9 Online Video Editing Business Success Stories [2024]
Video editors manage camera footage, dialogue, sound effects, graphics, and special effects to produce the final film or video product. To become an online video editor, you must have media production and communication knowledge and the ability to work with others.
To start a video editing business, you can outsource video editing skills from an experienced professional. Your role will be to pick video footage from the customers and upload them for the video editor to do the magic.
In this list, you'll find real-world online video editing business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a online video editing business that makes money.
1. Wavve ($1.2M/year)
Baird, a sales guy with a love for tech and marketing, started Wavve after a failed attempt at building a social network. While trying to find a way to promote their audio content on social media, they discovered the need for a tool to convert audio into shareable videos and pivoted to create Wavve. They focused on solving problems and quickly gained paying customers, bootstrapping the business to $75k in monthly recurring revenue over 3 years.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How many people on the team: 0
Wavve, a SaaS product helping podcasters and audio creators promote their content on social media, has grown to $75k in monthly recurring revenue with over 70,000 signups and clients including ESPN Radio, Dave Ramsey, and BBC.
2. Animation Explainers ($1.02M/year)
Aaron Connolly and Dylan Healy, the co-founders of Animation Explainers, came up with the idea for their business after discovering the increasing popularity of explainer videos during a market research project. They decided to turn their passion for animation into a business and have since built a successful company that has worked with over 350 clients and created over 750 videos. Through their flexible approach and focus on storytelling, Animation Explainers has become an industry leader in the animation space, with plans to expand globally.
How much money it makes: $1.02M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 20
Animation Explainers is an animation video production company that specializes in explaining complex products, services, and messages for organizations worldwide, with over 350 clients, 750 created videos, and generating $960k annually through their services.
3. D-MAK Productions ($648K/year)
Joe Forte, one of the owners of D-MAK Productions, came up with the idea for their video production company in 2011. He joined forces with his best friend Danny McManus, who had a passion for video creation, and together they reached out to large video production companies in their area. Recognizing the opportunity to offer high-quality production services to corporate clients, they focused on exceptional customer service, built a professional website, and utilized their network to provide mentorship and guidance as they grew their business.
How much money it makes: $648K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 2
A co-owner of D-MAK Productions shares how they generated $350k a year in sales, with clients such as Intel, Amazon, and Apple, while focusing on exceptional customer service, strategic purchases, and building a network of potential mentors and clients in the Phoenix video production area.
4. Silksocial ($360K/year)
Silksocial was founded by Louise and Edvinas Maciulevicius, who started the business out of desperation when they were broke and far from home in Merida, Mexico. After scraping the web for potential leads, they found their first client on Starter Story and have since built a successful video ad production business, generating a turnover of around $30K/Month.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2.5K
How many people on the team: 2
Silksocial produces rockstar video ads for eCommerce brands, with a turnover of around $30K/month and a focus on differentiation through a deep understanding of e-commerce video ad production techniques that optimize investment returns.
5. FilterGrade ($360K/year)
Mike Moloney, the founder of FilterGrade, started the business in 2013 after selling digital products on different marketplaces. He initially launched FilterGrade as a collection of Photoshop Actions and later expanded it to be a marketplace for creators, offering digital assets such as presets, LUTs, and video templates. Through constant adaptation and a focus on content marketing and partnerships, FilterGrade has attracted over 450,000 monthly users and achieved success in the competitive creative industry.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 2
FilterGrade is an eCommerce platform offering digital assets such as photo filters and video templates; attracting over 450,000 monthly users and generating approximately 30k a month, the founders worked hard to build a valuable marketplace for creators while focusing on digital marketing, partnerships, and content creation.
6. Vimerse ($360K/year)
Overwhelmed by long commutes and influenced by observing big brands’ shift to online marketing, a former mutual fund manager surveyed content creators to discover their disdain for video editing, leading him to launch Vimerse, now generating $30,000 in monthly sales.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
How many people on the team: 0
Discover how a former Morgan Stanley analyst transitioned to founding a profitable video editing agency, now boasting $30,000 in monthly sales and 50% year-over-year growth, by overcoming initial mistakes and leveraging a unique editor recruiting platform.
7. VEED ($72K/year)
Tim and Sabba, the founders of VEED.IO, met during an online hackathon and stayed friends, brainstorming startup ideas for years. Sabba's background in design and Tim's work on an automated video editing platform led them to create VEED, a simple online video editing platform, which has now reached ramen profitability with over $5,000 in monthly recurring revenue.
How much money it makes: $72K/year
How many people on the team: 1
VEED.IO, a London-based start-up co-founded by Sabba and her partner, offers a simple online video editing platform using batch job cloud architecture to help social media managers across the world auto subtitle, filter, rotate videos and much more, earning the company $5,300 MRR and the founders Ramen profitability within just a year of starting.
8. Vidds ($27.6K/year)
Ed and Andrew, the co-founders of Vidds, met online through the Indie Hackers forum and decided to collaborate on Andrew's tool for creating short promo videos. They saw potential in the tool and redesigned and rebuilt it together. After a successful launch on Product Hunt and a listing on AppSumo, they have attracted loyal users and generated sales. They are now focused on scaling their marketing efforts and developing new features to enhance the user experience.
How much money it makes: $27.6K/year
How much did it cost to start: $150
How many people on the team: 0
Vidds co-founders built an online video editor, with drag & drop scene builder, pre-designed templates, music, shape, and animations features that on average is now generating $2,300 a month from solo entrepreneurs and small business owners.
9. Piktostory (now known as Piktochart) ($24K/year)
Ching, the co-founder of Piktostory (now known as Piktochart Video), came up with the idea for the business while realizing the fragmented nature of the video space and the need for a consolidated video editing tool. With the goal of simplifying video editing and repurposing, Piktostory (now known as Piktochart Video) was born. Despite facing challenges and being self-financed, the company has gained traction through successful Product Hunt launches and partnerships, and is focusing on adding more features and expanding its user base.
How much money it makes: $24K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300K
How many people on the team: 6
Piktostory co-founder, Ai Ching Goh, divulges how she created a simple video editor with customizable captions and integrated "highlight" clipping features, attracting over 350 early adopters and focusing on promoting through Facebook communities and Product Hunt to acquire new paying customers.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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