Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephen Hale.
Hi Stephen, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I came to storytelling through the side door. I was a seminarian, working for a nonprofit, pursuing the pastorate, when COVID hit. Because I had a background in A/V tech, and had spend about a decade improving graphic design skills, I had this secondary set of skills that became more important than my ability to preach. So I spent the pandemic working with friends and colleagues to install tech, but also share the stories from their communities.
Though I had done this sort of storytelling through video for years as a hobby, and preaching in various churches, that first year or two of the pandemic let me really get a lot of experience in telling inspiring stories through film.
Preaching at its best begins with a clear-eyed assessment of what the listener is going through, then inspires for something better. During COVID, there was so much pain and anxiety that needed to be addressed clearly. At the same time, people needed to be inspired, and given hope that “this is not the end. This scary thing that you can’t stop thinking about? It isn’t the final reality.” That’s the core of the Christ story, isn’t it?
That inspiring contrast is so much of what I do at Capital Hope Media. When a nonprofit sees a problem in a community, the proposes a way to help…that’s the same story. And it’s the same story nonprofit donors need to hear: who are these people, and how are they transforming the world?
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh, I’ve faced many of the same struggles as any other new small business. The struggle for clients, especially when you’re the new kid on the block, that’s been tough. But things are growing, and we had enough business in the first few years to keep things going.
The bigger struggle has been personal. I’ve had to wrestle with a lot of questions that shape how I work, and even how I see myself. I’ve always worn multiple hats, and tried to develop skills in multiple areas. That’s hard, but it has been very helpful in life. But now that I run Capital Hope Media, I have to take a different approach: “What is the core of what you’re really, really good at?” It’s not always easy to see that in ourselves. However, it’s a core question for me to know where I can help, right? What I want to do is help other nonprofits or churches, and to do that I have to know what I bring to the table. Yeah, so that’s been…that’s probably been as hard as the financial questions. But it’s also helpful in building a sense of self, the confidence you need to do creative work well.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I create the creative materials that nonprofits and churches need, centered on video. So that includes branding/identity videos, inspiring stories to build donor engagement, instructional videos…and then all the stuff that comes with that. Graphics, scripts, sometimes even branding and communications calendars, etc.
What I’m really good at, though, is helping organizations to see their own story. I’ve had director/VP level positions with multiple Social Impact Organizations, and I know how hard it can be to see what you do well. Sometimes, understanding your own organization is like trying to read the label of a medicine bottle from inside the bottle. I’m really good at taking what an organization DOES know, and running with it. I create something that speaks to what organizational leaders really know inside, but can’t quite find the words for.
I have this deep belief that the world has a lot of problems, but that’s no reason for despair. The world is better today than at any point in the past, and that inspires me to keep working to make things better. And I’ve realized one of the ways I can help best is by telling the stories of those world-changers. I can help them speak clearly, so they can have a bigger impact.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
When I was getting started, I had a few friends and colleagues who advocated for me. Really, they told people how great my work was before I really knew how to speak with confidence. Like a lot of people, when I started I was nervous to ask for business. That was short-sighted of me, but it took me awhile to learn that. But Rev. Matt Hambrick, Rev. Dr. Denyse Barnes, a few other friends and colleagues called me, and told other people to call me. That kind of support really kept me afloat while I learned to market myself!
Isn’t that weird? It’s always easier to advocate for others than ourselves. There are a few life lessons in that…
The other thing this group of people did for me was to give me consistent, helpful feedback. It’s important that creatives find people to give them feedback, and sort out what kind of feedback this particular person gives well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.capitalhopemedia.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capitalhopemedia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081811058307
Image Credits
Capital Hope Media
