Unlocking Creative Visions: How Pierce Larick and New Revolution Media Elevate Global Brands

May 2

Featuring Pierce larick, founder and ceo of new revolution media

Pierce Larick is the visionary Founder and CEO of New Revolution Media, a full-service boutique creative agency that focuses on creating high-quality, engaging content that connects with your audiences. A photographer by trade himself, Pierce and his team have become indispensable partners to agencies, brands, businesses, and startups alike.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

Using intuition and strategic overbidding as methods to filter out potentially difficult clients during the initial stages of engagement.
The importance of helping clients understand the creative journey to ensure they appreciate the value of the work being produced.
How maintaining positive and friendly connections can lead to significant business opportunities and enhance long-term collaboration.
The influence of entrepreneurial figures like Gary Vaynerchuk who promote a culture of kindness within business settings.
Insights into the personal struggles with mental health that entrepreneurs often face and the benefits of seeking communal support and professional groups.
Understanding the distinct strategies involved in brainstorming and differentiating services from competition to create standout content.
Anecdotes from successful campaigns, such as the pride campaign for Lululemon, demonstrate the effectiveness of freedom in creativity.
The importance of engaging in new challenges to keep the team stimulated while maintaining a strong foundation in their core expertise areas, like event photography and videography.

In this episode…

In the latest episode of the “Solution Seekers Podcast" hosted by Paige Buck, Pierce Larick, the visionary founder and CEO of New Revolution Media, shares deep insights into his entrepreneurial journey, highlighting the balance between creative innovation and the nuances of business leadership.

Pierce shares his transition from a solo photographer to leading a video production team, emphasizing the importance of embracing diverse team dynamics and maintaining a positive work culture. He introduces a unique "no a**hole policy" to safeguard team morale and productivity and discusses educating clients on the creative process to better align project outcomes with client expectations. This strategic approach to client interaction, combined with a commitment to fostering strong industry relationships, plays a crucial role in his company's success.

Larick also delves into the less-discussed aspects of entrepreneurship, such as the mental health challenges that come with running a business. He highlights the importance of support networks, particularly through groups of fellow entrepreneurs who understand the unique pressures of the industry. A case study of a successful campaign for Lululemon illustrates how granting creative freedom can lead to content that not only satisfies but exceeds client expectations, setting new benchmarks in storytelling.

This podcast episode offers a wealth of insights for entrepreneurs on balancing strategic decision-making with creative passion and interpersonal relationships to thrive in business. Larick's journey underscores the importance of combining strategic planning with a passion for creativity and sincere interpersonal relationships. This balanced approach not only helps navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship but also contributes to a rewarding and successful business venture.

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Resources Mentioned in this episode

Sponsor for this episode…

This episode is brought to you by Kennedy Events.

Kennedy Events creates stress-free conferences and events, providing expert management and design for all your corporate event needs—from in-person to hybrid and virtual events.

To learn more about our services, visit our website at www.kennedyevents.com and schedule a consultation today to find out how we can guide you in making your event successful.

Transcript

Paige Buck [00:00:03]:

Welcome to the “Solution Seekers” podcast. I'm your host, Paige Buck. Past guests have included Neil Wubecker of Nextbound, Sarah Bsiso of Informatica, and Janice Veals of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, among many others. Today I'm delighted to be speaking with Piers Laric. Pierce is the visionary founder and CEO of New Revolution Media, a full-service boutique creative agency that focuses on creating high-quality, engaging content that connects with your audiences. A photographer by trade himself, Pierce and his team have become indispensable partners to agencies, brands, businesses, and startups alike, including us. We find you indispensable ourselves. Today's episode is brought to you by Kennedy Events.

Paige Buck [00:00:48]:

Kennedy Events creates stress-free conferences and events, providing expert management and design for all your corporate event needs, from in-person to hybrid and virtual. You can learn more about us at kennedyevents.com. Hi Pierce, and thanks for your patience and all that rambling.

Pierce Larick [00:01:04]:

Thanks, Paige. Thanks for having me.

Paige Buck [00:01:06]:

So tell me how you got started with New Rev Media. Sorry, I say New Rev. New Revolution Media for the SEO out there.

Pierce Larick [00:01:14]:

You know, it really started off as a dream. In college, I started New Revolution Photography. This was just a passion. I was always that annoying kid with the camera that brought it everywhere. So it started off as a hobby. I took a million photos of anything and everything that I was doing. Eventually, it turned into people depending on me, being present, being there to capture moments. In college, you know, I ended up getting invited to events and parties to take photos and all.

