Sparxoo Studios:  From Start-Up to Full-Scale Production

In 2019, Sparxoo recognized that its innovation had hit on an opportunity with the potential to create immense value for their partners. Sparxoo’s video efforts, which had been buried in the organization for years, were bubbling up just as video was truly taking off in the digital space. Sparxoo CEO David Capece elevated Sparxoo Studios as a spin-out venture, focusing on attracting integral founding and technical talent needed for this successful new venture.

One year ago, Sparxoo Studios began to take form with the entrance of President Zach Gresham. Starting a new entrepreneurial venture is never an easy task, but it became more complicated for Zach and team with the onslaught of COVID-19 just a few months into the journey. Despite facing the roadblocks of production during a pandemic, Sparxoo Studios has experienced exponential growth in a short span of time. It hasn’t been an easy year, but it’s been a year filled with accomplishments that Zach and team can be proud of.

Sparxoo Studios is a unique kind of start-up, since they launched as a video production team within a well-established digital marketing agency. This team soon grew and evolved into their own entity. “This was a significant advantage for us, since most industry professionals already knew of the work Sparxoo had done”, Gresham says. “Using Sparxoo’s experience and knowledge in the market was an amazing jumping off point, allowing us open doors to conversations we’d only dreamt of on day one.”

With exceptional relationship-building skills, creative talent, passion for their work and the foundation set by Sparxoo, Sparxoo Studios has built up an impressive portfolio over the past year. Some of the partners they have collaborated with include Tech Data, The Gronks, AdventHealth, and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse. While these partner names are impressive in their own right, one of the most remarkable aspects of these projects is that most were produced during a global pandemic. When faced with shutdowns and social distancing guidelines that began back in March, Gresham and his team had to find innovative ways to continue on.

“Video production, traditionally, isn’t a remote thing,” Gresham says. For about three months, the Sparxoo Studios team developed new ways to work with partners without in-person production at their disposal. “Although most of our partners stopped doing video because of budget constraints, the need for video didn’t stop,” Gresham says. “We found ways to produce videos for half the cost with the same level of quality. From a business perspective, we found ways to make production more cost-effective.”

Despite these challenges, Sparxoo Studios still managed to build up not only their portfolio, but their team as well. Like any new business working from the ground up, finding hardworking, passionate team members is vital. Starting with virtually no employees a year ago, the Sparxoo Studios team is now up to seven members, including award-winning directors, producers, cinematographers, and animators. “The team over the last six months has really expanded and broadened capabilities,” says Gresham. “Skills can be taught and learned, but people’s passion, especially in creative businesses, is what drives them to be better and to do revolutionary things.”

That creativity is largely what Gresham feels got the Studios team through one of their biggest first-year challenges. “The biggest lesson we’ve learned so far is, although things can look really positive and exactly how you’d expect, there will always be a need for creative thinking when things don’t go to plan,” he says. “I didn’t even think we’d be able to build a production company in the middle of a pandemic, but we worked it out. The team worked really hard and we were able to get out of it, with some amazing stories and partners to share.”

Although still a young company, Sparxoo Studios has big plans for the upcoming year. “Starting now, this is the rebirth of Sparxoo Studios. This is our new-age entrance to market. I think we’ve built the team that can make it happen,” says Gresham. “The whole goal this year was to build a portfolio. We established the team, the equipment, the expertise — and next year is going to be about growth.”

As a successful entrepreneur himself, Zach Gresham shares a piece of advice for anyone wanting to create a start-up of their own. “One of the most important parts of establishing your own business is surrounding yourself with people who believe in the goal,” says Gresham. “Success comes directly from the people involved and their commitment to the vision. Your team has to support you and push you to do better and better. The sum is only as great as its parts.”

Check out Sparxoo Studios’ website to view examples of their work and how you can connect with them.

Categorized in: Work

This post was written by Elevate, Inc.