Today we’d like to introduce you to Ethan Adams.
Hi Ethan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I don’t how possible it is to start a business by mistake, but my story gets pretty close to that. If you had asked me just 3 years ago what I’d be doing today, I would’ve never imagined being here today. Back in 2009, I joined the media ministry at my home church, and that’s officially how I got my start. While a part of the media ministry, I got my first hands-on experience working with audio and video equipment like a soundboard, microphones, and PowerPoint for video presentations.
It’s interesting that even though I got that firsthand experience using audio and video equipment, it wasn’t until 2019, 10 years later, that I formerly started to learn how everything works.
Around 2017, my pastor started to talk to me and the media team about modernizing our church by adding screens on the wall for lyrics and scripture. Of course, I got excited and went to work on making this happen.
The first thing I did was come up with a design to present. That came easy for me because ever since I was younger, I was drawn to design and engineering. I enjoyed building with Legos and playing engineering games like building bridges that were structurally sound. I remember designing my ‘dream home’ in Microsoft Paint on Windows ’98 when I was 9 or 10 years old! So, you can see how I had a natural interest in putting together this system.
Along with screens, I decided it would be good to add video cameras so we could record and even live stream our services. It took about a year and half to do research, put together materials and get everything approved, and in 2019 we were finally ready to get everything started.
Initially, we decided to bring in outside A/V companies to get quotes since we didn’t have any members, including myself, who knew how to install a complete system like this. After doing a lot of research and talking to the IT guy at our church, he convinced me that we could take on the project ourselves, which would end up saving the church thousands of dollars in labor costs.
We ended up getting the okay to buy all the materials and install the system ourselves. It was definitely a challenge, but I used some of the knowledge I already had with computers and electronics. The IT guy became my mentor, teaching me the parts I did not know, and I filled in the rest with many hours of online research.
To make a long story short, we successfully finished the project in February 2020. I want to believe it was divine intervention that we finished just one month before the coronavirus was declared a pandemic.
As we know, 2020 was a crazy year of lockdowns, isolation, and fear of the unknown. As a result, just about everything went from in-person to virtual, which meant people were forced to use technology for work, school, entertainment, sports, church…everything.
Friends, family, church members and other people around me that knew I was familiar with technology started asking for help on how to set up Zoom meetings, how to use social media, how to use and fix their computers, tablets, smartphones, and TVs.
One day, while I was live streaming bible study at my church, my pastor had his sister on as a guest speaker. When we finished, she asked me about the system at the church and that she wanted something similar at her cosmetology and barbering school.
Since I had the experience and mentorship installing the system at my church, that gave me my first major opportunity to do a full A/V install on my own.
Initially, I just wanted to set up a service where people could ask technology-related questions virtually through chat, over the phone or using software where I could access their computer to help them with their problem.
With that in mind, me and a friend brainstormed potential names for this business and eventually, I decided on ‘BroadTasking’, which is a combination of ‘Broadcasting’ and ‘Task’. My original thought was that me and other technicians would be doing tasks helping people with broadcast technology like video meetings, social media, etc.
But I quickly found out that people were looking to find someone who could install an upgraded A/V system so they can record and live stream their services and events.
Word started to go around my local community of what I was able to do, and people began to reach out to me, asking for help.
In February 2021, I officially started my business, and even though it started as a technology support business, it has branched out into full service Audio Visual company. Now my business includes Live streaming system installation, commercial sound system installation, TV mounting, home theater installation and more!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I would love to meet the person who had a smooth road starting a business! But in all seriousness, I have had challenges along the way. My first challenge was the learning curve, going from not even knowing some of the equipment I now use daily even existed, just 3 years ago. Other challenges were business related like in the beginning, not knowing how to price my services. I also had to learn real quick about tracking things like all expenses and mileage for tax purposes.
Another challenge that I still have to this day is managing client expectations. It’s always better to underpromise and over-deliver than to have it the other way around.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Like I stated earlier, my business BroadTasking really came about by unconventional circumstances, some outside of my control. I’m still relatively new to the A/V industry and I’m still learning more and more each day. My background is in design and engineering. From an early age I was very creative, and I was naturally drawn to building and putting things together.
Before BroadTasking, I’ve been doing web and app design since 2011, my freshman year of college. I enjoy the art of architecture, designing layouts for buildings and the web.
So far from my experience, I’ve noticed that the A/V industry is very technical, which can make it seem cold and dry to some people.
What sets me apart is I use my background in design to bring creativity and style when I work on projects. That is especially important when doing installations in churches because most have older building architecture and when done correctly, modern equipment can look like it’s a part of the original design.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
For me, I think it’s safe to say the effects of the pandemic almost literally dropped this business in my lap. It was a result of the life changes that so many people were forced to adapt to that opened up this very opportunity that I have. Although it is unfortunate that so many people were negatively affected, I believe that any crisis can offer new opportunities, whether business or charitable. People will always need help in some way and it is those who take advantage of the opportunities who will ultimately succeed.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://broadtasking.com/voyager
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/broadtasking/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/broadtasking
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/broadtasking-columbia
