Lessons from the Primal Video Growth Journey

Starting and growing a company is never a straightforward path, but with the right mindset and leadership, growth is possible. Primal Video, founded by brothers Justin and Mike Brown, is a prime example of how embracing adaptability, fostering strong team relationships, and focusing on continuous learning can lead to success. From a passion project to an influential platform with over a million subscribers on YouTube, their journey offers valuable lessons for leaders and entrepreneurs alike.

Primal Video's Early Days

When Justin and Mike launched Primal Video, they had a clear mission: to help entrepreneurs harness the power of video to grow their businesses. With over 20 years of experience in video production, Justin had worked on everything from Netflix documentaries to music videos and extreme sports projects. However, seven years ago, they made the decision to turn their focus to building Primal Video as a business.

The road wasn’t easy. Starting from scratch, the brothers built their YouTube channel as a passion project, sharing helpful tips for video production. Like many entrepreneurs, they faced the struggle of trial and error, learning what worked and what didn’t. But over time, they refined their processes and developed a content strategy that helped their channel grow. Today, their Primal Video Accelerator program is empowering others to replicate their success.

In the beginning, their content was more focused on general tips and advice, but they quickly realized that they needed to approach things differently. Justin and Mike revamped their content strategy, focusing on answering those questions first. This change helped them connect with their audience more effectively, showing that meeting viewers where they were, rather than trying to offer advice they weren’t yet seeking, was key to growing their channel.

The Importance of Continuous Improvement

For Justin, growth isn’t about big leaps—it’s about small, consistent progress. He follows a philosophy similar to the one in Atomic Habits, where improving just 1% every day leads to significant results over time. Reflecting and refining after every video shoot, meeting, or business decision has been crucial to their success. And this mindset extends beyond Justin personally—it’s built into the company’s culture. 

Justin emphasizes that adaptability has been a key element in their business. Whether it’s adopting new technology or refining workflows, staying fluid and open to change is what helps Primal Video stay ahead of the curve. The constant process of learning and evolving has led to more efficient work, better results, and a company culture that values progress.

Feedback and Taking Ownership

One of the toughest lessons for Justin was learning to accept and give feedback, especially from family. Working with his brother Mike, they’ve had to find a balance between their different communication styles. But by recognizing these differences, they learned how to collaborate more effectively.

Over time, they also realized how important feedback is to building a successful team. They’ve incorporated personality assessments into their hiring process to better understand how team members communicate and work. This has made it easier to provide constructive feedback, assign tasks, and motivate team members based on their strengths and working styles. 

Taking ownership is another key value. Justin believes that ownership is something everyone on the team can develop, but that it requires a genuine passion for the role for a team member to take accountability. People who embrace ownership are often the most engaged and motivated to contribute to the company’s success. Encouraging team members to take full responsibility for their actions helps build a culture of accountability, which is critical for long-term growth.

The Mailroom Strategy

Primal Video’s hiring process is centered around the idea of flexibility and ownership. Instead of assigning rigid roles from the start, they use the “mailroom strategy.” This approach tests potential employees across various tasks, allowing them to explore different areas and discover what excites them. By doing so, the team can match individuals to roles that not only align with their skills but also their passions, which increases motivation and job satisfaction.

The results speak for themselves. Primal Video’s team culture encourages growth and flexibility, which has been integral to their success. When employees take ownership and ask for new responsibilities, they feel more fulfilled in their roles. Plus, the absence of rigid roles allows for a more dynamic and adaptable business model, which has been instrumental in Primal Video’s growth. Not a lot of teams and partnerships can make this work, but evidently it’s the perfect model for Primal Video.

Leadership in Business Partnerships

The partnership between Justin and Mike is a great example of shared leadership. Rather than having one person in charge, they’ve embraced a 50/50 partnership model, where both partners, or brothers in this case bring their unique strengths to the table. This balance has helped the company grow while allowing each brother to focus on their strengths. 

This partnership has allowed the company to grow while letting both brothers play to their strengths. Their shared leadership model has created a collaborative work environment, where both are equally involved in decision-making. Additionally, this balance has allowed them to enjoy the autonomy they need for personal commitments like family time or travel.

As the company grew, Justin and Mike’s roles naturally evolved. In the early stages, they both wore multiple hats, but over time, they settled into roles that aligned with their strengths and interests. This evolution has also allowed for shared leadership, where both partners are equally invested in the success of the business.

Leadership is A Journey of Growth

Growth doesn’t happen overnight. Primal Video’s journey of growth highlights the power of shared leadership, adaptability, continuous learning, and fostering strong relationships. It requires a willingness to embrace change, take ownership, and build a team culture that supports innovation and accountability.

For entrepreneurs and leaders looking to grow their businesses, the lessons from Primal Video’s journey are clear: focus on continuous improvement, adapt to challenges, and prioritize the growth of your team. By doing so, you’ll not only scale your business but also create a supportive environment where both you and your team can thrive.

The main takeaway from my conversation with Justin is that leaders know there’s always a next level. Justin exemplifies an intrinsic drive for improvement. Every day, he strives for that 1% better, constantly seeking feedback and input from his team. As he shared, growth comes from being open to feedback and using it to move forward.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Primal Video’s YouTube channel and hit that subscribe button. Justin and his team have built something truly inspiring, and their journey serves as a testament to what’s possible with the right mindset and discipline.

You can also tune in to the full podcast episode here for more insights and a deeper dive into Primal Video’s journey: Lessons from Primal Video’s Journey of Growth with Justin Brown