OUR TOP FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...
Do I need to be a techy or computer savvy person?
No you don't. We will teach you. We have extensive trainings and we will teach you what you need to know in this business as far as technically speaking. We have major trainings three times a year. We have Basic Training eight times a year. There's always a training going on somewhere at HVS.
Do we need to be a natural salesman? Can you teach someone to sell the HVS products and services?
No, you don't have to be a natural salesman but if you are great. Most people come to us with some level of experience, either in life, with people, with computers or with sales. And we take your experience and add to it our knowledge and teach you what you don't know.
We do all our trainings in baby steps. So, it's easy to become a salesperson. It's easy to handle the sales end of the business.
Will this business work in my area?
It depends on what your area is like. This business works wonderfully in the suburbs and great in the city. Our minimum population requirement is 30,000 people for your county and that's the minimum. But we have people who live almost in the middle of no-where and do this business, and we have people that live in urban areas that do this business. The business does work really well in the suburbs.
We live in another country. Can we do this business there?
Yes, you may be able to. Please give us a call to let us know what country you're from and we'll let you know when we'll be arriving in that country. We currently have a studio owner in Sweden and we're looking to expand in Europe, Australia and Canada.
Can you do this business as a couple?
Yes, you can. It really works well that way. Many couples love to work together in this business. It's a great business for couples. You may start as just one of you in the business, and the other may join you later and become more involved in the business.
Are we too old to start a business like this?
HVS has owners in their 80's! So, no. The average studio owner is between ages 38 and 59. We have owners older and younger than that.
How much space will my studio require?
About 100 square feet. Your new equipment package requires even less space than ours; therefore, you could operate easily in this size room (10' x 10'). However, if you have the extra space in your home, by all means use it. You might consider one end of the family room for the equipment and another room (an extra bedroom or the basement) for your office.
Can I purchase a HVS and relocate it?
Yes, you can relocate it. We've had several people who were in transition and bought a studio and later moved it to another state. That's very do-able and we can help you with that if that is your situation.
Can I work this business part time?
You can work this business part time but you must within two years make a transition to fulltime. That is one of our rules. As long as you and your partner are running the business fulltime, than you're o.k.
I'm concerned about making the transition from what I do now to doing this business fulltime. Can you help me with that?
Yes. We have helped so many people making the transition from where they are now to where they want to be. We are experts in that. Making a transition starts when you first start talking to us. We'll start thinking about what will be your game plan and how you will make that transition. Will it be six weeks? Will it be right off the bat or will it be six months to a year or more? We'll help you with that you don't have to make that decision today.
We are not familiar with Apple's MAC and we are PC users. What kind of training will be supplied to help us learn?
We use Apple Final Cut Pro, Motion and Soundtrack as some of the fantastic programs available. The analogy I make in using a PC is like trying to type with boxing gloves on. Using an Apple computer is like take a hot knife and slicing through butter.
If you've never used a MAC, one of our first classes in training is an orientation on them. If you did this on a PC, how can you do it on a MAC?
MAC's are easy. You're going to love your MAC and by the way, I used to be a PC person.
What is the warranty on the equipment package?
We warranty every piece of equipment that comes with our package for an entire year for parts and labor. No questions asked. That is what we call our golden warranty policy. We take care of you. We don't want you to invest your money and then have a problem with the equipment. If you do have a problem, it will be our problem, not your problem.
Here's how it works. Say you have a piece of gear that breaks down. As long as you bought that piece of equipment either initially or later on in your business, we're going to send you a loaner piece whether it is a computer, camera or tri-pod or whatever. If you have a problem, we don't want owners stressed out. That is why we have this policy.
What about health insurance? If I quit my job, I will need to find health insurance. Can you help with that?
Yes, we have someone on staff that will assist you in directing you where to look for health insurance. It's not that hard to self-insure and we have experience helping people with this.
How soon realistically can you start a living with HSV?
The answer to this one is immediately. We have people who start to make money right from SNT Saturday. We prepare you to do that. We empower you to get started immediately. This business has a very quick ramp up time.
What is the ramp up time?
The ramp up time is usually anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks from the date when you pay your final payment to us. We encourage owners to get going as soon as possible. If you need financing, that may affect your ramp up time as well.
Will this business be obsolete in the future?
No. Every time Sony, Panasonic, Apple or Microsoft comes out with a new format, we make more money because we help people change those formats. And we love to help them change these things.
Given the advances of video technology and people having their own video editing on their computers, what is the long-term life of this business? Will there continue to be a market for the services HVS offers?
There's always a market for our services. HVS works with content creators. People in business who have video editing programs on their computers and have video cameras, well, we love those people. They're out there creating content and we are experts in taking that content and putting it into a value-added program.
We love it. Here's an analogy I make. Anyone can fix their own meals, but we love to go out to eat. We want someone to do it for us and that's what we do for our customers. Does that make sense? Ever eaten breakfast in a restaurant? Of course you have!
There are other people in our area that offer the same services. What about the competition?
We like to have competition. Competition is good. I would rather you have other companies in your area doing this business instead of having no competition. When HVS comes into the marketplace, we quickly become the dominant player in the marketplace.
I've already got a video business. Why would I want to invest more money with HVS? What can you do for me that I can't do on my own?
