I have been working on a video project for a client in Riga, Latvia. This article will examine its relation to solo travel, entrepreneurship, and developing a growth mindset. I've hinted about the project in past vlogs. However, I can now discuss it in greater detail due to the completion of the project getting closer (see below link for project video).
Let's begin with how I found myself creating videos for a business in the Baltic country of Latvia. It started with me packing my gear in Los Angeles and making my way to the capital city of Riga. I fell in love with the city during my 2019 multi-country European campaign, where I stayed a total of two months and vowed to return for an even longer stay. If you are curious about why Latvia has such a hold on me, follow along with my travel YouTube channel, where I showcase the beauty of Riga and the country of Latvia as a whole.
To view my YouTube channel, please click HERE.
My current 2021 campaign would keep me in Europe for three to six months. I didn't have any clients or projects lined up when I left Los Angeles. Still, since I travel with videography equipment for content creation, it would be easy to adapt if I found myself in any business propositions. On one sunny day (fun fact: Riga can get as hot as Los Angeles), I visited a bar/bottle shop called MYBEER that had just opened in the heart of Old Town Riga. Upon entering, I was mesmerized by the interior design and the great selection of beers to choose from (600 cans/bottles and 29 draft handles). Understand, when one enters, one isn't simply walking into a standard European bar; At MYBEER, you're walking into what feels like a beer gallery. This effect on the senses is undoubtedly due to the lighting setup carried over from a previous business: an actual art gallery.
The establishment offers a museum-like atmosphere that personifies my view on craft beer: it's no longer just a drink but a work of art. Brewmasters are using ingredients and creating flavor profiles that are changing the norms within the industry. I admit that some beer concoctions are too extreme for my drinking preference. Still, I will always support experimentation, especially if such offerings find a demand and bring a brewery awareness (and sales).
Additionally, breweries are now elevating their product presentations due to competition on store shelves. The hiring of artists to create label designs is now a common practice and one that often results in designs worthy of being in a museum, let alone a recyclable can. To the chagrin of beer fundamentalists, the industry has grown to such a level that it is no longer simply about what's in a bottle or can but how it's presented to the consumer.
As a product videographer, photographer, and craft beer enthusiast, I stand behind (and appreciate) companies that invest in all aspects of its product. Hell, I even started my videography business to help breweries take their promotional game to new heights. Levels only achievable with a deep understanding of lighting, videography, and editing techniques.
To view my video portfolio and client recommendations, please click HERE.
When I snapped out of my beer geek delirium in Riga, I approached the bartender. I started talking with him about the establishment and discovered that MYBEER is a family-run business. At the helm are a husband and wife, while their daughter and son (the person I talked to) work the bar and serve as the English-speaking personnel. In our discussion, I mentioned my videography company and the possibility of working on a project together. So, after giving him my elevator pitch and business card, I left to explore Old Town Riga. Two days later, I met with the daughter, who told me that she and her family looked through my website and wanted to work together on a video project. Once we went over the details of the project, the pre-production and production process began two weeks later.
Before we continue to the main topic of travel, I want to give you some context on the video available to watch. It is a teaser to a much larger project where interviews are involved, and viewers can get to know the people behind MYBEER. But that version of the project is still in the post-production stage. So stay tuned to the YouTube channel for its official release.
To View the MYBEER video promo, please click HERE.
Let's return to the inspiration for this article: to develop the mindset necessary to live a life of travel and its impact as a whole. In continually seeking out–and engaging with–environments and situations one has yet to experience, it is critical to analyze your thoughts, actions, and outcomes within those moments. It is a vital habit to acquire because, in 2021, it is far too easy to breeze past the wins and losses of our lives. Yet, these moments in time, or better yet, lessons, lead to personal growth and can guide us to better outcomes in future interactions. Whether in business, relationships, or having fun in a new country–there's always the next level of experience one can have. And when you elevate your travel IQ, that intelligence will trickle into other areas of your life.
The challenge I faced during the MYBEER shoot involved creating a collaborative process between two parties that do not speak the same language. As I mentioned, the business owners are Latvian and do not speak English. I am American, and I do not speak Latvian. From a creative standpoint, this was quite a hurdle to overcome. Thankfully, however, I was not flying entirely blind. The daughter (who speaks English) is my point of contact, the person I'm brainstorming with, and ultimately, the translator between myself and her parents. It's a dynamic I had yet to encounter: I talk to the daughter, she translates to her parents, they look at me, I look at their daughter, and it goes on and on. And this was just during the pre-production phase.
It's an opportunity I intentionally placed myself in and want to share with others. Why? Because this all goes back to my philosophy on solo travel. When you travel by yourself, you are forced to adapt to the environment. And when performed at a high level, that allows a person to break through barriers and tune one's senses to new opportunities that go beyond having a fun time. Although, having the ability to boost your enjoyment when in another country is by no means a small feat when by yourself.
Regardless of the activity, the takeaway is this: seeking opportunities shouldn't reside only at home. One's situational awareness must stay locked in at the forefront of your thoughts, no matter where in the world you are. Of course, such attention is invaluable regarding safety on the road. Still, the emphasis is to take that concentration to create custom-tailored adventures not found in guide books or city tours.
Unfortunately, SIG (significant other) and Sidekick (with a friend) travel styles do not offer such prospects. Instead, such travel methods often result in individuals focusing inward on one another and the "bubble" they create. The familiarity (and responsibility) to each other act as a shield from action by providing a way out, a reason not to make or follow leads. Solo travel, on the contrary, offers battleground-like conditions in which your focus is outward, and you are in complete control to plan how best to create something from nothing. Of course, as a result, you will take losses. However, with time, dedication, and grit to develop yourself as a solo traveler, you will also win. No matter how big or small the victory, a mental metamorphosis is not far off. And with such a shift comes the fortitude to push through many obstacles life will undoubtedly throw at you.
Besides running a videography and video editing business, I have created various channels (YouTube, Instagram, blog) to promote the benefits of solo travel. There are new challenges, campaigns, and experiences to be had in 2022, so I hope you tag along and get inspired by this year's content.
To view the video version of this article, please click on the video below.