Pierce Larick [00:01:49]:

While this is happening, I'm kind of training myself, you know, the ins and outs of different types of photography, and understanding kind of the creative design behind it. I continued to ask “how do I make myself better?” How do I get more familiar with the creative activity? During the summers I worked as a photographer in Santa Barbara, which was where I got my feet wet with video as well. You know, within the entrepreneurship realm and the creative realm it's very fake it till you make it. So if anyone asks, asks you, hey, hey, can you do this? It's like, absolutely. Absolutely. I can make that video.

Paige Buck [00:02:27]:

Now. Let me Google that crap.

Pierce Larick [00:02:30]:

I mean, it's beautiful what you can learn on YouTube, but that really got my feet wet in the video industry. And then out of college, I moved to San Francisco, and with every role that I got, I would always try to wiggle over to the creative realm. I was doing a lot of creative work with friends and family. I was upgrading all of my equipment to be more industry standard, and I would always want the opportunity to work in the creative realm. But of course, it's very difficult to get a position in the creative realm if you don't have any professional background. And although I had passion and drive behind it, it was very, very difficult to prove that, you know, to these companies. So it wasn't until I was employee Number 100 at Lyft, where during the weekends I was making commercials for Lyft, just, you know, creative direction and all done in my free time, they weren't asking me to do it.

Pierce Larick [00:03:34]:

And it was John, the old CEO of Lyft, that saw them showing my co-workers. I was posting them, and he made it possible. He created a position for me. It was called a content specialist, where I made all the initial, all the initial drivers' videos. Because of that, it opened a lot of doors for me. I worked for a number of different agencies after the fact. And in 2016, I opened up New Revolution Media. That's the initial foundation.

Pierce Larick [00:04:11]:

From there, it's been a lot of learning, a lot of stress, and a lot of anxiety.

Paige Buck [00:04:18]:

Yes, we'll talk about it.

Pierce Larick [00:04:21]:

But it's made me a better manager of people, a better business individual. And I think you could probably speak to this. The best way to understand entrepreneurship and any industry that you're in is by being on the ground floor. So really working my way up is just me being my only employee in 2016 to now working with a team of 20 to 30 different creatives, bringing our commercials, our events, and really anything that we touch to life. So it's been a really beautiful experience and I'm very happy to be where we're at now.

Paige Buck [00:05:06]:

Yeah, you should be really proud. And you were saying? I think you learn a lot of, like, how you don't want to be a boss or manager and how you don't want to run your business from your earlier experiences. Doesn't sound like John at Lyft was one of these people. But, and you don't have to name names, but, yeah, you go through your trials and tribulations and then you think, I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to let that happen.

Pierce Larick [00:05:28]:

Well, yeah, I think being on that ground floor is understanding. You know, I mean, when you're first starting out, and this is when I was an entrepreneur or a freelancer, you know, every dollar is important. So now as the business owner, you know, paying my vendors, paying, I know that is the most important thing that I could do. So I've always made it a point that you know, if a vendor asked for something or needs a little bit of help, needs me to front, anything that I do whatever I can to make it possible. As I know when I was in their position, that. That was life-saving for me. That was how I was able to pay my rent, you know, that was how I was able to feed myself.

Pierce Larick [00:06:12]:

It's understanding from experiencing outside of just being told about it, um, that. That really, I think, has made me a better leader for my team.

Paige Buck [00:06:25]:

You also know, and I'm. And I feel this way, whether it's our employees or our contractors or our vendors, like you. Like you. Your work is what makes us look it. My team is what makes us look it. I am nothing without the team of people around me. And if I don't treat them well, praise them, reward them, pay them on time, appreciate them, then I've got nothing. Then they're gone.

Paige Buck [00:06:51]:

They walk away. They also project misery. If I'm a miserable human, they project misery. And you're a delightful human, and that comes through when I'm talking with you. But in every interaction that I and my team have had with you.

Pierce Larick [00:07:07]:

Oh, that's very nice. There's a quote, and I'm going to butcher iit kind of goes to the point that I don't think I'm the smartest person at all on my team. Absolutely not. Like you said, the only way that this business can work is if everyone is working as a team.

