We had the good fortune of connecting with Paul Davis and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Paul, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have been interested in business since I was a kid. I grew up poor, money was a constant issue in my childhood. One of the first things I would do was go around to neighbors in the winter and shovel their properties. The crazy thing is I would do it for free and they would just give me money. As I grew up I would always try new things and try to build a business out of it. Iv’e failed at it many times. I think the thought process is I realized early on is that many jobs in today’s society don’t actually give you the ability to provide for much more than yourself and immediate family. Most don’t grant you the amount of funds to provide for your family, tithe or have emergency funds. Social security isn’t a reliable source when you do retire. I wanted away to be able to provide for my family, and give others that ability as well while pursing my passions and dreams. I realized that dream was fueled by video and in 2017 I took my first gamble with doing a media company. I had failed at many things prior to that but I had been playing with cameras since I was young filming videos with my friends. I started PFD Media because I saw how terrible commercials were at the car dealership I worked at and wanted to take my chance at them. I thought I can do that so much better.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
PFD Media specializes in video production work, although we offer more than that for services. At the end of the day what sets my company apart is my care and attention to detail. I truly want to work with people and deliver them more than just a video. I want to offer them the solution to the problem they are facing. For businesses that is people knowing about their product or service, for artist its to get eyes and ears on them as an artist, and for couples that are marrying it’s delivering them a memory snapshot of their day. One of the proudest moments for me was developing a documentary about Veteran Suicide, a subject very near and dear to my heart as I am a Navy Veteran and have struggled with suicide ideation and temptation. I got to where I am today through mostly two factors: 1) Constant improvement, and 2) tenacity and by no means was it easy. There were and still are a lot of sleepless nights, and I’ve had a ton of turn back moments. However, I think about my son and what example I am setting for him if I give up. I learned that at first you will not be perfect and you may not even be able to take what’s in your head and make it reality, but if you give up you never will. You only get better by doing the thing over and over again without giving up. Learn from those a head of you and pass that knowledge to those below. When you reach one teach one. I want the world to know that you can do anything you set your mind too. I am from a coal mining town and was only ever supposed to go to the military and now I’m working towards building the largest production company on the east coast, a goal I intend on achieving in the next 20 years.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
To eat there’s some really great family restaurants in the area. I would take them to Joseph’s Family Restaurant, O’town Bar and Grill, The V-spot, McDonnels, and Scarfalloto’s Towne House Diner – Restaurant. For entertainment we would visit and hang out at the Keystone Stage and the Vspot or anywhere that has an open mic. Weekends would have to be either a show at the Keystone or a Smash Master Wrestling event to see my homie Squid Sterling.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to shoutout my brotha from another mother X=Freequency, he really believed in me and helped pull me out of my shell.
Website: Www.pfdmedia.net
Instagram: @pfdmedia @pauliedafuq @thekeystone
Facebook: @pfdmedia @pauliedafuq @thekeystone
Youtube: @pfdmedia @pauliedafuq @thekeystonestage
Other: Tik tok @pauliedafuq
Image Credits
Nancy Morris, Robyn Shonk