Chris Gilman is no stranger to bold moves and big changes.

That’s how he ended up leaving Philadelphia to become a Disney character and pursue his dream of becoming an actor.

“There were plenty of reasons not to do it, but you only live once,” Chris recalls. “Moving to Florida was expensive, so I found five roommates to make it work. Looking back, I love what I did because I went for it. I think that experience really formed who I am today, which is the total opposite of my personality growing up – very shy, introverted. Now, I’m always smiling.”

Chris would spend three years as a Disney character, mostly playing Goofy, while navigating life as an aspiring actor. When opportunities didn’t materialize as he had hoped, Chris decided to make another bold move.

“I pulled a 180, moved back to Philadelphia, and went into finance,” Chris said. “I got licensed as an investment advisor and became a bank manager. I did very well in the corporate world, but I still had that creativity inside me, and I felt like I wasn’t using my gifts for my true purpose.”

Next came another bold move. Chris left his career in finance, took out a sizable business loan, and started a video production company called Brande Media – at the height of the COVID pandemic.

An Entrepreneur’s Entrepreneur

After some early growing pains, Chris began to grow and expand Brande Media. In addition to video production, they now offer photography, website design, social media management, digital marketing, and paid media advertising services.

“We were always more of a business coach and consultant than a video production company,” Chris said. “Because of my banking and finance experience, I intimately understood the goals and problems that business owners have. I have the heart of an entrepreneur, and a tremendous level of respect for other business owners.”

Chris recognizes that an entrepreneur’s first foray into marketing can be a bold move, and a big change. That’s why he looks beyond client acquisition and focuses on delivering value. This leads to very frank conversations about what the client needs.

“One thing that makes us totally different is that we’re brutally honest with entrepreneurs about what is going to make them money and what is not,” Chris said. “There are many companies that don’t need us and I’m the first person to say that. You need focus and discipline to run a business, scale, and manage everything. We talk about the bigger picture, not just our services.”

Diving Headfirst into Chamber Membership

Chris attended his first Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber networking event in November of 2024 on the recommendation of a business lender who shared a similar background. Chris loved the vibe of the Chamber from the moment he walked through the doors.

“I was just shocked at how awesome the people were, and I felt like the energy I brought was well received,” Chris said. “I looked at the Chamber like someone who joins the rotary. It’s about service, not what I’ll get in return. I met Hal, Christine, and the leadership team that night and joined right after the event.”

Chris immediately filled out his member profile to make it discoverable by search engines. He signed up for emails, scoured the event pages, and looked for every opportunity to add value to the Chamber and its members.

“When I went to new member orientation, I think I was the last person to leave,” Chris said. “I talked to as many people as I could and asked a bunch of questions. I did what the Chamber advises new members to do – plug into everything, be the go-giver. That’s my mindset.”

Looking for ways to use his company’s video production expertise to add value, Brande Media sponsored a Real Estate Business Alliance event and produced a highlight trailer. The video received overwhelmingly positive feedback.

A Simple Process for Engagement and Relationship Building

Chris is grateful to be a resource for new members in the same way Adriana Groza was a resource to him.

“Adriana was my assigned ambassador when I joined the Chamber and she was phenomenal,” Chris said. “She gave me so much insight into membership. And she became a client. We did a three-day video shoot, and the commercial we produced still lives on her website.”

Now a member of the Chamber’s Ambassador Committee, Chris is helping colleagues maximize the value of their membership.

“The Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber is a goldmine, but you have to know how to dig,” Chris said. “You have to know how to take advantage of opportunities. Go to every event you can. Connect with people quickly after the event. So many people are guilty of saying they’ll reach out, and they truly have that intention, but they never do. You have to take that next step.”

Chris follows a simple five-step process for communicating and following up:

• Attend as many events as possible.
• Prepare to articulate who you are and what you do in a way that matters to the people you meet – in less than 30 seconds – and let the conversation flow naturally.
• Collect business cards from people you meet (it’s easy to forget!).
• Connect with them on social media.
• Email them right away.
• Continue to email them on a regular basis.

“Open your eyes, see what's in front of you, and seize the opportunity with this incredible network of people,” Chris said. “When you do these things, there’s no way you can’t find success as a Chamber member.”