Pierce Larick [00:07:27]:

You know, I may be responsible for managing the team, but I am not the smartest person in the room. You know, I can bring people together. I could help guide you. I could do whatever I could to support the team. But truly, the brains of the operation are the people that I work with in order to continue this dream and move this business forward.

Paige Buck [00:07:51]:

Right, totally. I know for us, like, a real shift came. It's one thing to know empirically, that I'm not the smartest person, and then it's another thing to be, like, I don't need to be the smartest person. Like, I am comfortable not having to occupy that space or pretend you can make the shift to proactively hiring people who are smarter than you or who know whole areas. There's so much to know, like, whole areas that you would never be able to touch and set them free to do, you know, to operate in their zone of genius. That's when it's like, this thing is now you know, an engine that's moving. Like I'm just a tiny piece of it.

Pierce Larick [00:08:32]:

Yeah, I think, you know, and I'd love to hear your experience in growing Kennedy events. I think initially, when it was just me, you know, and you hire your first employee, your second year, third, there is a sense of pride to certain aspects. Like, I created the initial. The initial processes or the initial way that we did things. So there's a lot of pride because a lot of blood, sweat, and tears have gone into doing that stuff this way. So when you hire employees, it's to make your life easier. But I think that initial pull is, like, you almost make your life harder because you still want to keep it the way that you did it. So you're.

Pierce Larick [00:09:10]:

Now you have more people to have more mouths to feed, and you're still trying to retain that. So there was a level of, you give up certain aspects of the space, and with each new employee that you bring on, they have a different area of expertise, a different area of understanding or approaching, you know, a conflict, or they're approaching the way you do projects or how you organize projects. And so, like, by the third and fourth employee, I learned that I need to give that if I want to be able to sleep at night, if I want to be able to function as a human being, I need to relinquish these responsibilities and know that although things and the processes may be slightly different, because now other people's opinions and other people's way of doing things, um, are different than my own, and they're coming in that they're still going to get done, and they're going to get done better.

Paige Buck [00:10:00]:

Yes, yes. And maybe you look, maybe the person puts a spreadsheet together, and you're like, I would have used a different font, or I might have made that another tab, but, oh, my gosh, you just did this. Yeah, in a way I couldn't have, certainly, like, I have to be able to multiply myself, you know, and I cannot actually clone myself as much as, you know.

Pierce Larick [00:10:20]:

Yeah.

Paige Buck [00:10:21]:

Yeah. And yet also, that would be a miserable experience. Just more time with more of me, would be no good. And I know, you know, talking about, like, treating people well and that sort of coming back around you, that the flip side, we can also have, like, the avoidance of negative influence. And you were saying, and that you, like, like, we do have a no assholes policy. How did you arrive at this? And I want to dig in on how you. How you also solve for it, how you manage to keep the assholes away.

Pierce Larick [00:10:55]:

It really came. It came in two different ways. It's one, from working myself with individuals, whether they be partners, vendors that we hire or clients, and understanding someone I really don't like, someone that's just awful. That is, you know, their way of people. Management is putting you down, is, you know, telling you that you're wrong all the time and really just berating you. Right. I understand from personal experience that that will turn the project miserable. And especially working in the creative realm, it is very hard to be creative and be, you know, be into a project if you are hating the person that you're working with or for.

Pierce Larick [00:11:41]:

Right. So really, it came down to it when it was just a team of three of us at that point, we had this one client that was just. I mean, they were regular, but they just treated us like we had nothing ever nice to say. Everything was a put-down. Everything was ugly, everything. They hated the creative approach, yet they were still hiring us. And with each new project, what they would do is lower the budget. And, you know, we were a new agency at the time, so every dollar was, you know, important to keep the lights on.

Pierce Larick [00:12:16]:

So, yeah, yeah, we kept saying, yes, yes, lower payment, lower payment. And it came to a place of, like, none of us were happy. The moment that we had a project coming up with them. Um, it was just. It was awful. No one was, you know, no one was excited to do it. It was just like, let's get in and out. How do we half-assed this just to get it over with? To be done with? Because even if we were to pour our heart into it, it would never satisfy this particular.

