How to Apply the 80/20 Rule to Your Video Production Business
You’ve probably heard of the 80/20 Rule. The idea that roughly 20% of your inputs create 80% of your outcomes. In business, it shows up everywhere. A few clients bring in most of your revenue. A few projects lead to most of your future work. A few marketing activities drive most of your leads.
The question is: are you paying attention to that 20%?
Earlier this week I shared a podcast episode exploring how the 80/20 Rule applies to running a video production company. If you haven’t listened to that yet, I recommend checking it out. This post is a follow-up. Something more practical and hands-on.
If you can find even half an hour, this is a great time to stop and reflect. Take a look at what’s really going on in your business. Notice what’s working. What isn’t. What deserves more of your attention.
Here are a few categories and questions to guide your thinking.
Clients
Which clients generate the majority of your revenue?
Who are the ones you actually enjoy working with?
Are there clients who drain time and energy without a strong return?
Start noticing the patterns. Who’s worth investing more energy into? Who’s dragging your business down?
Projects
What types of jobs are consistently profitable?
Which projects energise you and make you proud of the work?
Are there jobs you keep taking that no longer make sense?
Think about which jobs you should stop saying yes to, or reshape so they’re actually worth doing.
Marketing
Where do your best leads really come from?
What outreach methods actually work?
Are you putting time into things that don’t make much of an impact?
You don’t need to do everything. Focus on the channel that already works and build a rhythm around it.
Workflow
What’s one task you do that consistently creates value?
What’s something you could let go of without any real downside?
Where do you regularly get bogged down?
It might be time to automate, delegate, or just cut something loose.
What to Do With These Insights
Reflection is useful. But what matters more is how you act on what you see.
If you realise that a small group of clients is keeping your business afloat, think about how you can strengthen those relationships. Stay in touch. Deliver more value. Look for more clients like them.
If you spot projects that eat up time but don’t lead anywhere, start raising your minimums. Or shift the way you deliver that type of work so it actually makes sense for you.
If you see that one marketing channel consistently brings in leads, don’t get distracted by the next shiny idea. Focus. Systematise. Let it compound.
And if a part of your workflow is always slowing you down, find a way to improve it. Even a small fix can create momentum.
You don’t have to overhaul everything. But you do need to respond to what you’ve learned. That’s the part most people skip.
I encourage you to take up the challenge: Look at your business through the 80/20 lens. Write down what you’ll stop doing, what you’ll double down on, and what small change you’ll try next week.
And if something clicks, if you get a new insight or take an action that helps, I’d love to hear about it.
Let this be the moment where you stop drifting and start steering.
Want help applying this to your business?
You can try to figure it all out on your own. Or you can work with someone who has helped dozens of video production business owners find clarity, land better clients, and build a business that actually works.
If you want support applying the 80/20 Rule in a practical, tailored way, with guidance, accountability, and a clear plan, coaching might be a good fit.
You’ll get help identifying what matters most, letting go of what doesn’t, and building simple systems that create momentum.
No hype. No pressure. Just real support from someone who has gone through this process, applied the 80/20, and experienced the benefits.