Meet Christy Ferer innovative woman, leading innovator in branded video content and multi-media distribution and founder of Vidicom Inc.
1. How/why did you begin your business?
I did it because I could. I had the energy, rolodex, some financing, and could use my apartment as an office. The opportunities seemed endless and irresistible in the early 80’s. Television and out-of-home screens were practically devoid of good lifestyle and certainly at the time fashion and destination programming as I developed for hotels. To apply video and shape content was the easy part. Developing distribution outlets was more challenging. If I gave the lifestyle videos away to television news casts (hungry for lifestyle content) or news feeds that became instant distribution…with the brands mentioned within paying the price tag. The model for out-of-home was to own contracts for my own distribution TV channels in hotels and barter hotels’ content in exchange for hotels giving me a channel. Revenue source comes from advertisers within the program as branded content. I saw commercial applications to customizing videos and content for brands with the willingness of media outlets to take good content even if a brand was paying for it.
2. What has been your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge is finding good staff who will “own” their areas and projects. I never say anyone works for me. They work with me. I am demanding and can be an impossible perfectionist, but it is important to resist micro managing! I overcome this with a great staff who have as much energy and drive as I do! It’s always about trying to conquer the next platform (this is now digital), and trying to stay ahead of the game is discovering new platforms, customizing content for it and delving product and metrics that advertisers will want.
3. How do you define SUCCESS?
Children who are happy and fulfilled. Creative product that creates a legacy.
4. If there was one thing you wish you knew before you began your business, what would that be?
I wish I had a good lesson in how to manage staff. Managing others is almost a full time job in an organization.
5. What makes you an innovative woman?
It is about not only having curiosity…but the will and ability and energy to act on it.
For more information visit Vidicom, Citybuzz, and ChristyFerer.com or connect with her on Facebook or Twitter.