Meet Bella DeLain | Freelance Digital Media Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bella DeLain and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bella, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Starting Gumball Media was sort of an accident. While working in a ‘corporate’ job at a television studio, I was freelancing in my free time for friends and family by creating videos to promote their businesses, editing their podcasts, etc. I had several people reach out to me from word of mouth, all wanting help creating various types of media for their socials + platforms. It was a great encouragement that I was doing something creative all on my own, from beginning to end, and people enjoyed what I was creating for them! Working one-on-one with small business owners and those who were passionate about their own hobbies and businesses grew my excitement to start my own small business, and be able to work for myself and have flexibility and control over my work/life balance. Starting Gumball Media has allowed me to focus on helping others while growing my skills in something I was already working on and enjoyed doing.

What should our readers know about your business?
Gumball Media is a Video and Media production agency, capturing video, editing content, and creating custom media for small businesses. Services such as Brand Videography, Event Videography, Podcast Editing, and Media Editing are just a few of the common packages we provide. I began by editing videos and photos various videos for clients, all using footage shot on their smart phones and creating content for their platforms. With a degree in media and several years of media internships and positions, I was growing the creative skills to create the videos and content, but when I first began my freelance business, branching out to find clients was the most difficult. Having starting my business, then moving from Atlanta to Nashville, I needed to step out of my comfort zone, network, and work on promoting myself. I have found that reaching out online, via direct message or email, was a great way to pitch myself, especially after meeting someone at a networking event. My biggest takeaway is that not everyone will be receptive, and that is okay! I have also learned to keep an open mind about each opportunity, you never know what doors it may open!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Living in Franklin, I have several restaurants that I enjoy visiting that are very unique! The Coffee House, Stable Reserve, and Curio Brewing are great for morning meetings. 55 South, JJ’s Wine Bar, Herban Market, Hop House, and Frothy Monkey are some of my favorite restaurants and places for a drink. I am not much of a downtown Broadway person, so I also always find myself taking friends to Centennial Park and Cheekwood for an outdoor hangout closer to Nashville. There are also several great hiking spots around the Nashville area that I enjoy searching Google Maps to find!

Alright, so let’s jump right in! The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there a person, group, organization, book, etc. that you want to dedicate your shoutout to? Who else deserves a little credit and recognition in your story?  
I give a lot of credit to my family for being my first ‘clients’. My dad and sister both were interested in creating some form of media content (YouTube Videos, Podcasts, Reels, etc.) and gave me the opportunities to create the first pieces in my portfolio. I also have to give the biggest shoutout to my husband, Tanner, for being one of the biggest supporters of me shifting my business from a ‘side business’ to ‘full time’. Both Tanner and my family have been so encouraging this first year of Gumball Media, and they have been cheering from the sidelines at each milestone, no matter how small.

Website: https://www.gumballmediaproductions.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gumballmedia/

Image Credits
Amy Allmand Photograhy Lucid Linds Photography Kate Tran Video Production