Today we’d like to introduce you to Jess Strohm.
Hi Jess, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
Growing up in dance and entertainment, I’ve always had passion for putting on the show. It’s been the driving force in my life and what has pushed me to be who I am today. Going through college, I never had a clear idea of the career path that was meant for me. It wasn’t until my senior year of college, studying marketing, that I realized my dad has the coolest job ever. I’ve looked up to him as a leading Director of Photography my whole life. Throughout my childhood, I helped him maintain his lighting gear, pack up the van, and listen to stories of him traveling all over the country with TV networks. After graduating from MSU Mankato I entered the corporate workspace. I quickly realized a 9-5 lifestyle was not meant for me. It was then I told my dad, “I want to work in production. I want to learn from you.” I proved to him I meant it and was ready to start a business with him from the ground up. Through the pandemic, we worked our butts off to get everything ready to launch in 2021.
That leads us to today! gen.boutique is a father-daughter duo, a director and producer pairing. Every day I get to learn from a top industry expert. We currently work with a lot of corporate clients producing creative branding pieces, informational videos, training pieces, you name it. When I reach the top of my game, I want to work in TV just like my dad.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
For a business that’s less than a year old, it’s been as smooth as it can be! There’s a lot to learn and I’m far from knowing it all. The biggest struggle I’ve faced that I didn’t anticipate is the vulnerability that comes along with being your own boss. Everything is put on the line – your schedule, finances, free time, lifestyle, it touches on every part of your life. You’re in control and own all of it. As motivating as that is for me, it was also a big role to accept. I’m definitely still growing into it! Working with my dad has been a tremendous help in getting comfortable with these life changes. He’s been through it all before and we have a great relationship. Being able to be open and honest has really been the key to making it happen smoothly.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We specialize in smart, creative, media production. Our combination of skill sets gives us a unique position in our industry; being able to understand all aspects of production as well as business, with a heavy emphasis in marketing. Marketing has turned into a huge, essential function for businesses and multifunctional video is king. Having expertise on both sides of media is a huge strength for us. Our mix of generations is what we’re known for and where our name, gen.boutique, comes from. Not only does the word “generation” represent the family aspect of the business but it also touches on our ability to create. So, our name is really special to me.
The project we’re most proud of has to be the first one we landed. We struck gold and had the amazing opportunity to work with the Greater Twin Cities United Way on a branding piece. We were able to use our creativity and be trusted with our concept. That felt great as a new business. Landing such a dream client right away was an incredible experience and we produced a really dope piece for them.
What are your plans for the future?
Our plan for the future is to EXPAND! We have big goals to become a media house with multiple crews. We want to mentor a new generation of directors and producers, focusing on inclusivity. The production industry has been male-dominated without a lot of diversity. I feel extremely driven to make a difference in that through my career. In the near future, we hope to start lighting and camera courses, and find aspiring directors to mentor and be the first members of our crew!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.gen.boutique
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gen.boutique/
