Why Empathy Is a Business Strategy: Elise’s Story
It’s fitting that our final character, Empathetic Elise, bookends the Stride Squad alongside Systematic Seth.
Seth asks:
"What’s the one revenue-generating action you could take today rather than simply focusing on tension-relieving activity?"
He brings clarity and structure to the chaos.
But Elise…
She brings you back to the why behind it all.
She’s the voice that whispers:
- “Why did you really get into this business?”
- “Who are you trying to serve?”
- “What would make them stop scrolling—and actually feel something?”
In the world of StridePreneur, that’s what empathy means.
It’s not soft. It’s strategic.
It’s the difference between pushing a message out… and drawing people in.
And in a world moving at Big Mac speed, that’s rare—and powerful.
“We’re living in a Big Mac world.”
I coined that phrase years ago. Not to knock fast food—I’ve done my part there—but to name a pattern:
Everyone wants everything now.
Impatience. Speed. Impulse.
Empathy is the opposite of that.
It’s taking a breath. Stepping back. Noticing the person on the other side of the transaction.
In our media world? That’s the real edge.
From Dreamer to Difference-Maker
We started our video production business on a wing and a prayer.
No business plan. Just a calling.
After a few projects, reality hit: we needed real structure—especially around pricing.
My background in broadcast marketing gave me an edge. I knew Seattle’s production rates. And I also knew I didn’t want to be the cheapest. That’s a mistake too many entrepreneurs make.
So we set our rates 20% below the Seattle average—competitive but confident.
I wanted our clients to understand:
“Yes, video production can be expensive. But done right? It’s an investment. The medium works so well, it’ll either work for you… or against you.”
We guaranteed a two-year shelf life with content built for reuse—something some freelancers don’t even consider.
And Then Came the Non-Profits…
I didn’t know who Dan Pallotta was back then. But I felt what he later put into words in his TED Talk, The Way We Think About Charity Is Dead Wrong:
Non-profits struggle with public perception around overhead—even as they try to grow their reach and do more good.
So we made a bold, empathetic business decision.
We offered a 30% discount to any non-profit or government agency we signed.
Why? Because we understood the tension.
But what we didn’t expect… was how much goodwill and incredible connections that single choice would create.
Word got around fast.
We upgraded to Betacam and digital.
We scaled the business up.
Eventually, we were competing directly with the Seattle market we once undercut.
And it all started…
with empathy.
Elise’s lesson?
Empathy doesn’t slow you down.
It anchors you…
so when it’s time to rise, you do it without losing your soul.
Money’s not the mission.
It’s just the byproduct of doing things that actually matter.
