Daily Inspiration: Meet Nikki Camacho Speck

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki Camacho Speck.

Hi Nikki , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My media production company actually had its start in the classroom, specifically an infant one. I was an early childhood educator for seven years and part of my duties included taking photos throughout the day to send to parents.

I was originally extremely horrible at taking my photos and became obsessed with getting the perfect shot within the parameters: a photo of a single child doing an activity, where both the child and the activity are clearly visible, that it must be an “action” shot and not a posed photo of a child sitting next to a finished product, nothing distracting in the background, and no runny noses or teary eyes. And let me tell you, babies on the move will not stop and pose for anyone, leading to a lot of blurry shots! It became necessary to fiddle around with editing the photos as well, such as utilizing the “Live Photo” function to scroll back to a very precise fraction of a second or making a lot of minor adjustments to enhance an image.

It was a challenge to check off every box for every photo but I was up for it!

And after seeing how hard it was for parents to leave their children with strangers and that they needed reassurance that their children were in good hands, I also made it my mission to send more photos showcasing all kinds of moments and milestones. It was of the utmost importance to relay that their babies were happy and cared for.

This passion led into being a Special Projects and Marketing Coordinator, essentially a one-man social media team, for a local small business, Options LLC, right here in Dayton. While I miss my little ones in the classroom, the change in industries was necessary to make because I myself became a mother and needed a lot more flexibility in order to have more time with my son.

I learned and evolved so much in that role because Options LLC gave me so much creative freedom. I am forever grateful to them for taking a chance on me and allowing me to further grow with them. Through them, I had the opportunity to hone my skills in photography, videography, social media, graphic design, and website management.

As well as being a small business, Options LLC is also veteran-owned. As such, supporting their community is at the heart of what they do and they are dedicated to giving back to organizations that make a difference. One such example is that every year around the holiday season, they run a toy drive where all toys and proceeds go to Fisher-Nightingale Houses, Inc. (FNHI). FNHI is a non-profit that supports the three Fisher Houses in the Greater Dayton area and the Fisher Houses are built for military and veteran families to stay in, free of charge, when their family members are receiving significant hospital treatment.

It was actually on what was supposed to be a normal social media filming day for me that my relationship with FNHI began. They needed a videographer for two promotional videos that would be featured at their annual “Compassionate Care Heals” Gala. With Options’ blessing, I filmed and edited those videos. I met with two families that told their stories of their stay at the Fisher Houses and was so touched by how such an organization exists as an act of love for those that have served our country. It was an absolute honor to help tell those stories.

From there, I created Speck on Cue where I sit behind the camera and help brands and organizations share their mission through intentional media.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Every journey has its bumps on the road and sometimes we are our biggest doubters. There have been many instances where I felt that I did not have the experience or qualifications to do the jobs that were offered to me, especially because I am primarily self-taught.

In addition, the changes in my career were occurring while I was navigating being a first-time mom. I couldn’t afford to stay in the familiar just because I was scared of the unknown; I needed to push forward in order to support my family. If it required learning something new, such as how to utilize sophisticated video editing equipment, then I did it. It might have been done with some crying, but it got done!

But I wouldn’t be where I am if not for the people that consistently believed in me, especially my husband.

When we first moved to Ohio, I was heavily pregnant and worried about what the future held. I made the giant change in careers as my husband finished school and graduated summa cum laude while home with our newborn. It was an exhausting time but we both worked hard to support each other and now he’s making huge moves in his career while I work comfortably from home with our son.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am all about trying to find ways to connect to the audience emotionally in a way that’s authentic. Everything online is so polished these days that it’s easy to feel disconnected from a video’s message. It can be just as important to showcase some behind-the-scenes bloopers as well as the intended finished product because the audience needs to know who you are. They want to know your personality, your sense of humor, who you are with your friends, etc. before they support your mission.

For me, I’m all about taking seemingly minor moments and highlighting them to bring in some genuine heart onto the screen.

One moment I am particularly proud of was taking a minute to zoom in on a couple’s hands; while telling their story, they naturally held onto each other for support as they spoke about a trial they had overcome. The audience could hear their words as they listened to the story but that visual of hands squeezing each other in a genuine moment of love spoke much louder than the words actually being said.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I think the biggest shift in the industry will be the focus on AI as a creative tool. While useful, it lacks the humanity required to tell a story that really reaches its intended audience. I’ll need to keep my finger on the pulse and grow as it grows in order to stay ahead of the game.

I am fortunate to have clients that value authentic quality over quantity. Yes, AI can churn out a flyer in a matter of seconds but now that all the flyers look alike, how do any of them stand out? That’s where you need a creative professional, to think outside of the box instead of following a formula.

Pricing:

• To keep my services accessible for small businesses, I’m always happy to be flexible. Let me know if you have questions or if you’d like to tailor a custom package to fit your budget.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: https://Facebook.com/speckoncue