Pierce Larick [00:12:46]:

So at that point, the three of us, the team at the time, sat down and we were like, what can we do? We have a no-asshole policy. You know, that we are, we love what we do. We believe in the creative process, but when we're working with people that we don't like, it's taking up time for projects. We could be working on that. We could be enjoying the experience, the client relationship, and the creative process in general. So that's when we implemented a no-asshole policy. And essentially what it looks like is each of the team members, you get three vetoes that at any point, no questions asked. You can use one of your vetoes, whether it be a client or whether it be a partner vendor, someone we've hired on to supplement a project, and you could pull a veto, and we will.

Pierce Larick [00:13:36]:

No questions asked, never work with him again. I will finish up the project to the highest of standards, and then we'll politely decline if other future engagements are requested.

Paige Buck [00:13:49]:

How do you, do you have a way or have you adapted over time? How you meet end screen clients and vendors so that you're less likely to get an asshole in the door than you. Later.

Pierce Larick [00:14:02]:

I mean, it's a feeling now, essentially. It's when we are, you know, when we're bidding out new RFPs or if we're having initial conversations about new projects, you can, you know, there, there are different ways or how you approach the conversation. I'm much more casual, you know, and so I kind of, I start off very professional, very buttoned up, like. But, you know, ideally, at the end of the conversation, it's much more engaging. You know, we're talking about our families, we're talking about the weather. Um, and if at any point I'm getting the vibe that, you know, this is not going to be a good fit, you know, I, what I do as a deterrent, um, will be, I will overbid it. So they naturally won't go for us. Right.

Pierce Larick [00:14:48]:

It's just like, and if they do go with us, I mean, we're being compensated more to do with the assholery. Right. So it's, so that's kind of, you know, I won't outright, I'm never mean or unkind to people that I think are assholes by any means, um, but I, that's one lever that will pull, like, okay, I understand that this client is probably going to be awful to work with, so I'm just going to bid double what I naturally would, and that'll just steer them clear of us. But there have been scenarios where they're like, okay, that's great. And it's like, then you just prompt the team and they're like, listen, guys, understand that this will be, you know, one project. Let's, let's do a really wonderful job. Let's kill it. Um, and then, you know, there have been scenarios where once you get in there and you, you showcase what you can do in a creative realm, that it kind of softens those individuals, that maybe the initial approach, um, would have been negative.

Pierce Larick [00:15:48]:

But now that they trust that you have their best interests in, mind, you've made them look good, because the, the creative outcome is spectacular. It's performing really well. Um, so it really works out. There have been a very, there have been a few scenarios like that, um, that have worked out, but for the most part, it's just where people surprise.

Paige Buck [00:16:09]:

You pleasantly, like, oh, you're not that bad. We can work together. Do you find in the creative process that some of the challenge with personality comes down to the client perhaps not having, like, a shared language to express what they want?

Pierce Larick [00:16:27]:

Yes. So I think a lot when it is, when creative is involved, there's a lot of educating. You know, the creative is not. It's not like we get paid, and it's not like making a report creative. It takes a little bit of time. Right. How do you approach, you know, let's say what we call a hero video, a story of a company's like, how did they come to be, really, our approach always is to create something that hasn't been done, you know, and beat over the head 800 times the same way. We want to approach it in a different way so it stands out.

Pierce Larick [00:17:07]:

So doing that, takes a little bit of time of brainstorming, of understanding what works, what doesn't, you know, talking with the client. How do we maintain their brand and their voice and, you know, in a way that makes sense, but how do we do it slightly differently than some of their competition? So they stand out. And a lot of times, you know, they're like, why? Clients will be like, why does it take two weeks for editing, for example? And it's like, well, editing is where really, where you could sit on it. How do you organize footage to where it creates that beautiful story arc? But again, doesn't in a creative way, that's not, you know, run of the mill. It doesn't look like every other video that you see. You know, a lot of times, too, within the creative realm is talking about budgets. You know, what does it cost to hire a food stylist where someone is flabbergasted and it's like, no, no, no. It costs this much because they've spent years collecting dishes, different style of colored dishes, different cutlery, different cups and glasses.

Pierce Larick [00:18:10]:

And in order to have access to this library of beautiful objects, you have to pay for that experience that they've collected, those items, those props. So it is a level of education. Yeah.

Paige Buck [00:18:26]:

It's like when you're paying $500 an hour for a lawyer, you're not paying for their time, right? Then you're paying for their education and everything that they did to get to that point where they're charging dollar 500 an hour, and then you're having to make nobody bats an eyelash when they, those figures are thrown around in, like, the professional spheres. But when it's in our creative sphere, it's a lot more, like you said, it's a lot more education.

