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My successes.

“Every business book I read (I read a ton of business books) mentioned getting a mentor,” Bauer recalls. “I met Frank Whelan back in 2011 and my business has pretty much doubled revenue every year since.”

As Bauer has grown the company, he’s navigated the challenges of hiring and firing employees, as well as refining accounting practices and pricing formulas. As he adds more team members, Bauer is focused on maintaining quality standards across all productions.

What inspired you to start your business?

Guy Bauer lost his radio production job in 2009, at the height of the recession. After submitting more than 100 resumes without success obtaining a full-time job, Bauer started seeking freelance video production jobs in 2010. Making films was, after all, his first love. A project involving puppies just reacquainted him with that passion.  

“These small projects eventually led to bigger ones and finally in August 2012 I hired my first employee,” Bauer says. Guy Bauer Productions now has an office in downtown Chicago and a staff of 15. 

Guy Bauer Productions is a full-service video production company specializing in marketing content for companies and agencies.

How SCORE helped.

Bauer attended local workshops on accounting, leadership, and legal issues alongside regular meetings with mentor Frank Whelan. 

Bauer credits Whelan for giving him the courage to quit the full-time job Bauer had picked up in 2011, so he could instead focus on his business. “I was running out of steam trying to do both,” Bauer says. Once Bauer quit his day job, Whelan helped him prepare a cash flow projection to properly grow the production business.

What's great about my mentor?

“Frank is always pushing me to take the next step and believe in myself,” Bauer says. “He holds me responsible for my mistakes and celebrates my achievements.”