Young Entrepreneurs: Ben Weisbeck, Owner, Bweis Media

About Ben Weisbeck

Ben Weisbeck was born and raised in Bismarck. Growing up, sports played a huge role in his life, taking up 90% of his time as he was determined to play college basketball. Eventually, he achieved this goal, playing at Augustana University and later at the University of Jamestown. Growing up with two brothers, who were seven and five years older than him, meant that he was always in a competitive environment, striving to keep up with them.

“My parents were incredibly supportive, fostering an entrepreneurial spirit in all of us— today, all three of us are business owners,” Ben said. In 4th grade, Ben was inspired by his older brother, who started making videos with his friends for school projects. This inspired him to start his own YouTube channel, making videos with a camcorder and editing them in Adobe Premiere.

“These projects kept us out of trouble and sparked my love for video production,” Ben said. “In high school, I made videos for class projects, and in college, I created fun GoPro travel videos. However, it never occurred to me that filmmaking or video production could be a career until later in life.”

Q: When did you realize you wanted to start your own business?

A: I’ve always wanted to start my own business but didn’t know what form it would take. The idea of a video production company came during my final year at the University of Jamestown. My path shifted unexpectedly when I lost my final year of basketball eligibility after playing in an exhibition game during my final year at Augustana. I was given the chance to coach and create social media content/videos for a scholarship at UJ, which opened my eyes to new possibilities and gave me the push I needed to pursue entrepreneurship.

Q: Is there a specific mentor or role model who influenced your entrepreneurial journey?

A: Gary Vaynerchuk’s perspectives on hustle and long-term vision resonated with me, and Parker Walbeck’s approach to filmmaking inspired my creative and business strategies.

Q: How did you come up with the idea for your business?

A: It all started with an opportunity to create social media content as an assistant coach at the University of Jamestown. What began as a side project quickly turned into a passion and, eventually, a viable business.

Q: What steps did you take to turn your idea into reality?

A: Starting my LLC and I took on any work I could find while juggling a fulltime marketing job. For three years, I worked 8-5 during the day and dedicated my evenings from 6-10 to building my business. This relentless effort eventually paid off, and in 2021, I was able to transition to running my business full-time.

Q: What was the biggest challenge you faced when starting out, and how did you overcome it?

A: Gaining valuable experience. There are so many lessons that can’t be taught—only learned through experience. I made mistakes early on that taught me invaluable lessons I couldn’t have learned otherwise.

Q: Did you have a clear business plan from the beginning or did your plan evolve over time?

A: It has evolved over time and continues to evolve. As my experience grows and the industry changes, so does my approach.

Q: What was the most surprising thing you learned when starting your business?

A: How much time you actually spend working on the business versus in it. I assumed most of my time would be spent creating videos, but I’ve learned that running a business involves so much more—sales, client relationships, accounting, and planning.

Q: What strategies or decisions contributed the most to your business’s growth?

A: Getting a mentor and building a strong team. Having guidance and surrounding myself with talented, driven people has been crucial to the growth of my business.

Q: What has been the biggest failure or setback you faced as an entrepreneur and how did you learn from it?

A: Early on, I took on projects that weren’t aligned with my vision or skill set because I wanted to build a portfolio. While it helped me gain experience, I learned the importance of defining my niche and saying no to work that doesn’t align with my goals or values.

Q: What’s your leadership philosophy?

A: I believe in leading by example. I work hard, treat people with respect, and stay honest and transparent. When everyone feels valued and knows we’re in it together, it’s easier to collaborate and keep moving toward the same goals.

Q: How do you build and maintain a strong company culture?

A: For me, it’s all about treating people the way you want to be treated. I focus on being real, open, and fair while always looking for win-win solutions. When your team sees you putting in the effort and working alongside them, it builds trust and keeps the culture strong.

Q: What’s the best piece of business advice you ever received?

A: Be dollar smart, penny foolish: Make investments in your team, equipment, and systems that will make your business more efficient and effective in the long term. The ROI on those investments often outweighs the initial cost. Q: Are there any resources you would recommend to other entrepreneurs out there?