Scaling a media company can feel overwhelming—but many of the biggest problems come from decisions that seem reasonable in the moment.
In this episode, Craig and Todd break down seven things Todd no longer does when growing a real estate media business. They cover why customer service matters more than camera experience when hiring, how to coach struggling employees without solving every problem for them, and why underperformers need clear, direct feedback.
They also discuss training photographers, responding to pricing pressure, saving video shoots when listings sell quickly, and addressing difficult issues with top clients before they become bigger problems. Each lesson comes from a mistake Todd has made himself, giving business owners practical ways to scale with less fear, better communication, and stronger systems.
Relevant Links:
Spiro:
https://www.spiro.media/
Contact Spiro:
hello@spiro.media
Chapter Timestamps:
0:00 Cold Open – Hire for Customer Service, Not Just Camera Skills
0:55 Welcome to the Spiro Podcast
1:31 Perspective, Gratitude, and Defining What Success Means
6:30 Introducing “7 Things I Never Do When Scaling a Media Company”
7:29 Spiro Updates: API Beta, MCP, Scheduling, and @Mentions
14:02 #1 – Never Hire for Camera Experience Over Customer Service
22:36 #2 – Never Do the Homework for a Struggling Employee
29:53 #3 – Never Guess Whether an Underperformer Knows They’re Failing
37:26 #4 – Never Train the Art of Photography
45:18 #5 – Never Make Knee-Jerk Price Cuts for the Wrong Clients
53:46 #6 – Never Let a Fast Sale Cancellation Kill a Video Shoot
56:53 #7 – Never Avoid the Elephant in the Room with a Top Client
1:03:07 Final Thoughts and Episode Wrap-Up
