Video Production | Episode XI Studios

Beth Sowell of Episode XI Studios in Charlotte, N.C. shares a true story about her challenges of leaving a successful and secure, but unfulfilling corporate life in order to pursue her unique-purpose.

As a typical member of Generation X in the 80’s, it took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. There was a progression of events that led me to Episode XI Studios, and I think those experiences make me who I am.

My Dad was a big advocate of making sure that we felt as though we could conquer the world. Whenever my brothers or I would say, “I can’t do that,” he would say, “Can’t never could do anything.” We learned to say, “I’m having trouble doing this” instead. But his goal was simple; he wanted us to feel confident about knowing we really could do whatever we set our minds to. It was a hard lesson to learn, and I still battle the “can’t dos” all the time.

My creative side was just beginning to blossom toward the end of my high school career as I discovered that I had quite a bit of drawing talent and decided that I wanted to learn more. However, with my mother’s practicality drilled into my head and overriding my Dad’s optimism, I didn’t think I could earn a living with art, so I focused on a business degree instead.

While I was in college, I worked at a day-care. I loved the job, but it never felt like a “grown up” job to me, so once I was finished with school, I searched for something that would use my newly-earned business skills.

My first office job was with Cox Technologies, a small company that manufactured temperature recorders for refrigeration trucks. Within 4 months, and at only 20 years old, I was promoted from the assembly line to the front office as the International Traffic Manager. I found I was REALLY good with the details.

I did all the company’s Customs paperwork for their many international shipments. I quickly learned that Customs can hold up an entire trailer load of products for months. Unfortunately I learned that lesson the hard way when I forgot to list on the Commercial Invoice that we had included a few promotional items (15 logoed ink pens) as a “thank you” for our customers. A shipment worth $20k sat for a month and a half because of 15 pens.

After Cox Technologies…and happy to get away from shipping and Customs paperwork, I took a position with Solution Masters for a while as an administrative assistant. Solution Masters was a custom software development company with only 11 employees. While I was sitting around waiting for the phone to ring the company’s owner taught me to build basic databases in Microsoft Access.

My detail-oriented brain quickly learned to LOVE database building. I could build happy little forms and databases to store all sorts of data! I could organize the whole world! I soaked up all the database information I could learn and when Solution Masters decided they could no longer afford my salary I took that information to Baker & Taylor.

With Baker & Taylor, a Fortune 100 company, I found myself in another administrative position in 1999. After 8 months and lots of recognition for my “obsessive attention to detail” I was promoted to the Convention Services department. The company sent me to UNCC to take the certification course for Meeting & Event Planning and I tested for the Certified Meeting Professional and received my designation after a few years on the job.

For 7 years I was one of three meeting planners covering the thousands of details involved in over 300 trade shows and meetings nationwide. I spent about one week of every month traveling to events. After spending my entire life in one place, it was exactly the adventure I needed and the opportunity to “see the US.”

There are always life changes, and I was no exception. Marriage, then a baby on the way meant a need to be home more often. Several things changed my outlook on my career. I loved being a meeting planner, but I wanted to experience every single “first” in my son’s life. Not only were the long trips too much, but I was tired of the “cubicle” when I was in the office.

I was completely frustrated with the constraints of corporate life and the philosophy that “this is the way it has always been done and should remain”. I needed to work within parameters that allowed for a more creativity and flexibility. I needed to expand my horizons, but I’ve always been a details person and seeing the big picture was difficult for me.

Fortunately, I have a great friend who could see the big picture even though I could not. Randy Davis had a dream for a video production company that also offered event planning. Without his big picture vision, I never would have put the dream in motion. After a completely terrifying leap from corporate security to business ownership, I realized what I’d been missing all that time.

I was missing the total expression of my creative side…the freedom to do things differently and shake up the world. Most of our work has been with video and I have fallen in love editing. It’s like database building on steroids. I not only get to organize all the data…I get the opportunity to fully develop and expand my creativity.

Being a part of Episode XI Studios has been a big eye-opening experience and I love participating in its growth and seeing the results of our creative work. Unlike large corporate America we stand out because we aren’t afraid to “shake things up,” and I no longer have to accept the status quo.  You can contact Beth at www.episodexistudios.com email her at bsowell@e11studios.com or call (704) 264-6274.

The Don Quixote SocietyTM
9817-5 Emerald Point Drive
Charlotte, NC28278

704-504-2549
800-239-0058