Rising Stars: Meet Sarah Hudson of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Hudson.

Hi Sarah, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Storytelling has always been at the heart of who I am.

For more than 20 years, I was a professional musician and songwriter. At just 11 years old, I had the opportunity to open for Willie Nelson and perform for President Bill Clinton. I studied music in college and spent my twenties performing with bands and writing songs.

After college, I began my career as the marketing director for a music industry college that also offered a video production program. Through that role, I built relationships with many talented filmmakers whose passion for visual storytelling rubbed off on me. As content creation became a larger part of my work, I was always looking to challenge myself and improve my photo and video skills.

My husband and I also love to travel, and it has been a long-standing tradition that I film a vlog or digital scrapbook of our trips to remember them by.

In 2021 I became a mom, and needed a career that offered more flexibility while still scratching the “creative” itch that music did. I initially planned to ease into videography professionally, but the demand for videography on a small business level exceeded my expectations.

This August marks four years of pursuing videography full-time, and I am incredibly grateful that this path found me.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I feel incredibly fortunate that the transition from my previous career to small business ownership happened fairly smoothly, but it certainly hasn’t been without challenges. For the first couple of years, I often felt like I was figuring things out as I went. I filmed the first three weddings I was hired for entirely on an iPhone. Once I invested in professional equipment, I faced a whole new learning curve as I navigated camera systems, lenses, brands, and gear—learning what was truly necessary for the type of work I wanted to create. There was some trial and error in understanding which gear performed best in different work environments. As I continued to upgrade gear, I had to balance those investments with the realities of running a business and managing cash flow. Additionally, as someone who works primarily as a solo shooter, I have to get creative on ways to maximize content potential during a shoot.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My client portfolio is a mix of corporate and small business videography, with a handful of weddings and photography projects mixed in. I have found a niche in trades: farming, landscaping, custom/luxury construction, manufacturing, and businesses that involve getting dirty.
I love working in these industries because the people I work with are often genuine and understand the value of hard work. Some projects involve collaborating with a creative team of directors and producers. In those cases, I’m often working from an established shot list and creative brief. I genuinely enjoy the collaborative process and the “hive mind” approach that comes from working alongside other creatives. Those experiences continually challenge me to grow professionally.

But often with small businesses, I wear many hats: director, producer, cinematographer, editor, and technical crew. I’m very proud that I can be an acrobat when needed, and provide quality visual content to businesses who can’t afford a full production house. 

Today, anyone with AI and a smart phone can make a really good looking video. But what sets me apart from others, is not my technical expertise, but my storytelling background. Beautiful visuals can capture attention, but compelling stories create connection.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I would generally consider myself risk averse. However, it was a huge risk for me to leave my career of over ten years and go off to start my own business. At the time, though, my intuition told me it was the right decision.
As a business owner, I’ve learned to follow my intuition and trust my instincts. I’ve also learned to keep risk in perspective. Even if I take a risk and fail, no one dies on the operating table. It’s just art. So I try not to become too fearful of risk.

There is always a level of risk involved when I take on a new type of client by myself. Recently, I’ve started taking on projects slightly outside of my comfort zone as a way to challenge myself. The risk is ensuring that I understand the client’s desired outcomes while simultaneously juggling all the jobs of an agency as one person.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sarahhudsonmedia.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahhudsonmedia/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-hudson-overdier-0a946910/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Sarahoverdier