In this episode, Mike Kepka sits down with Sean Stipp, 3× Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award-winning visual journalist and Director of Visuals at TribLive, to explore the critical role of professional storytelling in an age of misinformation. From managing a newsroom that generates 50 million monthly clicks to navigating the ethics of AI, Sean shares why authentic, vetted "visual evidence" is the ultimate currency for building community trust. They discuss the delicate balance of leveraging high-traffic sports coverage to fund deep-dive investigative projects, the evolving technology behind modern photojournalism, and why "bad audio" is the one thing no audience will tolerate. Whether it's flying drones over 28-car pileups or documenting the release of Pittsburgh natives from foreign prisons, Sean dives into why real journalists remain essential to the democratic process.

🔗 Connect with Mike:

🌎 kepkahouse.com

💼 linkedin.com/in/mike-kepka-91721751

📸 instagram.com/kepka

🔗 Connect with Sean Stipp:

🌎 triblive.com

💼 linkedin.com/in/sean-stipp

📸 https://www.instagram.com/triblive/

💬 In an era of AI-generated content, how do you verify the images you see online? Drop a comment below!

📢 Don't forget to LIKE & FOLLOW to stay updated on future episodes of The Curious Creative!

#VisualJournalism #Storytelling #Photojournalism #TribLive #MikeKepka #KepkaHouse #TheCuriousCreative

In this episode, Mike Kepka sits down with Seth Graye —VP of Business, Operation, and Technology at Mainstream Video Productions— to dive into the "nuts and bolts" of how data transforms video from a creative gamble into a measurable success. Seth shares how he moved from the world of high-stakes cemetery sales to mastering the metrics behind video funnels, proving that while creative can be nebulous, numbers never lie. They break down the mechanics of a real-world LinkedIn campaign, discussing how to funnel an audience of millions down to high-intent leads and why changing just one variable at a time is the secret to successful iteration.

You'll learn why the first seven seconds of your video are the ultimate battleground against the "scroll" and how "self-qualifying leads" can magically move through your funnel without you lifting a finger. Seth also explains why your video strategy matters more than your camera gear and how Mainstream achieved a 500% increase in their quarterly conversion rate average through disciplined data tracking.

🔗 Connect with Mike:

🌎 kepkahouse.com

💼 linkedin.com/in/mike-kepka-91721751

📸 instagram.com/kepka

🔗 Connect with Seth Graye:

🌎 https://www.mainstreamvideoproduction.com/

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-graye-550365198/

💬 In the absence of data, whose opinion wins in your office? Drop a comment below!

📢 Don't forget to LIKE & FOLLOW to stay updated on future episodes of The Curious Creative!

#VideoData #ROIVideo #MarketingAnalytics #VideoFunnel #ACDCStrategy #DigitalMarketing #TheCuriousCreative #Mike Kepka #Kepka House

In this episode, Mike Kepka sits down with Beth Klepper—founder of Mainstream Video Productions, based in Littleton, Colorado—to discuss how she transformed her business from straightforward production to a results-oriented approach to video content. Beth shares her journey of overcoming the "frivolous marketing tool" perception of video , emphasizing that one video cannot possibly do all things: awareness, consideration, and decision. They dive into why the ACDC (Awareness, Consideration, Decision) strategy is the key to proving ROI for clients. Beth details how running her own ACDC campaign revealed the critical importance of the hook in awareness content , and how the data informed her to pivot quickly and iterate. They also discuss the crucial difference between a 45-second "nice-to-have" video and the necessary runtime for a decision-stage VSL (Video Sales Letter) for clients ready to buy. Ultimately, the goal is to stop being a video vendor and become a tenacious, strategic partner, letting the data do the talking.

🎧 P.S. Stay tuned for the next episode with Seth Gray, who works with Beth on the data side of these campaigns!

🔗 Connect with Mike:

🌎 kepkahouse.com

💼 linkedin.com/in/mike-kepka-91721751

📸 instagram.com/kepka

🔗 Connect with Beth Klepper:

🌎 https://www.mainstreamvideoproduction.com/

💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethkleppermainstreamvideo

📸 https://www.instagram.com/klepperbeth

💬 What's the biggest misconception you hear about video length? Drop a comment below!

📢 Don't forget to LIKE & FOLLOW to stay updated on future episodes of The Curious Creative!

#VideoStrategy #ROI #ACDCStrategy #ContentMarketing #StrategicPartner #Filmmaking #TheCuriousCreative