Hello my name is Kepka

I thought I always knew what I wanted to do with my life. I was Mike Kepka, the newspaper photojournalist, and it was the perfect career fit for nearly two decades. So you can imagine when I left the Bay Area almost five years ago to pursue a new path - I was a little lost.

My talented, union organizing wife had earned one of the highest positions with the Communications Workers of America, so we readily gave up our old lives in Oakland for new ones in Washington DC. We packed up the dog and our three lovable but demanding girls, and headed east. I was excited but concerned.

When I landed, I didn't even have my own camera or laptop. So much of my identity was wrapped up in working for someone else that I had anxiety about not being needed by anybody. When the pope came to town nobody called me. Nobody needed me to run out and take pictures of obsessed crowds of people. Nobody. WTF?

Who am I?

Once the haze cleared, I partnered with Amanda Needham, a colleague I met during my days at the San Francisco Chronicle who was also out east, and together we created Kepka House. We are a video production company that creates content for brands and agencies big and small. Now we take our journalistic storytelling sensability directly to clients to meet their goals.

Now, I'm proud to say I'm a business owner. Now, I know if nobody is calling it's only because I haven't spoken loud enough.

"We are here!"

So far, every minute I've put into this business has given back hefty returns. It’s a constant reassurance that Kepka House is on the right track. I'm never going back.

So why am I telling you all of this?

We've learned a lot in the past couple of years, and we hope that sharing some of our successes and failures with you will inspire your journey...whatever that may be.

I’d also like to start conversations with other like-minded businesses who are similar paths. Maybe we can help each other.