Bailey Miclette - Boulder Media House
Thirlby Co. Leader to Learn From: September 2023
September 6, 2023
Bailey Miclette is an entrepreneur who approaches life and leadership a bit differently than most people. “I want to leave a legacy through my vocation and my creation,” Bailey shared. “I want to grow into a business leader that people respect, and someone who has enough lived experience to provide mentorship. And I want to create meaningful products.”
After high school, Bailey went to college at the University of Colorado as a Full National Scholarship Recipient of the Army ROTC. While he was there, he founded a commercial production company called Boulder Media House, which has a portfolio of household brands as clientele including the NFL, Delta Airlines, American Red Cross, and more. In 2019, Bailey became a 1st Lieutenant and Platoon Leader in the United States Army Reserve.
Today, Bailey is still a managing partner of Boulder Media House and its subsidiaries, and a full-time cinematographer leading camera teams on film sets across commercial campaigns, short films, and live music events across the country while he simultaneously serves the Colorado Army National Guard as a Public Affairs Officer in the 169th Field Artillery Brigade.
“In the military, I do public affairs and am a photographer and videographer for the brigade I deploy with,” Bailey explained. “So I like rolling all the things I’m doing together.”
Read on to learn about Bailey’s time in the military, how he discovered his passion for cinematography, and what he’s learned about balancing two big careers at the same time.
OUR INTERVIEW WITH BAILEY
Tell us a bit about your military service, and what inspired you to join.
I'm a 4th generation military and I wanted to continue the family tradition. Originally, I was West Point bound. I was recruited to be a swimmer there, and I made it through the entire process and got an appointment. But then in February of my senior year of high school, we all had our appointments revoked. It was tragic - it was my entire life’s mission to attend West Point.
They gave us the option of deferring for a year or offering us a full-ride ROTC scholarship to another school. So I ended up going to CU Boulder in the ROTC while I was in school. After graduating, I went to Augusta, GA in the signal core. I went to a photography unit and then ended up in my current unit as a public affairs officer with the 169th Field Artillery Brigade. Soon, I'll be deploying for nine months in the Middle East. In May of 2025, I’ll be done with my contract.
So how have you built your own video production company while serving in the military?
Growing up, I was always passionate about photo and media production. I was the kid who made cool recap videos of our swim team. In 2015, I went back to business school and got my third degree, and then opened up Boulder Media Company in 2018. While I was at University of Colorado Boulder, I got my degree in Digital Marketing.
In the military, I do public affairs and am a photographer and videographer for the brigade I deploy with. So I like rolling all the things I’m doing together.
Making both work is all about time management! I live and die by my calendar. I set specific blocks of time on a daily and weekly basis that are dedicated to specific areas of each of my careers, whether it’s finding new work for Boulder Media House, online coursework for a military school, building mission plans for our upcoming trainings, or correspondence with clients for Buffalo Film Co.
I’m also admittedly a bit of a workaholic (something I’m trying to improve on) and find a ton of fun and fulfillment in creating progress in my careers, so it doesn’t feel like a burden most days.
Speaking of - what interested you in wedding videography?
In general, I have a soft spot for traditions - probably I’m passionate about the military and weddings. A wedding is obviously one of the most important moments in someone’s life. I love being able to contribute to someone’s life marker. I don’t sell a tangible product - I offer memories. There is a bit of an emotional impact to that. It’s also a great market to be in because there will always be a need for it. It makes me smile so much when people love the final product.
Growing up, we watched my parent’s wedding video on their anniversary every year. It’s literally nothing like what I do for my couples today. They had “Kiss from a Rose” by Seal for their song with VHS shots of the sunset!
What is the hardest part of your job?
Finding a way to tell every couple’s story specifically. It’s challenging and I like it - it’s like a puzzle, and I’m just one piece of their puzzle. I try to be as interactive as possible - I want to get to know their people. It’s not just about the couple, it’s about the community of people coming together to vouch for their relationship being a success.
Okay, now it’s time for our seven leadership questions. The first is, how would you define confidence?
