Stoecker Media LLC

Today is National Hire a Veteran Day. Veterans carry stories of resilience, leadership, and service that most of us will never experience. We've had the honor of filming veterans' narratives through nonprofit partners — and every time, we walk away humbled. Tag a nonprofit doing important work for veterans. ⬇️

International Self-Care Day. Honest reflection from someone who films nonprofit workers constantly: this sector burns people out. The compassion fatigue is real. If you're carrying other people's hardest stories every day — whether in a film or a program — you deserve care too. What does rest look like for you right now?

If your nonprofit has never invested in video, here's what it's actually costing you:

📉 Donors who visit your website and leave without feeling anything
📉 Grant applications that describe your impact instead of showing it
📉 Volunteers who didn't know you existed because they never saw your story

Video isn't a luxury line item. It's the thing that makes every other part of your communications work harder. You don't need a big budget. You need the right story, told the right way.

What's the one thing you wish your nonprofit's video told donors that it currently doesn't? Drop it in the comments — we read every single one.

Hot take for a Tuesday: your nonprofit's website video probably doesn't show what makes you different — it shows what makes you the same as every other org in your space. Real differentiation lives in the specific faces, voices, and moments that only YOU can share. Does your video pass that test?

I’m back in Jeff City covering photo and video for a conference. I love being able to work with so many change makers.

Today is gear prep day. I have a big 2 day shoot in Jeff city so it’s time to charge everything and pack the bags with everything I’ll need. Very blessed to be my own boss and travel for work sometimes.