If you're happy with your business, fine. But if you're not making the kind of money you want and your not reaching the kind of goals you want, or you want to kick up your business to the next level, than perhaps we can help you.
I, Robert Hanley am the perfect example of this type of person. I was a successful writer, producer and director and yet I had to start my own studio to get where I was. So if I can do it, you can do it.
I already own some of the equipment that in the HVS packages. Do I still have to buy your equipment package?
It's best that you stick with our equipment packages. It's a turnkey system that's totally integrated with the latest version of both equipment and software. So, we don't allow you to use your own equipment.
Why should I open an HVS studio vs. starting on my own?
HVS is a shortcut. You could be the smartest person in the world, and know as much as we know and set up your own business. But the people who come on board our company don't want to take that risk, take that time and money that it would take to develop every brochure, every website, etc. What would you do if you needed technical support? How would you learn the business? How much would you charge customers?
You could start one of these businesses on your own, but most likely you would fail. HVS is a shortcut. Our studio owners want to start making money quickly and have a successful business. That's what we provide.
How do you market this business and find customers?
That's a great question. That's why people come on board with HVS because like other franchises like McDonald's or Subway, that has the restaurant business figured out, we have the video business figured out. We know exactly how to get customers. How much to charge for our products and how to keep those customers coming back for more.
Getting customers, actually, is pretty darn easy. And that's what we're going to teach you. We really teach you how to make your phone ring.
Why should I take this adventure with HVS instead of another video business out there?
Talk to other places; look at our system and compare. You be the judge. HVS is the market leader in this business. If I were you, I would want to be a leader not a follower.
Does HVS provide territory protection?
Yes, we do. That's one reason why you should call us immediately to see if your territory is available. When you come to Indy, we will go over our territories with you and what our guidelines are in setting up those territories for you.
Is this a franchise?
Yes it is.
What is the royalty for HVS?
We have a 7 percent royalty and a 2 % advertising co-op that you pay. Those are considered middle of the road rates in the franchise industry.
How much money can I make?
That's entirely up to you. How much money you can make will depend on your efforts. HVS is a moneymaking system that uses video as its vehicle. It can be a very, very lucrative business. A natural question for new people who find us on the web is, "Can I replace my current income?" The answer is yes you can. But there are no guarantees.
It depends on how well you execute our system. How soon you sign -up as a franchisee will influence the direction of your business. We urge you to call other studio owners. When you come to SNT we will give you a darn good idea on how well you can do in this business.
What is the cost to get into this business?
Our packages start at $129,900.
Why is it so expensive?
This is the perfect business for the right person. There's no catch with HVS, but it does take an investment to get in. We have a very, very good equipment package, market support and training, and we charge accordingly. We teach you to do the same thing in your business. You don't want to end up as a "starving artist.
What if I need financing?
We are very experienced in helping owners find financing. In most cases, getting money is not that hard. But we encourage you to see us before you go to the bank. We will write you a customized business plan if you need one, and we will hold your hand as you look for financing. We will help you and we're very experienced at that. Don't go on your own. We want you to go in as a HVS franchise.
Do you have a written business plan for potential owners to use?
Yes, if you need a business plan we have staff who will customize one for you.
How much working capital do I need?
We recommend that you have at least $5,000 to $10,000 in working capital before you come into this business.
What is the success ratio of individuals buying into HVS and what made them successful?
Well, the success ratio is interesting. We heavily screen our owners but in any business you're always going to have people who are the top performers and you're always going to have people that are at the bottom of the curve. It's a bell curve. And you're going to have a lot of people in the middle.
The analogy I make; it's like running a marathon race. Have you ever been to a marathon? Anyone can lead the race in the beginning, but it's those, who are prepared and follow the coach's plan who succeed in the end.
If you prepare and follow our plan, and you have the vision and you go out and start running, you'll do pretty doing well. Now, we don't guarantee your business to succeed but we do have people who succeed.
We have a lot of success stories. Do we have people fail? Well, yes we do. Any franchise or business that says they don't is pulling your leg
What is the true success rate of the current HVS owners? How happy are they with their investment? Would they do it again after being involved for a while?
The answer is; you can ask them yourself. Once you've filled out our online application form and you're scheduled to come to a SNT date, we will send you references of studio owners you may call, who have been through this process of the HVS application, SNT Saturday and now they are studio owners. You can talk right to the horse's mouth.
What type of support does HVS have?
We have fulltime technical support and sales support. We have a staff of over 20 people and every one of them is available to help you. We also have experts who will come out to your studio to help get your business going.
Can you do everything in your power to make sure I'm given every opportunity to make this business successful?
Yes, we will work as hard as you work. Starting up any business and running it is hard work but you'll find, with our support staff, our dedication and our caring attitude, we will work as hard as you work.
How soon can I start?
The answer is, how quickly can you fill out the online application and come see us? We will schedule a meeting for you on one of our regular SNT days, if there's room. If that date doesn't work for you, we will schedule you on the next available date to meet with you.
How do I qualify to come to SNT?
That's a good question. We look for people who are motivated for the right reasons. We do screen people heavily for HVS. We take a good look at you. Having the money and the desire is not enough. We want to make sure you fit the plan.
And we look for people who are teachable. Teachable doesn't mean you aren't smart enough to run this business. It means you are smart enough to follow our plan.
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