Confidence is not knowing that you always have the right answer - it’s knowing you have the competency or ability to find the right answer. Both in building my company and in the military, I’ve learned that arrogance is thinking you always have the right answer.
What have you learned about vulnerability, in the context of leadership?
So much - I’ve had to have so many tough conversations with people. My company had grown really fast after the pandemic. And then during the spring of 2022, at the beginning of the recession, we had seven major commercial clients on retainer who all dropped their contracts within the first 4 weeks. We had to lay off about 10 people.
I had to learn real quick how to deliver bad news and be vulnerable with these people who not only worked with me but were my friends. The reason why the conversations went okay was because I didn’t hide the fact that things were the way they were. My vulnerability was returned with understanding and empathy. Today, I’ve still been able to maintain those friendships.
How would you define your mission or purpose in life?
I want to leave a legacy through my vocation and my creation. I want to grow into a business leader that people respect, and someone who has enough lived experience to provide mentorship. I want to create meaningful products.
What is your greatest superpower as a leader?
I understand processes from start to finish because I have experience at each level. I understand what it’s like to be an assistant editor because I was one for a long time. I understand what it’s like to be a camera assistant because I was one for a long time. I understand what it’s like to be a Platoon Leader because I was one for a long time. My past experiences make it easier to relate to others and be better suited to manage them. Conversely, I’ve worked with people of authority who are overseeing people when they don’t have knowledge of what their direct reports are doing. It truly does make things much more difficult for everyone involved.
What is something that might surprise people about you?
I have a lot of dorky hobbies and interests. I love board games and jigsaw puzzles. I love building lego models. And I’m really into computers.
What advice would you have for someone who is feeling stuck right now in their life or career?
Seek mentorship. I’ve gotten so lucky finding great mentors along my journey so far. It’s been huge for helping me build my business. Anytime I felt like I was hitting a plateau and gotten out of it, all of it has come through reaching out for support. Building relationships with people at all experience levels has been so invaluable to me.
What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
To keep going. To not give up. A huge reason where I am the way I am is because I didn’t quit. It would have made sense to throw in the towel and quit. I was not always like that.
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I got lucky because I found something I was passionate about early on. So get out there, try things out, and keep your options open - I never anticipated having a career in media until I fell into it.
Once you find your direction you're in for it. A lot of people I knew got stagnant because they stopped trying to find out what they were passionate about. You don’t have to have a goal, but have a direction to go - and keep on going until you find what you’re passionate about.
About Bailey Miclette (he/him/his)
Originally hailing from Connecticut and the North Eastern US, Bailey spent his younger years traveling the world with his family, living all across the US, Jordan, and Taiwan before settling in Denver, Colorado in 2011. Bailey attended the University of Colorado Boulder and pursued degrees in Business Marketing and Data Analysis as well as Technology, Art, and Media Design all while kickstarting a freelance career in media production and working for Universal Music Group in Los Angeles, CA on their internal artist content team.
In 2018 Bailey co-founded a commercial production company called Boulder Media House which has grown a portfolio of household brands as clientele including the NFL, Delta Airlines, American Red Cross, and more. As of 2023, Bailey is still a managing partner of Boulder Media House and its subsidiaries (including Buffalo Film Co) and a full time cinematographer leading camera teams on film sets across commercial campaigns, short films, and live music events across the country. Simultaneously, Bailey serves in the Colorado Army National Guard as a Public Affairs Officer in the 169th Field Artillery Brigade.
When he’s not busy on set or on a mission, Bailey enjoys road cycling, weight lifting, and paddle boarding with his partner Hannah and their French bulldog, Howard.
You can follow Bailey on LinkedIn or on Instagram @bouldermediahouse @buffalofilmco or @btmiclette. Get in touch with Boulder Media House here.
About This Feature
Leaders to Learn From is a standing feature in The Thirlby Company’s monthly newsletter that recognizes outstanding leaders in our community who embody our company’s core values. You can learn about our other honorees here, or subscribe to our newsletter to receive this feature and more inspiring content in the future.
