Growing Lean

Exploring the Future of Content Creation and Media with Michael Vanzetta

• Ethan Halfhide

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Ever wondered how the landscape of media industry is evolving? Tune in as we sit down with Michael Vanzetta, a renowned broadcaster turned entrepreneur, whose insights and experiences redefine the future of content creation and media. As the brains behind Pisetta Media, he shares his journey of crafting a media company that puts people at the center and uses AI-enabled editing technology to create engaging content. He aims to entertain, inform, and provide solace to people grappling with mental health issues through his five episodic series, reflecting the power of human-centric storytelling.

Get ready to embark on an explorative adventure into the media industry with us and Michael, who is not just a business strategist, but also a committed visionary. Learn about his innovative approach of securing sponsors and utilizing ad-based models to sustain his venture. He fervently discusses his lofty aspirations for Pisetta Media, aiming to become a Disney-like entity that branches out into various media content aspects. Michael also sheds light on how to tap into the potential of both short and long-form content to connect with a broader audience. So gear up! This episode is packed with valuable lessons, practical advice and a giant leap into the future of the media industry.

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Speaker 1:

Welcome back to the growing Lean podcast sponsored by Lean Discovery Group. This is your host, dylan Burke, also known as Deej. I'm happy to be here with Michael Vanzetta, consultant at burstcom and founder and CEO of Pisetta Media. Welcome, michael, hi. Thanks for having me on. Absolutely so, michael, can you start us off by telling us a bit about your history and background and how you got into the business that you're in today?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so I've been in the broadcast industry for over 20 years. So I started in 2002 working in local broadcasting in a small TV station in Terre Haute, indiana, and I just I loved everything about broadcasting and it it kind of stopped evolving as much as it should have. So that's why I kind of took my own reins and created my own thing where it's more people focused and people have more of a say in what they consume.

Speaker 1:

Okay, amazing. And when did you, when did you start this business and what was? What was your reason for like coming into your own and did you just want to be your own boss, or were the things that you needed to change? You know?

Speaker 2:

Well, it is nice to be your own boss. I won't say that, but it was more. I started in 2021 with my wife, jen, and it was more of just realizing I could do all this stuff the content creation and all that on my own, with you know, youtube and, like you said earlier, with AI technologies, you really can be your own media company, and that's what I wanted to do and that's how it started, and then it just grew as we got more trust from other media organizations and all that.

Speaker 1:

Okay, awesome. And what sort of content do you put out? I saw on your LinkedIn there were five different channels. They're called them channels.

Speaker 2:

So yeah, so, so they're more of our episodics. So we have five episodic shows Frontliners TV, Zoo, Animal Antics, Health 24-7, Dispatch Network and Valor TV, which is on. They're on streaming platforms, so they're more of clip show focus. So we use public domain content and create episodic series. And then we also create our own news content, which could be anywhere from video and audio podcast to straight news style stories, like 60 minutes style stories, a little more positive. But the focus is however I can tell someone's story, I'm going to do it.

Speaker 1:

Okay, cool, and is it more informative content or entertainment?

Speaker 2:

I would say closer to informative. But you need to catch, you need to bring people in. So it has that entertainment and a real relatable feel.

Speaker 1:

Okay, amazing. And how do you take this? And or, basically, can you tell me about your business strategy? How do you make money from this? How does the model work?

Speaker 2:

So I've been. I took the model from broadcasting of sponsor and ad-based and we're on YouTube and trying to and podcasts, so getting sponsors on those as well. So I'm just tweaking a little bit of the TV model because for us, since we're smaller, it's easier for people to come along and be a part of us.

Speaker 1:

Okay, amazing. And where do you draw your inspiration from?

Speaker 2:

I'm myself. I in 2019, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder too, and when I was diagnosed, there was no videos about people just going through it or succeeding, and that would have helped me big time. There is a Wikipedia page of celebrities who have bipolar disorders, so that didn't really help. So I thought it was important not just bipolar disorder, but anyone with mental illness, mental health issues or just want to be heard, to have that platform just to talk about themselves.