Pierce Larick [00:18:50]:

Yeah. And I mean, that's. And I'm sure the same is true with events. It's. That's kind of part of the dating process. Right. That's. That's part of if you find a client that maybe is a little uneducated, but there.

Pierce Larick [00:19:04]:

When it comes to whether it be events, whether it be the creative realm, as far as videos, photos, and animation, someone that is open to understanding, really a clear sign of someone you don't want to work with is you explain to them, this is why it takes this long. This is how much it costs. And then they're like, well, no, I could get someone cheaper. And it's like, well, then maybe you should hire them. And there have been scenarios where we lose an RFP because maybe we're not the lowest amount, but that same client will come back to us months later and say, well, the deliverable is way below quality than what we expected, so we would like you to redo the project. So they're paying double, more than double to now have us to go back and fix the issues because they wanted to go with the cheapest option.

Paige Buck [00:19:55]:

Yep. Yeah. That doesn't always pay off at all. Do you have a couple of projects or campaigns that you're particularly proud of? Do you want to share something that's a big success story for you?

Pierce Larick [00:20:05]:

Yeah, something. One. One particular project I'm very proud of. We did a. The pride campaign for Lululemon for their brand and that, I mean, we're, you know, as a gay man, as an LGBTQ plus registered agency, I got to do all of the interviews with these different queer, gay, lesbian, bi fitness influencers, wellness space kind of extraordinary. And so it hit very close to home to see other, like, individuals find success, find purpose, find acceptance within a sphere of professionalism. So that was really fun. Big fan.

Paige Buck [00:20:55]:

Did they give you the space needed to, like, uncover those stories and tell it a little bit with your. Your voice, their brand?

Pierce Larick [00:21:04]:

Yeah. So they essentially, what they did, they provided us, you know, budget one. But to the four characters that we interviewed for this campaign, and they said, run with it. Here are your characters. So we got to do all the preliminary calls. We got to build the story arc. We got to really make it our own from both a visual and story perspective. So it was.

Pierce Larick [00:21:28]:

I mean, it was. It was very cool to have such a large brand be so hands-off and understanding that we're. I mean, we're very proud of the outcome and understanding that this is going to be a great representation for us. So we were going to kill it regardless. Right. And they saw that from the beginning. So it. It was nice to feel seen and accepted and trusted by such a big brand.

Paige Buck [00:21:55]:

Nice. So you're touching on one aspect of your work when you're talking about a brand piece like that, and another one, you were just talking about a hero piece. The work we do together for Adobe is very different. And then if somebody were to visit your website, they'd see everything from headshot photos to really big brand stories. Is there a sweet spot in there? And you were also talking about food styling. Is there a sweet spot in there, like your absolute favorite type of project, or are you like a. Hit me with it. I want to do it all.

Pierce Larick [00:22:30]:

I mean, I love to be challenged. I think throughout the creative process, it's been a, if you're not, if you're not engaged, I mean, in the creative realm, you can get bored, I guess. I really love the challenge of all types of videos. So I started in events, right? That was my bread and butter that turned into food photography and video. So did a, you know, when I first started Nuurev, much of our clientele were different restaurants all over the city just creating content for their social media managers. And I especially loved the food because we got to eat it afterward. So that was, that was particularly amazing. But, I mean, when I'm not challenged, I get bored and I start second-guessing my career.

Pierce Larick [00:23:26]:

So, I mean, there is a sweet spot. There's always a new sweet spot, and it always tends to be kind of a new opportunity that I've never got to work with. So now, as AI is really coming to be, we're working with a number of different AI companies, experimenting. How do we tell this story? How do we do it in a cool fashion? It's such a mainstream talking point nowadays, but how do we make it with these clients? How do we make it to where it seems nuanced? How do we make it to where it's not a templated approach? So I really enjoy kind of the new, kind of the new experiences. When it does come to the creative, creative approach, what I will say kind of in partnership with Kennedy, I really love the events aspect because, I mean, I am so familiar with how to do it and to do it well. So there is a learning curve. When you're working on a new type of creative process or creative approach to a new item, it's, you're still having to learn. So sometimes you approach it and it's like, okay, this maybe is not the strongest.

