great value to clients and having it pay dividends.
Do you have any advice for others that want to work in this field?
Virtual videography is an entirely new field. Brighton invented it. As technology is continuously changing, video is becoming more accessible to everyone. Anyone can create a video. But creating video is not many people’s “zone of genius.” Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Brighton is really good at what he does. He conducts all the interviews and has a knack for making people comfortable on camera. He has a team of editors and optimizers who handle all the technical aspects. And he’s great at building processes that make life easy for his clients.
Where have you presented your information on business coach marketing?
I have presented at ICF Oregon about looking fabulous on your smartphone or webcam. I really enjoy working with the board at ICF Oregon because they provide such great support for local business coaches.
To contact Brighton, please click or tap here.