Speaker 1:

Okay, amazing. I love that. I love it when I hear stories of people who've gone through things that inspired them to start the business, and that's beautiful to hear Very inspirational. So you said you started in 2021. How have you adapted over the last two years, especially with the last year with this AI revolution? How has that impacted you and how have you adapted?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so when we first started we focused on the fast streaming model and, while that, it's gonna take a little longer to get very successful with that model, so we kind of shifted to creating our own content on YouTube, which YouTube has a way higher reach than fast at the moment. So then that was our focus. And then, like you said, ai it is one of the best brainstorming tools for me and just thinking of ideas that could benefit and make my stuff better is a big thing, because sometimes it's lonely sometimes in the brainstorming sessions.

Speaker 1:

So to have AI to help you kind of is great 100%, and do you do mostly long form or are you doing any short form content as well?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so I do, basically from a minute and a half to an hour, so it depends on how to tell a story. Like for this weekend, I created three vignettes about going to a practice for the team US for the Invictus Games, the Prince Harry, focusing on injured military personnel, and I thought the best way to tell those stories was three minutes and under. So I did it that way because I think, just, you feel when this story goes on too long and that's my goal, not to have that happen.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, 100%. And I've also noticed in the past few years the content has just gotten shorter and shorter and shorter, and I think it's also creating people's, it's lowering people's concentration levels. I think if you can get it across in a shorter period of time, people will take it in more.

Speaker 2:

Yes, because TikTok, instagram Rails and all that. You're telling a story in less than a minute and you're keeping someone's attention. So to try to make that magical, what is the perfect timeframe? And sometimes you got to try, as it constantly evolves 100%.

Speaker 1:

And so what? Can you share? Any specific tools or tactics that have been particularly effective in growing your business?

Speaker 2:

So, while you use chat GPT as the AI platform and then just using the highest editing technology and using Hold on, let me I use Premiere and then Canva. I actually make all my animations there, so I'm using as much technology that I could create this content in a short amount of time.

Speaker 1:

Okay, cool. And how has the content creation time changed over the past couple of years, especially with AI? A lot of the people I've spoken to says they've cut their tasks that would take them a week into hours in the last year just because of all the tools that are available today. So how has that impacted you and has it had the same effect on you?

Speaker 2:

Yes, because when I started in TV I had to use beta tapes to edit. So that took forever and now it just keeps getting better and better. A time that took me one to edit one video now takes I can do like 20 in the same amount of time. So creating that content, then you increase that reach and that engagement so you're not focusing on, I hope, this one piece of content does. Well, Now you have 20 pieces of content and gets to the specific audience.

Speaker 1:

Okay, great, and what's your average viewership? How many people are you reaching with your content?

Speaker 2:

So right now, our biggest thing, youtube. We have about 40,000 subscribers and views are about the average, probably 10 to 50K on that one, and then we do well on Spotify, but our podcast is on all the different platforms as well.

Speaker 1:

Okay, awesome. And then, besides a number of views, do you have any other KPIs or metrics to measure the success of your business?

Speaker 2:

The big thing for me is to know people are not alone, and I want to save lives and realize all that. So the big thing for me is the references and the compliments we get, and those are pretty high. But of course the metrics and all that get as much views so we can entice more sponsors to be a part of us. But the emotional level, I think that's an important thing as well.

Speaker 1:

Okay, 100%. And where do you see your business going in the next, let's say, five years? And then where do you see the industry heading? Because I know we're going through a huge shift of everything at the moment. So where do you see the industry going in the next couple of years and your business?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so my goal is to be in all different types of branches of media content if it's branded storytelling and then helping other organizations tell their stories more commercial style. I want to become a Disney-like company in terms of what content they create. And right now there is going to be struggle for these larger companies because the money for streaming just isn't where they thought it was going to be. So I need a make sure I go past that and make sure I don't have to worry about getting too big too fast.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, 100%. And so when you say the money's not where they thought it was in streaming, is it more in sponsorship fees? Is that where the money's at?

