Rocky Santo, a young entrepreneur and founder of Lenscape Media visited Dutchess BOCES Career and Technical Institute on Friday, Feb. 7, to give a presentation to Graphic Design students, TV & Video students and SkillsUSA members.
Lenscape Media is a local video production company started in 2023 as a way to connect the small business community through video. Santo is a BOCES CTI industry partner who serves as a mentor to young graphics and film professionals. His presentation addressed how to develop your personal brand and how you can reach a place where you love what you do.
“Your brand is what people think and feel when they think of you,” Santo explained. “You have a brand right now. Start to discover your brand by asking yourself questions. Why are you here? Why is it important?”
He asked a few students to share the answers to those questions.
Lily Jessup, a student in the graphic design program shared “I came to BOCES to learn and make friends with people with similar interests.”
“I came to BOCES because I discovered that I love to cook,” shared Jack Murphy a student in the culinary program. “I joined SkillsUSA to be more involved and develop leadership skills.”
Santo, who spoke as part of Career and Technical Education month, shared that his initial business was a Farmer’s Market, but he was not sure it was what he really wanted to do. Ultimately, that business was not a success, but he had a vague idea for a video business and was hesitant. His mentor encouraged him to do it.
He came to realize that “success in life depends more on the power of your steps than the direction. The biggest problem is that we fail to act.”
“In school, you are in charge of your education,” the young entrepreneur explained. “You reap the way you sow. Even if you are not going to use what you are learning, you are going to use the way you learned it.”
He challenged students to identify what holds them back. Is it fear, laziness, or a lack of purpose? Everyone is carrying a burden, but may not even realize they have it. He asked students to think about what their “burden” is. He also suggested they find their passion by asking themselves “what do you love to do?”
“There is something that you already have; your name and who you already are,” he reminded them. “When you graduate and are handed that diploma it’s your choice what you are going to do.”
After the presentation, the young entrepreneur answered a few questions for the Graphic Design and TV & Video classes. Asked how he developed the ability to go up to people he did not know to introduce himself or ask questions, Santo shared that as an introvert is was initially difficult, but “it’s a muscle that you can develop.”
“Get used to being afraid and do it anyway,” he advised. “The outcome of your attempt does not affect your identity,” he added.
