Q:Most challenging part of your job that people often don’t see from the outside.

The most challenging part is managing expectations, others’ and my own, while navigating constant self-doubt in a space that’s evolving faster than anyone can fully master.

People often see the output but not the internal effort it takes to lead with confidence, inspire others, and stay ahead when there’s no clear path in this AI environment.

The context-switching when running a small company is relentless. Prioritization becomes hugely important. You're never 'done', so the work/life balance can become blurry. It's offset by having total control, but it can be all-consuming.

AI projects are not done in 5 min if you want a professional-grade result. Real clients demand that – but they believe it’s possible because they see AI influencers saying it can be done in 5 min, which is a lie you can spot in their own videos.

People often don’t realize how much time and effort goes into pre-production before you even step on set to achieve the desired creative effect. Most of the prep work is invisible to the average person, but tasks like working with the budget, preparing shot lists, and choosing locations and gear all require a great deal of planning and coordination.

One of the hardest parts is when someone has a strong idea for marketing, but they’re not a marketer. You want to respect their input, but you’re also responsible for hitting real goals. So you have to stay open, keep the energy positive, and still guide things in the right direction — and do it fast. It takes patience, quick thinking, and a bit of strategic negotiation.

Sticking to one idea and staying focused till the end is harder than it looks. Remember that meme: “How it started / How it’s going”?

Another one is that people only see the final result — a one-night event or a 15-second ad. But only the producer and team know it’s the outcome of months of work, planning, collaboration, and the dedication of 10–20 professionals behind the scenes.

Finding the root cause of a condition and working with it directly, instead of just suppressing symptoms. Sometimes it takes days of thinking, reflection, and connecting subtle details that aren’t immediately visible.

Resistance and people’s fear of judgment. When I call out challenges in team dynamics and management styles, I have to be both empathetic and direct — otherwise, nothing really changes. It’s the hardest part of the job: giving feedback that holds clients accountable without placing blame or making them feel judged.

Training models is just the cherry on top. Collecting and preprocessing the data is the actual cake, with a pretty sophisticated recipe.

Combining knowledge from fields that worked separately until a few years ago.

Responsibility for the team and their families.