In 2016, then-29-year-old Donvil Collins was named as a 914INC. Wunderkind for his leadership of VeeKast, a White Plains-based video production company that works with businesses, nonprofits, and universities. VeeKast’s projects include advertising campaigns, special event productions strategies, and fundraising campaign videos.
We caught up with Collins to talk about how his company has blossomed since he was tapped eight years ago to be among the Wunderkind honorees.
Do you recall how you reacted when you learned that you were named a Wunderkind?
At the time, I wasn’t aware of what a Wunderkind was — and then I was looking things up and finding out about it. It was a great honor to be showcased.
When you were named a Wunderkind, your company had been in business for 10 years. Where was VeeKast then compared to today?
We were still very small — maybe two or three core team members. We’ve more than quadrupled since then, and at this point we’re a little more than 20 team members nationwide. We’re doing more nationwide projects, as well as doing some international projects.
How does VeeKast differentiate itself from its competition?
We are expert storytellers and emotional drivers. We produce a lot of content with stories that move people emotionally to want to support an organization in some way, shape, or form. At the time of the Wunderkind honor, we were doing much smaller projects. But the size of our projects is now much larger and they encompass a bit more.
If we were to touch base again a year from now, where do you see the company at that time?
Next year, we will be approaching a stage where we plan to have multiple locations. The pandemic taught us that we are able to adapt and make working remotely more efficient than being in person. So, most of our team members work remotely, except if we’re filming or doing an event of some sort. But we have one studio location, which is also our main headquarters office in White Plains. And next year at this time, I would say we’re probably in the closing stage of an acquisition, which is what we’re working on currently; that’s the plan for the next growth stage. Next year, we’re looking at doubling what we’re doing right now.
Finally, what advice would you give to someone seeking to start their own business?
One thing I didn’t do enough of early on was realize how many resources you can take advantage of and use without having to own them yourself. Or, what can you get help with and be able to capitalize on, as opposed to having to figure out how to own it and manage it? That initially wasn’t the case; I tried to do everything, and that can break you if you don’t figure out how and when to source things out.
“At the time of the Wunderkind honor, we were doing much smaller projects. But the size of our projects is now much larger and they encompass a bit more.”
—Donvil Collins Founder, VeeKast
Related: Sustainability Is a Serious Deal for These Westchester Businesses
