My entrepreneural and business journey
Alongside earning my Certificate IV in Small Business Management, I have gained over 10 years of valuable experience as an entrepreneur. During this time, I have co-funded and managed my small media agency Aztec Visuals since 2014, I have also freelanced and collaborated directly with organisations and have even started and ran a small restaurant. Through practical, hands-on involvement, I have developed strong entrepreneurial skills and learned how to navigate the complexities of different business ventures. This diverse background has provided me with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the business world. By combining my theoretical knowledge with real-world experience, I bring a unique mix of practical insights and entrepreneurial expertise to any project I undertake.
Guest speaker opportunities
I have had the privilege of being invited to speak at various entrepreneurship and business events, highlighting my involvement in significant gatherings such as the Annual Latin American Colloquium 2018 held at The University of Queensland. Additionally, I had the honor of participating in the ALAYP Emprende Sessions, where I had the opportunity to meet and learn from accomplished Latin American entrepreneurs. Furthermore, I was fortunate enough to pitch a project I was collaborating in on breast cancer imaging services at Amazon Web Services, and in 2017 received the esteemed Lord Mayor Multicultural Business Scholarship.
Founding and Managing Aztec Visuals
A short story and reflection on my entrepreneural journey with a media agency.
In 2014, alongside my business management studies, I partnered with my previous business associate to establish Aztec Visuals—a digital media enterprise dedicated to creating multimedia productions for a diverse range of local and international clients.
We collaborated with various businesses and organisations, both in Australia and abroad, producing impactful multimedia content that aligned with their objectives and made a positive impact.
My responsibilities included developing the business plan, strategy, financial planning, and marketing strategy. Initially, we faced financial challenges and had to invest our own capital, particularly in film and audio equipment to kick start the business. This investment enabled us to attract a larger client base.
After two years, my business partner decided to pursue other career goals, leaving me as the sole director of Aztec Visuals. At that point, I shifted my focus towards working with startups, primarily in Brisbane. By providing services such as short videos for product promotion, marketing, and pitch strategies.
I worked on revising the initial business plan and strategy while completing my Certificate IV in Business Management, with the goal of scaling the business. Through networking and expanding my client base, I experienced an influx of cash flow, allowing me to hire contractors and grow the business. Additionally, I tried to make it part of the strategy to empower women in the film and media industry, actively recruiting and training interested women, resulting in a steady crew of five people for the following years, and positioning us as a specialised multimedia agency that goes beyond video and audio projects to deliver comprehensive media solutions. In 2017 and 2018 it felt like the business kept growing in terms of demand for projects which meant we needed more crew to work on such project, but it was not so easy to balance the cost of contracting more people.
In 2018, I secured a full-time job in Adelaide to further enhance my skills and gain experience within a larger organisation. For one year, I managed Aztec Visuals remotely from Adelaide, but eventually decided to put the business on hold. I formulated a plan to complete ongoing productions and offered the existing contractors in Brisbane the opportunity to continue collaborating with our clients. Although it was a difficult decision to pause the business after years of hard work, I recognised the importance of my professional growth in order to drive the future growth of Aztec Visuals.
Over the next three years, the media startup landscape in Australia witnessed significant growth, with increased competition stemming from both entrepreneurial opportunities and technological advancements, including the impact of COVID-19. To chart a new course for Aztec Visuals, I realised the need to establish global connections and seek collaborative opportunities instead of the traditional client-contractor model. This shift has allowed me to work with clients from around the world and engage in partnerships with individuals and companies in the same industry, enabling us to support each other and leverage our diverse skills.
Presently, Aztec Visuals operates as a sole trader, serving the needs of both small and larger clients with a wide range of projects. These projects vary from small graphic design contracts to collaborative e-learning initiatives. My primary objective is to cultivate and expand these collaborations, which have enriched my work. I take pride in the lastest growth in Aztec Visuals and am focusing on having the flexibility to adapt to technological advancements and changing work environments. Hopefully in the next few year positioning Aztec Visuals again as a specialised multimedia agency with a larger team involved, to continue developing video and audio projects but with more comprehensive solutions that cater for the lastest innovations in technology.
One of the biggest lessons I have learnt as an entrepreneur is learning that nothing is static, that everything is changing and we need to adapt but also and be strong to the waves of changes. Business culture is very important and can drive further impact that I ever imagine.
valjg8@gmail.com