Q&A: Fitchburg firm shares small businesses' stories

A woman sits in a chair for a portrait photo

photo | courtesy of NXT Level studios Kristen Smith, client experience manager at NXT Level Studios

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By Sloane M. Perron

Jeremy Madore founded Madore Photography in 2012, specializing in real estate photography. As the business grew, the Madore Photography team recognized small businesses of all backgrounds needed marketing tools and guidance. Thus, NXT Level Studios was launched in 2023. NXT Level Client Experience Manager Kristen Smith has been with NXT Level since day one, helping businesses develop their brands and share their stories through videography, photography, social media, and podcasts. Whatever the medium, NXT Level’s goal is to encourage businesses to be the most authentic version of themselves.

A bio box for Kristen Smith

What services does NXT Level offer to clients?

We consider ourselves a multimedia studio. We concentrate on videography such as branding videos, company profile videos, drone videography, social media content, client appreciation events, or live streaming presentations. In the same sort of realm, we do corporate photography and professional modern headshots. These are not your run-of-the-mill headshots. We really spend time with people, so they come out of here feeling amazing. We do lifestyle photography, product photography, and drone photography, pretty much anything visual that helps elevate your brand. We are a podcasting service and have our own two podcasts, one for Madore Photography and one for NXT Level called “So, What’s Next?” We help with idea generation and script writing and really take the project from beginning to end.

Most people have smartphones where they can take photos, record videos, and post to social media on their own, so why are professional studios still needed?

With the onset of AI, you can ask AI anything and even make videos. But we are not AI. We're real forward thinking, creative, passionate professionals that want to help other humans. I don't think there's any sort of technology or camera phone that can really tell your story. It gets down to that human factor. We consider ourselves expert storytellers because we know how to put the pieces together. People come in, and they want to make a video; but don't know what to say or what to do. That's where we come in. We take their whole story, and then we rework it. We know how to make it all happen with timelines, recording, and B-roll. Human interaction is essential in storytelling marketing, and it's not something that can be replicated by AI.

How does your work as a studio impact the community?

We believe in lifelong learning and growth for all businesses. We collaborate with our local chambers of commerce: North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and the Nashoba Valley Chamber of Commerce. The first Tuesday of every month we have social media meetups where we work for free with local businesses, answering their social media questions and helping them amplify their work. Social media can be intimidating for many people, so the idea is to empower others and make them feel comfortable posting and sharing their own unique brand personalities. Additionally, through our “So, What’s Next?” podcast, we spotlight local companies and help people tell their stories, which in turn helps them be seen on socials.

Describe one of your favorite NXT Level projects and why it impacted you.

Dr. Jenna Mooney is a chiropractor and yoga instructor in Westminster. She came to us knowing that she wanted to make a video, but she was nervous. It was out of her comfort zone. We made sure she felt comfortable. You know a video is a big investment, money wise, and to put yourself out there can be scary. However, there was so much emotion behind her video that her passion for her business was palpable on the video. It was just a beautiful thing to see. She ended up being the first guest on our podcast, and the same type of connection happened. On our podcast, we really encourage people to open up and be honest. Her podcast is one of our most successful ones thus far.

This interview was conducted and edited for length and clarity by WBJ Correspondent Sloane M. Perron.