StartUs Presents: Viedit

Describe Viedit in 50 or less words.

Viedit is a platform of freelance moviemakers who create YOUR short videos, from home videos to corporate movies and animations. Simply upload your footage, set preferences and select a favorite editor based on language, location, style, quality and price.

Why did you decide to pursue your own dreams rather than someone else’s?

My friends and I recorded some amazing wintersport videos with a GoPro and showed them without a proper edit. It was really awful, it had NO emotion and it was boring to watch. When a girlfriend had her footage edited, it became so obvious: an editor can create short compelling stories ready to share en more fun to watch. Connecting clients with the best applicable moviemakers soon became my mission.

In 7 years from now: How did your startup change the world?

Storytelling by short movies has become a powerful tool for billions of people around the globe. Viedit has enabled millions to express their story a more effective way with a movie made by creative freelancers. In the meantime, the global moviemakers are recognised for their talent and make a good living out of their earnings.

In what ways do you measure your success and how do you make sure you don’t lose track?

We have to make sure we enable clients and moviemakers to make the best matches and that they are both satisfied with the cooperation on the Viedit platform. Secondly, we must do everything to smoothen the experience for everybody involved. At last: we must be transparent, honest and reward experience, talent and creativity.

Describe your typical working day from coming to the office to leaving it.

I start around 8 AM preparing the day, making coffee for the first colleagues arriving. We analyse and discuss the latest analytics, clients, moviemakers and interesting projects on Viedit. Depending on the work to be done, teams are formed. In the morning we communicate with our Asian stakeholders and in the afternoon with the US. During the day short presentations with feedback are given standing around our bar or via Skype or Google Hangout. During the lunch break we play football on the street and during summer we have our lunch on the roof terrace or while walking along the surrounding ancient harbours and rivers. Once in a while we cook dinner together and have fun till late.

Already pivoted? Did customers use the platform like you imagined it in the beginning?

Absolutely, we started with a model that caused an unwanted price pressure. We pivoted our model so we put the skills, experience and creativity of the artist at the centre of attention. Users can easily define their taste and get offers that fit their expectation. Where other marketplaces have a natural focus on price, the Viedit approach results in optimum matches without too much focus on the price.

Bootstrapped or financed: What fuels your startup now and what will in the future?

Viedit is still bootstrapped and has applied a very lean approach. With the recent successes we enter a phase with opportunities and we should increase our growth rate.Therefore we are interested to meet venture capitalists (VC’s) to discuss how to benefit from the opportunities in the global video (editing) market. We are ready to convert seed capital into smart and rapid growth of our business. Also potential partners with specific knowledge, experience or beneficial platforms will always have our interest.

With ferocious competition and a booming trend to build new companies: How do you make sure you don’t get lost in the shuffle?

Thousands of moviemakers have created profile pages with the best movies out of their portfolio (>40k movies). These movies are all indexed on theme and mood, and rated by our clients creating a valuable long term resource for both the editors as the clients. Don’t forget we have established all this by running very lean, so Viedit is still able to act on any opportunity or respond to whatever is required.

What do you look for in team members?

We are do-ers who want to leave our mark on the world and welcome new colleagues who embrace our entrepreneurial culture. Viedit is transparent and open in many ways. People claim their position within the company, take responsibility for their work and have fun. We believe in a diverse, multicultural and multilingual community and team. Besides both founders, our current team consists of 12 driven youngsters.

Why would a talent join your team?

You like to get our trust and the freedom to set your own goals, work closely in teams and organise your activities. You appreciate openness, honesty, collegiality and have a passion to make a difference. You want to have an important influence in the product we’re building. We give you flexible working hours, free lunches and a great place to work in the city centre. Dordrecht is surrounded by ancient harbours and lies within 5 min. cycling from the station. A working day is enriched with table tennis, darts or football. We believe in a young, ambitious and divers team and want you to define and achieve your personal goals.

Why is the Viedit company culture completely different?

Viedit works with a diverse team of young students who quickly get the freedom, responsibility and trust to do what THEY believe is good for Viedit. This means that they get real ownership and act as they own & drive the Viedit operation. Those who are up to this learn quick and make a difference for Viedit. Nothing beats the enthusiasm, creativity and drive of a team of youngsters who are going for success for Viedit and themselves.

What was your most memorable moment so far?

Being told by two multinationals that Viedit is fully equipped to address one of their important tactical challenges; obtaining User Generated Videos of their clients. Our instructed editors produce short compelling videos and enriched them with relevant data creating high valuable internet content. There is no stronger promotion than authentic videos of happy customers using ones products or service!

What advice would you give fellow founders for their startup?

Create a strong team around you that is different and make sure the opinion of your clients are the company’s compass. Read, view and listen to the experiences and especially to the mistakes of similar founders. Be prepared on a long wild ride with a guaranteed complete different outcome than you had imagined. Keep spending enough quality time with your spouse and friends and don’t forget to have fun building the operation.

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