Today we’d like to introduce you to Janie Griffith.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I earned a film degree from SMU and landed my first full-time role producing and editing training videos for a workplace learning company. I traveled the country interviewing firefighters who had survived difficult incidents and turned their experiences into a monthly docu-style training series called “American Heat.” It was meaningful work and an incredible crash course in storytelling. I then spent a decade with a small freelance production company, sharpening everything from graphic design to live technical directing, and learning how to network without fear.
In 2018, with a toddler and a nursing baby at home, I launched Global Shout Media. It didn’t ease in quietly. I found myself producing international shoots for American Airlines in Hong Kong, Australia, Mexico, and across the U.S., along with projects for major universities, television networks, and Fortune 100 companies.
After COVID, demand grew to the point where I hired my first employee, leased an office, and expanded our client base. We became certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise and Woman-Owned Small Business through the Women’s Business Council Southwest, and we were honored to be named Richardson’s Best Video Production Company in 2024.
I’m proud of this scrappy small business with a global reach and even more excited about where it’s headed.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’m a freelancer in part because I genuinely enjoy work that changes from day to day. The flip side of that variety is constant adjustment – new environments, new personalities, new expectations. Over the years, there’s been plenty of trial and error as I learned to move comfortably among very different worlds: industrial job sites and corporate boardrooms, first-time on-camera employees and seasoned executives.
Early on, that could be intimidating. Now I see it as part of the craft. Every project asks something slightly different of you technically and relationally. Learning how to read a room, earn trust quickly, and help people feel confident on camera has come through experience, and yes, through a few missteps along the way.
Mistakes are part of growth. If I’m comfortable all the time, I’m probably not stretching, and stretching is where the best work happens.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Most of my video work centers on corporate communications, training, and educational content. Over the years, I’ve also had the opportunity to edit television series, produce branded web content, create master’s-level university course modules, and support marketing efforts for startups, small businesses, and nonprofits. Some of this work has received recognition, but what matters most to me is whether it serves its purpose – helping people learn, stay informed, or tell their stories clearly.
Corporate projects are the foundation of my business. They support important safety and informational initiatives and allow me to donate time and video services each year to organizations serving vulnerable members of our community. My local favorites are Live Like Luke, which financially supports families of critically ill children during lengthy hospital stays, and All Moms, which offers care and inclusive community to mothers in all stages of motherhood.
I’ve benefited from generous mentors throughout my career, so I try to operate with the same openness. That may look like speaking to Collin College classes, serving on their Video Production Board, bringing students onto a set for hands-on experience, volunteering services for local nonprofits, or simply connecting people within my network. If anything sets Global Shout Media apart, I hope it’s that commitment to doing good work and sharing opportunities along the way.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
For me, risk-taking hasn’t usually looked flashy. It’s looked like saying “yes” to the next step before I felt completely ready.
Choosing a career in video production was the first leap. Unlike many of my SMU peers who had clearly mapped-out professional paths, this one didn’t come with a blueprint. I started as a production assistant and assistant editor, learning from people further down the road, and gradually took on more responsibility until I was producing, writing, and editing my own video projects.
Each stage felt like a small, calculated stretch. Creating monthly training content for law enforcement and fire departments became my skills boot camp. A decade working full-time inside a freelance business taught me how to operate like a contractor. Launching Global Shout Media forced me to learn the mechanics of running a business in real time, sink or swim. Hiring my first employee, which felt terrifying, was simply the next necessary step to grow.
I’ve learned that most meaningful progress comes from thoughtful risks: practicing a new skill (I thought I might pass out the first time I directed a live webcast to hundreds of thousands of employees across several time zones, but it went off without a hitch), raising your hand for a bigger project (my passport is always up to date), or stepping into responsibility before you feel 100% prepared (my financial advisor and lawyer are on speed dial). The path isn’t always clear, but steady, calculated growth has a way of building momentum.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://globalshout.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/global.shout.media/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlobalShoutMedia
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janiegriffith/
Image Credits
Bobb Truax
