Welcome back to another episode of Creatives Grab Coffee! In this episode, we are joined by Ed Rowe and Celia Hodgson from Tiny Studios.
Tiny Studios is a B Corp certified production company based in London. They work across various sectors to produce impactful web and social content that truly shifts the needle. Today, we dive into their journey from freelance life to agency ownership, the importance of building a healthy on-set culture, and what it’s like to navigate an agency acquisition while staying true to your core values.
Takeaways
- Tiny Studios focuses on impactful content that benefits the planet and people.
- Celia Hodgson founded Tiny Studios after years of freelancing and building client relationships.
- The transition from freelancer to company owner was gradual and based on client demand.
- Building a team was essential for growth and collaboration in the production process.
- Client education on budgeting and expectations is crucial for successful projects.
- Sustainability and ethical practices are core values for Tiny Studios.
- Creating inclusive spaces for female and LGBTQ+ filmmakers is a priority.
- The production industry often has a burnout mentality that needs to be addressed.
- Celia and Ed emphasize the importance of community support in the creative industry.
- The journey of Tiny Studios includes learning from mistakes and adapting to challenges. Building community is essential in the production industry.
- Collaboration among production companies can lead to shared success.
- Understanding client value is crucial for differentiation.
- Acquisition can provide new opportunities but requires careful navigation.
- Maintaining autonomy post-acquisition is vital for company culture.
- B Corp certification promotes accountability and sustainability.
- The integration process can enhance operational efficiency.
- Creative businesses must balance administrative tasks with creative work.
- Continuous improvement is key to long-term success.
- Networking with other businesses can lead to valuable partnerships.
Timestamps
- 00:00 Introduction to Tiny Studios
- 07:00 The Journey from Freelancer to Company
- 13:56 Building a Team and Company Structure
- 19:57 Navigating Client Expectations and Budgeting
- 29:02 Lessons Learned and Future Aspirations
- 29:48 Building Through Word of Mouth
- 34:25 Navigating Gender in the Industry
- 37:47 Creating Inclusive Spaces for Filmmakers
- 41:06 Challenging the Burnout Mentality
- 49:29 Understanding Client Value Propositions
- 53:42 The Journey of Acquisition and Integration
- 01:04:37 Building a Pipeline for Success
- 01:06:55 Navigating the Acquisition Process
- 01:09:59 The Value of B Corp Certification
- 01:16:00 Preparing for B Corp: A Guide for Businesses
- 01:21:04 The Importance of Documentation and Processes
- 01:25:01 Final Thoughts and Future Directions
- 01:30:02 Outro
From Solo Freelancer to Studio Founder
Celia is the founder of Tiny Studios, which she officially launched nearly five years ago. Before that, she had been working as a freelance videographer since 2016 under the name Celia Films.
The transition from a solo freelancer to a company owner happened gradually. Celia realized she was feeling limited by working solo and missed the energy of collaboration and growing with a team. When she found herself constantly project-managing different freelancers to meet client needs—like animation or sound design—she knew it was time to build an official team. Taking a leap of faith during the COVID-19 lockdown, she hired her first remote editor and rebranded to Tiny Studios.
Bringing in the “Backbone”
While Celia led the creative charge, Ed came on board four years ago, bringing a much-needed operational foundation to the studio. Ed serves as the operations director and creative producer.
- Before joining Tiny, Ed worked in factual and scripted TV but left because he was searching for a company with a great culture.
- When he arrived, he immediately spotted areas for structural improvement—like the fact that the studio wasn’t actively quoting for their pre-production time!
- He helped formalize everything from quoting and HR processes to creating employee handbooks.
Cultivating Healthy Sets and Communities
One of the most refreshing takeaways from this episode is Tiny Studios’ absolute rejection of the traditional, burnout-heavy production culture. They pride themselves on running safe, inclusive, and non-hierarchical sets where crews are well-fed and get to go home on time. They actively avoid the macho “badge of honor” mentality associated with working unnecessary 15-hour days just to look cool.
Beyond their own sets, both Celia and Ed are actively making the wider UK film industry a better place:
- Making Moves: Celia co-founded a community that amplifies and connects female and non-binary filmmakers, which now has around 1,000 members.
- Queer Lens: Inspired by Celia’s group, Ed founded Queer Lens to create an open and safe environment where LGBTQ+ filmmakers can share advice and post jobs for safe productions.
The M&A Journey and Becoming a B Corp
In September, Tiny Studios took a massive leap and was acquired by Spin, a 360 social media agency. For Celia and Ed, maintaining their company’s integrity during the transition was paramount. Thankfully, Spin respected their expertise and mission. Tiny Studios has kept its name, its office, and total autonomy over the projects it takes on—including running potential jobs through their internal “value and vibe check.”
This autonomy is crucial because Tiny Studios is proudly B Corp certified! While going through the B Corp certification process takes time and resources, Ed highlights that it is a fantastic way to audit your business. It forces you to write down your processes, spot areas for improvement, and ensure you prioritize people and the planet just as much as profit. In fact, having all that documentation ready for their B Corp status made the intense data room process of their acquisition incredibly smooth!
Hosts:
Dario Nouri & Kyrill Lazarov — Lapse Productions, Toronto, Canada
About Creatives Grab Coffee:
Creatives Grab Coffee explores the business of video production, featuring candid conversations with studio owners and filmmakers around the world on scaling, creativity, and industry evolution.
