Meet Sam Kiste | Business Owner – SJK Productions, Grand Rapids Marketing Company

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

Hi Sam, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
This is an incredible question that I think is extremely important for both of the businesses that I run, Grand Rapids Marketing Company & SJK Productions.

We are extremely proud of our community. It’s where we were born, raised, and now where we are trying to truly make an impact.

For Grand Rapids Marketing Company we are truly dedicated to West Michigan businesses. We believe one of the biggest ways to make an impact in our community is to help local businesses and non profits reach their greatest potential by educating them and helping them market their businesses through the use of our marketing services. By helping grow local businesses and non profits, we believe we’re making a huge impact on the community.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My career of being an entrepreneur began in 2016 when I founded SJK Productions, a full service video production company. My whole life, I have loved video production and anything with technology.

Starting this business was not easy. Being a business owner was completely new to me, and I had a lot to learn. Thankfully, I figured it out quickly and it became second nature.

Fast forward to 2023, my new business partner and I launched Grand Rapids Marketing Company, a full service marketing company.

My biggest lesson over the past 8 years is to always be selling. I was on an airplane a few weeks ago and started talking with the person sitting next to me. 3 hours later – boom, a new client.

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.
I’m a sucker for coffee shops – any coffee shop will do. Give me all the caffeine.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are a lot of people who have helped me become the person that I am today. I’ve received continuous love and support from Mom and Dad, my Brother, my in laws and countless friends throughout my 10 years of being a business owner. However, to answer this question, I give the recognition and credit to the love of my life who has been my strongest supporter since the moment we met.

Any business owner can relate when I say that starting a business isn’t easy. Thankfully for me, I always had the support of my wife, Hannah, who has always had my back through the ups and downs of owning a business. Though over the years life has changed, one thing that has always been constant is the love and support that she’s given me. The hours upon hours where I’ve talked about the business, the years of long unpredictable hours, she’s always been there to be my biggest supporter.

Website: www.sjkvideoproductions.com / www.grandrapidsmarketingco.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/sjkproductionsweddings