Speaker 2:

Yes, yeah, the old style of broadcasting with sponsorships. They're still trying to get there, but the streaming, the views, aren't exactly where they want it to be, so the advertisers aren't there quite yet. I see, if they evolve that it's still going to be successful, but that just has to evolve a little bit.

Speaker 1:

Okay, awesome. And since you started or before you started, have there been any partnerships or collaborations that you formed that have helped you grow your business?

Speaker 2:

Yes, I've worked with a few nonprofits and I also with working with Burst, which I'm a consultant of. They create a lot of content about people with marginalized voices, so it's very similar storytelling. So then with them I meet more people in this field so I get to talk to people, brainstorm and all that. I like that a lot, to just talk to people.

Speaker 1:

Okay, amazing, and would you have any advice, or what advice would you have to give other business owners that are looking to succeed in your industry?

Speaker 2:

Don't stop If I stop by someone saying negative or saying this isn't going to work. I'd stop years ago. But when you believe something's going to work and you look at the data, data is important. You can't just go more on the emotion. The emotion is good, but data and what people are watching and where they're watching it is very important as well. So when you combine those things just keep going because the industry is changing, so you'd be a part of that change 100%.

Speaker 1:

That actually reminds me of a video I saw by Gary Vaynerchuk. He says your first video, or your first content, is always going to be bad. You can't just start being the best, so you just got to keep going and keep going. Push through the haters, push through the criticism and eventually you'll come out on top.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and don't be afraid to change your own business model, because when I started I did a lot of zoo videos and now it got more on the emotional level.

Speaker 1:

So it's going to evolve and don't be afraid to pivot 100%, and so are there a lot of new businesses coming out in terms of content creation and videos like that, because, especially with all the new AI like it's I don't want to say easy, but it's more accessible for people to create content. So do you see that becoming a competition for you at all?

Speaker 2:

No, because there's there's tons of people to do stories on. So if there's other people doing these stories, then we got more of a positive impact and not negative stories that you could watch everywhere. So I never think of people being a competition. It just then I got to step up my game and I'm always ready to do that.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, 100%. Competition is healthy. It's what I've learned in my life. Yes, amazing. And what, would you say, sets, firstly, you apart from other business owners in the industry, and what sets your business apart?

Speaker 2:

So I think my experience, while that's good and understanding how this industry works on all aspects, but also knowing to evolve, I went. I actually went back to college when I was 28 to see what the future of broadcasting and digital combined is. So I'm always learning and ready to be a few steps ahead of anyone else.

Speaker 1:

Okay, amazing. I love that and I love where you got your inspiration from and that you're trying to help people. I think that's amazing and it's very rare. These days. We've got a lot of entrepreneurs who are building great businesses, but they just do it for the money, and it's nice to see that there are people that are still doing it for other reasons. I really admire that. Thank you?

Speaker 2:

Yes, I mean that's just knowing someone's there for someone else is a big deal, and I'm just using the skills I have to help people.

Speaker 1:

Amazing. Well, I thank you for doing what you do and also I thank you for being on the podcast. I've really enjoyed our conversation. Before we hop off, what is the best way for people to reach out to Michael Vanzetta if they want any advice or inspiration or they just want to follow your story and see what content you produce?

Speaker 2:

Yes, so you can follow me on LinkedIn and Twitter. That's just Michael Vanzetta and then pysedemediacom. You can reach out and send email my way, and happy to help anyone.

Speaker 1:

Okay, amazing. Well, thank you again for being on the show. I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to I'm definitely going to go watch some of your videos after this. Thank you, that's awesome, amazing. Have a great day.

Speaker 2:

Thank you, you too Thanks for your time, of course. Mirafit Gr�f dwarf.