Pierce Larick [00:24:41]:

Whereas in events, I know since I've been doing them my entire career, that I will blow it out of the water. And I have yet to have an unhappy client as I know how to shoot them. I know how to approach them and do it in a way where I can inject some of the know-how that I've learned in the commercial realm. So when we're doing videography and photography for whether a live event or a newly virtual event, we're doing it in a way that is almost commercially approached. So it's not a photo with people smiling, you know, all standing next to each other. It's where I'm using the foreground to where I get blurry people in the foreground. Um, and then your subject is kind of someone who is smiling, having a beautiful conversation in the back. Right.

Pierce Larick [00:25:30]:

So it's this more encapsulated photo of the positive experience at the event and less checking the mark. Like, look, we're happy we're posing together.

Paige Buck [00:25:41]:

You know, we're standing at the sponsor booth that, yes, I also think, is it reassuring for us, I think, and for our team as we grow? Like, conferences are the thing we have been doing for 20 years, and conferences and then, like, big celebrations, whether it's a fundraising gala or a corporate, you know, all hands. And then when we stretch ourselves into a new realm, the. We try to give our team, like, the stretch event. Something new and challenging that they've never done before. And then the bread and butter, like, you could do this with your hands tied behind your back. Eventually that, like, maintains your confidence while you're out there doing the stretch thing.

Pierce Larick [00:26:24]:

That's a beautiful way to put it. Yeah, that's exactly it. You know, additionally, for us, the events have been really, really amazing as that's really allowed us to travel the world. We've shot events in Japan, in Singapore, in the Caribbean. So that has been a great opportunity to see the world. And always, you know, the team, I always. Whenever we're going to these places, I always allow them to take some time off afterward to be able to, like, enjoy.

Paige Buck [00:26:53]:

Enjoy the space. Yeah, sorry, you got to get back on the plane. And I know we were. You didn't leave this windowless ballroom. Yeah, three days.

Pierce Larick [00:27:01]:

A lot of times you don't go.

Paige Buck [00:27:01]:

Out there, but, sorry, as you know.

Pierce Larick [00:27:04]:

At an event, you'll go to these beautiful places. When we went to Singapore.

Paige Buck [00:27:08]:

Yeah.

Pierce Larick [00:27:08]:

You know, it's like, okay, we're in Singapore, but we have not left this building for three days.

Paige Buck [00:27:15]:

And so tomorrow, and I'm trying to promise myself that I will, like, see that I, that I like. The sunlight will touch my skin at least once a day, and that, yeah, I will get some natural air that isn't, like, pumped in from an h vac and filter someone's cigarette smoke. You know, I really gotta, like, buckle up and. Yeah, so then you have to make space for the things that will actually bring you joy. Like, let me explore Singapore for a few days before I hop back on a plane. So you were talking about the. Sorry, please go ahead.

Pierce Larick [00:27:49]:

Well, it's, I mean, it goes back to this, like, this idea we're working on. Every single person, you know, unless you're very lucky and you don't have to, but every single person is working a majority of their day, a majority of their week, a majority of their life. And as an entrepreneur, as a business owner, if you're not understanding the human side of it and you don't have the flexibility of, like, allowing your team to take a few days off when you have them travel for 14 hours to Singapore, then you're not a very good leader. You know, we're all human. We all want to, you know, I want to be successful. I want to make a lot of money as everyone else does. But if you don't allow your team and this goes back to giving back and understanding that everyone is human, if you don't allow your team and people that work around you some flexibility and some time to just be present, you're not doing it right.

Paige Buck [00:28:41]:

Yeah. Yeah. So you also have a podcast, and I love that it's called The Lonely Business. And you talk about it, the reality of entrepreneurship with fellow entrepreneurs. What are some of the big things besides you're not alone? What are some of the big things you feel like you're learning from the conversations you're having?

Pierce Larick [00:29:05]:

You know, really why I started The Lonely Business is I felt isolated. I felt very alone. A lot of my friends, work in corporate America, and the conversations and the trials and tribulations, the anxieties I had, I really couldn't connect with other people. They just didn't understand. So really, what has been wonderful about The Lonely Business is understanding that depression runs rampant with entrepreneurs. Anxiety, sleepless nights. That has been the biggest bit to where I finally feel seen in that regard. Some data shows that over 70% of entrepreneurs experience depression.

Pierce Larick [00:29:51]:

Additionally, 90% of, by year 590 percent of companies that are started failing.

Paige Buck [00:29:59]:

Yeah, yeah.

