#115 Experience-Based Hiring & AI Tools (ft. Livalittle)

In this episode of Creatives Grab Coffee, we sit down with JD Gonzalez, founder of Livalittle, a boutique production company based in Brooklyn, New York. JD is a cinematographer, producer, and director who's built his business around a unique philosophy: experience-based hiring — rotating crews and giving people the opportunities they need to grow their careers. Full episode write-up: https://www.creativesgrabcoffee.com/p... We dive into how JD broke into the competitive New York market after moving from Denver, why he runs free two-day filmmaking workshops, how owning an Alexa Mini LF opened doors (and pays for itself through rental house consignment), and the realities of shooting in NYC — from freight elevators to box trucks. Plus, JD shares how he taught himself to build his own production apps (PrepViz and Pre-Checklist) and a custom CRM using Claude Code, and why "you get out what you put in" applies to AI just as much as filmmaking. Whether you're growing a video production company, breaking into a new market, or curious how AI tools fit into your workflow, this episode is packed with practical insights. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Intro: Meet JD Gonzalez of Livalittle 01:50 – Experience-based hiring & a DEI-focused production company 03:58 – Building a network by rotating crews 10:23 – Getting remembered in a new market: consistency over time 12:17 – JD's backstory: film school & teaching high school film 17:00 – Crafting the Image: running free filmmaking workshops 23:46 – Virtual production & partnering with rental houses 25:09 – Why film education should be free 27:19 – No one can steal your perspective 30:10 – Could Creatives Grab Coffee go live & in person? 31:21 – Why JD moved from Denver to New York City 34:30 – Breaking into the NYC market 36:38 – Does owning a camera still win you work? 39:11 – Consigning gear with a rental house 40:41 – The logistics of filming in NYC: trucks, insurance & freight elevators 48:22 – Branding, SEO & landing direct-to-client work 51:23 – Running a lean, direct-to-client production model 53:05 – Building PrepViz: a scene design & previz app made with Claude Code 56:31 – Pre-Checklist: simplifying gear lists & prep 58:49 – Teaching yourself to build apps with AI 1:02:41 – Building a custom CRM 1:03:54 – Are you locked into one AI platform? 1:09:44 – The ups and downs of the AI train 1:11:41 – Standing out when everyone uses AI: you get out what you put in 1:16:04 – Wrap-up & where to find JD 🎙️ Hosted by Dario Nouri and Kyrill Lazarov Connect with JD Gonzalez: Website: https://www.livalittle.com Instagram:   / jdgonzalesdp   Listen to more episodes: https://www.creativesgrabcoffee.com Sponsored by Lapse Productions: https://www.lapseproductions.com #VideoProduction #Filmmaking #Podcast #CreativesGrabCoffee #VideoBusiness #Cinematographer #ClaudeCode #AITools #NYCFilmmaking #ProductionCompany 🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2vHd8Bd... 🍏 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...