V (Five) Questions for Veteran Small Business Owners Featuring Jesse Sieff, Founder of Sieff Studios

November 23, 2021

With over a week of National Veterans And Military Families Month (November 2021) remaining, we’re continuing to highlight some of the many great Veteran-owned businesses in Anne Arundel County through our interview series:

“V (Five) Questions for Veteran Small Business Owners”

And with Christmas music filling the airwaves and live streams of holiday season tree lightings, concerts, and performances coming to our social media feeds soon, it’s a very appropriate time to feature our fourth Q & A guest: Jesse Sieff, founder of Edgewater-based media solutions provider Sieff Studios and former musician and lead media producer in the U.S. Marine Corps.

So, without further ado, heeeeeere’s Jesse!

 

What’s the name of your business and how did you come up with the name?

My business, “Sieff Studios”, was named after a personal brand that I had built during my career as a musician. As a classically trained percussionist, published composer, and seasoned educator, the original title “Sieff Music” encompassed the scope of my creative work at the time. Through years of recording myself and fellow musicians for auditions and publications, I continued to develop my skills in multimedia recording and the visual arts. This evolved to include both music and media production with the word “Studios” and retention of my name “Sieff” to maintain a core value of authenticity. Finally, Sieff Studios is pluralized to subtly capture my vision to develop multiple commercial properties into fully functional recording studios: providing spaces for other artists and creative professionals to work and collaborate.

What does your business do and what motivated you to start it?

Sieff Studios provides creative and strategic support to leaders in business and government through innovative media solutions. We offer a custom blend of services that combine the best of a creative consulting firm with a boutique production company.

During my time in U.S. Marine Corps, I had the unique honor and privilege of representing the most highly visible ceremonial units in Washington D.C. to the public eye, both as musician and lead media producer in my unit. The attention to detail, responsibility, and sense of a higher purpose instilled during my enlistment translated directly to how I continued to serve the community in the most impactful way possible: digital media. My motivation to start this business stemmed from a burning desire to continue applying that creative energy towards service, sustainable growth, and community wellness.

If you had to name just one, what quality or skill from your service most applies to being a small business owner?

Beyond any shadow of a doubt, that would be Adaptability.

What aspect of your business are you most proud of/what’s your favorite part of running it?

I am most proud of the people I’ve been fortunate to meet along this journey and the genuine relationships built as a result.

What’s the top piece of advice you’d give a veteran who’s thinking about starting a small business?

My top piece of advice: Support and defend your personal health and wellbeing as if your life and the lives of those you love depend on it– because it does and they do. Without exception, this must remain in its rightful place as your top priority.

 

 

To learn more about Sieff Studios, visit: http://sieffstudios.com/

To learn more about AAEDC’s Inclusive Ventures Program – an initiative that aims to help small and minority-, women-, and Veteran-owned businesses in Anne Arundel County succeed and grow by providing their owners with the resources that early-stage entrepreneurs so often lack: business education and training, access to capital, and mentorship – visit: https://www.aaedc.org/minority-business/

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