Pierce Larick [00:30:01]:

So understanding that although the fail rate is high and that your people are still willing regularly, I know in San Francisco here, there is 90 new companies being started every single day.

Paige Buck [00:30:16]:

Wow. Wow. You said 90 new companies are being started every day in San Francisco alone.

Pierce Larick [00:30:22]:

This is just our city alone.

Paige Buck [00:30:24]:

That's crazy. I love knowing. That's a great piece of data.

Pierce Larick [00:30:27]:

Yeah. So it's 90 nukes. So knowing that the data is against every entrepreneur, but we are a different breed. We are a different breed to and this is my only option. I think about it. During the trials and tribulations, during the low points of starting new revolution media, you know, I've considered, like, hey, I'm just gonna look around for jobs.

Pierce Larick [00:30:52]:

What could I do? And every job description I looked at, you know, the limited time off, the, you know, the rules, the, the, oh, you want a sick day? You need to ask permission. This idea of asking anyone permission to be able to live my life, I mean, I just couldn't. So entrepreneurship is really my only option. And so knowing that there are, although the data is against all these new businesses, that people are still doing it, they're still willing to take that risk, I think has brought me kind of peace to everything. And then getting to talk one one-on-one with different types of businesses, whether they be businesses that are more the token startup realm, where they get investments or they're more bootstrapped, like me, seeing where their stress lies, where the pitfalls to kind of the failures, if you will, um, where see how they differ, and yet how some of the undertones stresses and issues are very similar, really. I finally got to find my community, and that's been really, really wonderful.

Paige Buck [00:32:03]:

Yeah, I could not. It resonates with me. Years ago, when we were much smaller, we joined an entrepreneurs group that is, it's designed for people whose businesses are grossing more than a million dollars, but they have an accelerator program for smaller businesses. We joined the accelerator program to help get coached, to grow, like, with the fundamental things that we needed to get over that million-dollar mark. And that was where we discovered, like, we're not alone. There's a lot. Everybody else is having the same shared, scary problems that you are. Or if they haven't, they will.

Paige Buck [00:32:41]:

So they will. When I was put in, like, a coaching group, and often the first reaction is, like, what am I going to learn from a person who has three, like, three brick and mortar lash extension labs? Like, I'm fascinated. I want to know, but I'm not running a retail business, and I'm not running anything in the personal health or wellness space. What in the world am I going to learn from her? Well, she's signing contracts and she's hiring people, and she's having, you know, financial growth challenges, and she's going and getting a line of credit from the bank for the first time. And if I haven't had these experiences, I'm going to. And I'm going to need to listen. You know, meanwhile, I'm having my own challenges that she's learning from. And it's pretty remarkable to find a space where you can share that and be vulnerable.

Paige Buck [00:33:33]:

And while seeing like, that there's, like, a common through line, it's. Yeah, it's really. It definitely has been, like, created a lot more sanity around here. Yeah.

Pierce Larick [00:33:45]:

And.

Paige Buck [00:33:46]:

And you have resources to go to, like, Pierce, are you having this problem? Oh, my God. Like, have you negotiated a contract with a company based in India before? Can we talk about this, please?

Pierce Larick [00:33:56]:

I mean, to your point, it could be as small as, like, do you have a good tax guy? Do you have an accountant that you trust? Like, it's. These are elements of business that it doesn't matter what realm of business you're in. These are similarities that you could each benefit from. Like, I got a good tax guy. Well, I got a good accountant. I have a good HR booklet that I can share with you, and you could kind of change it up to make it more relevant to your industry. Like, we could all really help each other in that regard. So going through that process with what you did, I think, I mean, that's a fast track too.

Pierce Larick [00:34:34]:

To not only make connections that could potentially lead to new business. I mean, all these different entrepreneurs that you worked with, they all could throw events in the future. And if you're kind to them, if you learn together, what is the likelihood that they're going to call you? You know?

Paige Buck [00:34:52]:

Absolutely. Yeah. And it's so much more. I remember having been in sort of, like, referral-based groups, kind of thinking having the mistaken idea that that's what this would be. It's more like developing all of the relationships, being a resource to one another, and then maybe we don't have as ubiquitous a business as being a bookkeeper or an accountant or even a creative agency like you, where everybody's going to need a photo, everybody's going to need a video, but not everybody is going to need an event at the scale we're producing. Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter. We'll be.

