Episode 105
Systems, Margins, and Mindset (ft. 6 STRONG MEDIA)
Kris Simmons did not just build a video production company, he built a national network. As founder and CEO of 6 STRONG MEDIA, a corporate video agency headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, he runs one of the most operationally tight shops in the industry: more than 280 vetted camera crews positioned across the United States, coordinated by systems rather than by hustle.
In this episode he sits down with Dario and Kyrill to break down how that network actually works: how he keeps quality and pricing consistent across markets, how he vets freelancers at scale, and how he protects margins while growing. The throughline is a shift in mindset, from thinking like a shooter to thinking like an owner.
Key Takeaways
- Systems beat heroics. 6 Strong Media scales because vetting, onboarding, and quality control live in repeatable processes, not in any one person.
- Local presence, national reach. A network of 280 plus crews lets the company show up in every major U.S. market without opening an office in each one.
- Consistency is the product. Aligned rates and clear expectations across regions keep the client experience the same whether the shoot is in Nashville or Seattle.
- Vet before you need to. A repeatable process for screening new camera crews protects quality long before a project is ever on the line.
- Protect the margin. Kris prices on value rather than day rates and treats healthy margin as a requirement for scaling, not an afterthought.
- Say no to bad-fit work. Turning down the wrong projects is part of how the company keeps both quality and profitability intact.
- Packages beat one-offs. Repeatable packages and retainers create predictable revenue and steadier operations than chasing individual gigs.
- Freelancers and companies both have a place. Freelancers bring flexibility and specialized skills, production companies bring reliability and strategy, and the skill is knowing when to use each.
- Manage by system, not by micromanaging. Quality control comes from clear standards and process, which frees the owner from riding every single project.
- Think like an owner. The biggest shift is moving from I shoot videos to I run a business that can scale beyond your personal capacity.
Who Is Kris Simmons, and What Is 6 Strong Media?
Kris is the founder, executive producer, and CEO of 6 Strong Media, a national corporate video agency that specializes in scalable, repeatable production for clients across the United States. He has more than 20 years in the industry and was once named Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The interesting part of his story is the pivot from local operator to national network. Instead of trying to be the biggest studio in one city, he built a system for delivering consistent work everywhere, which is a very different game from building a video business that lasts on personal reputation alone.
Building Systems That Actually Scale
The engine under 6 Strong Media is process. Kris walks through the systems that let the company vet and onboard new freelancers at scale, keep quality consistent across hundreds of crews, hold clear expectations with both clients and contractors, and protect profit even when budgets are tight.
That starts with people. His approach to vetting and managing talent is what makes the network trustworthy, and it pairs closely with the work of growing and investing in your team so the standard travels with every crew.
“You cannot scale yourself. You scale a system that does the work the same way every time.”
Kris Simmons, 6 Strong MediaBuilding a 280-Crew National Network
The standout of the conversation is the network itself. Kris built local presence in every major U.S. market, developed a repeatable vetting process for new camera crews, kept rates and expectations aligned across regions, and used systems for quality control instead of micromanaging each shoot.
It is a masterclass in breaking into new markets without diluting the brand. For brands that need national-scale production with a single point of accountability, that same discipline is what we bring to our video production services.
Protecting Margins in a Competitive Market
A big theme is margin protection: how to stay profitable when clients shop on price, budgets shrink while expectations stay high, and larger teams add overhead. Kris is disciplined about pricing on value, saying no to bad-fit projects, and building repeatable packages and retainers instead of one-off gigs.
It is a healthy reminder that understanding what a video actually costs and setting realistic day rates is not a nicety, it is what keeps the lights on as you grow.
Freelancers vs Production Companies
Kris offers a nuanced take on when to hire freelancers and when to lean on a production company. Freelancers are great for flexibility and specialized skills; production companies offer reliability, systems, and strategic thinking. Setting expectations up front is how everyone protects their margins.
It also ties into lead quality: recognizing red flags in new business leads early saves both sides real money. For companies that want a long-term partner rather than a string of one-off hires, that is exactly the role Lapse Productions plays.
Mindset: Thinking Like an Owner
Beyond systems and pricing, Kris spends real time on mindset: shifting from I shoot videos to I run a business, making decisions that support long-term sustainability, understanding your positioning and ideal clients, and building a company that scales past your own capacity.
That is the same instinct behind the power of niching down and learning to diversify your income so the business is resilient. If you want a team that thinks this way about your content, request a competitive quote.
“The day you stop thinking like a shooter and start thinking like an owner is the day the business changes.”
Kris Simmons, 6 Strong MediaFrequently Asked Questions
Who is Kris Simmons?
Kris Simmons is the founder, executive producer, and CEO of 6 Strong Media, a national video production and camera crew agency in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He has more than 20 years in the industry and has built a network of over 280 vetted crews across the United States.
What does 6 Strong Media do?
It is a national corporate video production, motion graphic animation, and camera crew agency. Rather than staffing a single city, it coordinates a vetted network of crews nationwide to deliver consistent production in every major U.S. market.
How do you scale a video production company without losing quality?
With systems. Kris credits repeatable vetting, onboarding, and quality-control processes, plus aligned rates and expectations across regions, for keeping standards consistent as the network grows.
How do you protect margins in video production?
Price on value rather than day rates, say no to bad-fit projects, and build repeatable packages and retainers instead of chasing one-off gigs. Margin is treated as a requirement for sustainable growth, not an afterthought.
Should a brand hire a freelancer or a production company?
It depends on the job. Freelancers offer flexibility and specialized skills, while production companies bring systems, reliability, and strategy. Kris uses both, and the key is setting expectations so quality and margins hold either way.
The Hosts
Dario Nouri and Kyrill Lazarov are the co-founders of Lapse Productions, a Toronto video production company, and the hosts of Creatives Grab Coffee, a weekly show about the business of video production.
About
Creatives Grab Coffee is a podcast about the business behind video production: sales, strategy, pricing, team building, and everything that happens off camera. New episodes every week on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
Lapse Productions is a Toronto-based video production company serving tech, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing clients with corporate, promotional, testimonial, event, and training video. New to hiring a crew? Start with our guide on how to choose a video production company.
6 STRONG MEDIA is a national, award-winning video production, motion graphic animation, and camera crew agency headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, founded by Kris Simmons. Through a vetted network of camera crews across the United States, it delivers consistent corporate video in every major market. Learn more at 6strongmedia.com.
