MEET MAIN PAIGE MEDIA
FOUNDED BY
THE INTERVIEW
Written by Boston Women’s Market
BWM: Can you tell us a bit about how and why you started Main Paige Media?
Paige Burns: I have been in video production for nearly 10 years. I studied Communications & Media production at Northeastern University and have worked in both the entertainment and marketing industries. After experiencing video production in multiple industries and cities, I had decided that eventually, someday, I’d like to have my own production company and serve clients that might not necessarily have the budget or the need to hire a video producer full-time.
I’m not going to lie -- it’s still crazy to me that I’ve taken this leap! “Eventually” opening my own production company felt like such a far off dream. It felt like such a massive undertaking that I wasn’t prepared for. But as Jan told Pam on The Office, “There are always a million reasons not to do something.” “Eventually” wasn’t going to just happen unless I made it happen. It was going to be scary no matter when I did it, but change begins at the end of your comfort zone.
BWM: Why small-business focused?
Paige: My company serves businesses of all sizes, but as a small business owner myself, small-businesses, especially those that are women-owned, hold a special place in my heart. Something that inspired me to make this leap into entrepreneurship was interviewing some amazing women business owners while working in-house at Simmons University. I was able to showcase how these businesses are more than just storefronts or services, that they are a reflection of passionate women working their butts off to serve their communities! Talking with these women (shout out to Julie Pondelli, Erica Feldmann, Emma Willmann, and Cheyney McKnight – check out their businesses!) gave me the push and the inspiration I needed to bring my eventually into reality.
BWM: What is your favorite type of shoot?
Paige: I love shooting with business owners. There is something so powerful in showcasing the “man (or woman) behind the curtain” so to speak. A business can have great branding, products, and services, but it wouldn’t be the living, breathing, powerhouse that it is without its founders.
Capturing a business owner’s personality and essence on video brings an emotional component into marketing that photography and graphics (while incredibly important assets themselves) just can’t do.
I love when I am producing a video about a seemingly boring topic and I find the emotional gold to help connect an audience.
BWM: We believe stories of failure are just as important as stories of success. Can you share a time when a business objective just didn't pan out as you hoped or planned? What lessons were learned?
Paige: Oh yes! Failure is so important, and it is so important to acknowledge. We spend so much time showcasing our best selves on social media, that when we fail it can often feel like we’re the only ones making mistakes. Early on in my career I once wrote an email to the Senior Vice President, Public Affairs of a very large organization here in Boston asking if they could provide some b-roll for a video I was working on. I addressed the email “Hi Paul!” --- typed it out, asking for free content due to our budget, and sent it off. As soon as I hit send I thought, was his name actually Paul? I double checked. No, it was not. Her name was Peggy. I immediately drafted another email apologizing and tried to make a little joke out of it. Fortunately, Peggy was a delight in her response and even signed off her email “Sincerely, Peggy aka Paul.” Peggy, although I’ve never met her or communicated with her outside of this request, left a lasting impact on me. Often times when I sent out emails like this, even ones addressed correctly (ha!) I got no response. Not only did Peggy respond quickly and willingly help me out, she also had the right attitude about my mistake. It’s so important to have an attitude like Peggy’s and acknowledge that we’re all human and we all make mistakes. I genuinely believe that in business you just can’t take yourself too seriously.
BWM: Do you have a favorite go-to business tool or resource you can recommend to our members?
Paige: One of my favorite tools right now is Soapbox by Wistia. It’s a Google Chrome plug in that allows you to screen record and record via your webcam to create custom video messages to send to potential clients, vendors, your mom – doesn’t matter! It helps cut through the clutter when you feel you can deliver a message better in person than in writing. I’m also, of course, a huge advocate because it is another way we can use video to create an impact in our messaging!
PRODUCTS WE LOVE
ABOUT MAINE PAIGE MEDIA
Watch our new reel Boston Women’s Market, Our Story featuring our community of makers and produced by Main Paige Media!