Paige Buck [00:35:26]:

We are going to get so much more out of this than we put into it just by, like, just by being a good participant.

Pierce Larick [00:35:33]:

Well, some of our biggest projects. Some of our biggest contracts have come out of not approaching, like, not approaching it. I know at South by Southwest, I met this woman, and we just became the best of friends. All of South by Southwest, we were there for another project. You know, every night we meet up to go to dinner with each other, with the team. We just enjoyed each other's company. Yes, it was eight months down the road. That was our biggest contract at the time, was with her.

Pierce Larick [00:36:02]:

You know, her team had, you know, they spoke about a need for a video campaign. And because we had maintained contact, we had this wonderful time. She knew that she could trust me. We were who she suggested, and we ended up getting the project so that in every realm is possible, whether it be extensions, whether it be events, whether it's a direct connection or a secondary connection, or even a friend of a friend of a friend, as long as you are kind to people around you and you're supporting each other, you're supporting other entrepreneurs, it's always going to lead to potential to new business. And that's why it's important that we all help each other. This idea of building this strong tree trunk of support with one another, each of these different businesses, it only can better everyone.

Paige Buck [00:36:52]:

Yes, it's so true. I could not agree more. And that is a perfect place for my last question for you, which is, who are some folks, whether it's in your industry or your clients, who you most respect and enjoy working with?

Pierce Larick [00:37:11]:

Oh, God, that's a hard question.

Paige Buck [00:37:13]:

I'm making you blank.

Pierce Larick [00:37:16]:

You know, there's certain aspects and a lot of agency, creative agency owners will, I think will, we'll kind of repeat this. It's very, it's Gary Vaynerchuk. It definitely, he has an incredible model. I believe in a lot of his messaging of being kind to others, working hard, and, you know, success is shared. It's not solely one person or another. I've always really liked his approach in that realm. I think giving a shit, his whole message is giving a shit. And this is not just about the projects.

Pierce Larick [00:37:54]:

This is about the people that you're working with and for. And the moment that you do that, it just makes you a better, happier person. So I would say Gary Vaynerchuk is someone I really highly look up to. And I will also say I look up to my team. I know this is, like, very, very predictable, but I know Felicia, my new revs producer, and Scott, the creative director, they're just, they've put up with a lot of this kind of growing and ebbing and flowing of and seeing me grow as a leader. They've supported me a lot. They've supported the business a lot. So I feel very thankful regularly of both of them as they're willing to kind of put up with the learning curve to continue to scale and grow our company.

Paige Buck [00:38:51]:

Yeah, well, it's great that you've got folks like that that you both rely on and learn from. It's really admirable. And I think Gary Vaynerchuk is a really great example. It's been a while since I sort of tapped into his message, but I feel like he is something. He's somebody that people in entrepreneurs, especially in, like, the tech space, need to hear from because there's a lot of, pardon me, like, toxic masculinity out there. And when you've got a guy as successful as Gary, who's as much of, in a lot of ways, like a dude as Gary is, like, the things that he's into are so dude centric, but he's a warm, kind person preaching that message. It really needs to be heard. So.

Paige Buck [00:39:33]:

So I'm glad you. I'm glad you mentioned him. It's a good one. Yeah. All right, Paris, where can people find you? We'll make sure we include this in the show notes.

Pierce Larick [00:39:42]:

Yeah. You can find us there or check us out on Instagram or Facebook at New Revolution Media.

Paige Buck [00:39:56]:

Yeah. And I just can't say enough how professional warm and delightful it is working with you and your team. There's our plug from Kennedy Events. Thanks so much for your time today, Pierce.

Pierce Larick [00:40:09]:

Thank you.

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PAIGE BUCK

Paige Buck is the co-owner of Kennedy Events, a large-scale event management company based in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City. Our team creates stress-free conferences and events with a positive impact, which allows our clients to resonate with their audience. Kennedy Events specializes in producing flawless product launches, award ceremonies, fundraisers, and multi-day conferences while keeping our eye on retention and engagement goals.

About Kennedy Events

Kennedy Events began with one goal in mind—to produce high-level corporate events with just as much strategy as style. Maggie founded the company in 2000, found her match in Paige, and in 2011 the two became official partners. Since then, these two resourceful and brilliant creatives have pooled their strengths to build one one of the most the most sought after corporate event companies in San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles.