Should a Solo Founder Outsource Video Editing? Justin's Answer: “Billion Percent”
Justin Sottilare runs an online American football academy by himself. He edited his own videos, until one 20-minute video showed him what his time was really worth.
By Evgeny Maximov·6 min read·
A solo founder with an online football academy. He made his own ad and edited his own videos. A 20-minute video meant about a week of work.
Turned an incomplete shot list into a full video. Sent two style samples first. First draft in 2 days, final version 2 days later.
Justin got his week back for course lessons and marketing. His verdict: “Billion percent recommend it.”
Who is Justin, and what was the problem?
American Football Academy helps football coaches build a complete offensive system: playbooks, courses, game plans and a coaching community. Justin Sottilare built it, and he runs it mostly by himself. He writes the course lessons. He does the marketing. He made the first ad himself.
That's the classic solopreneur trap. You can do everything. And that's exactly why everything takes forever. Justin needed a video that was almost 20 minutes long. Editing it himself would take, in his own words, a full week.
Should a solopreneur outsource video editing?
I asked Justin this question directly. He didn't even think about it.
“Billion percent. If you make some money and you want to get to a different playing field, and you continue doing the same tasks, you're probably not going to get there.”
Justin Sottilare, founder of American Football Academy
His logic is super simple. Video editing is a real skill, and it's important. But it's one skill out of many. If you spend your week on it, you're not getting better at the things only you can do: your product, your offer, your sales.
So as soon as the money from sales comes in, reinvest it. And one of the easiest ways to reinvest is to buy your own time back.
Course lessons and marketing wait until the video is done.
Meanwhile the founder works on lessons, offers and sales.
What if the editor doesn't know your niche?
Here's the funny part. When Justin asked how many American football games I had watched, the honest answer was zero. Not even a Super Bowl. Maybe some music clips from the halftime show.
And his shot list was, as he put it himself, “rather incomplete”. When he talks about inside zone, outside zone or power counter, it's gibberish to me. He expected I wouldn't be able to do much with it.
But you don't need to know football to build a video that makes sense. You need to understand how a viewer thinks: what they need to see first, where they get lost, what should be on screen when a term appears. I filled the gaps with logic, and Justin checked the football part. That's the right split of roles. The expert owns the facts. The editor owns the story.
How to make sure the video looks the way you want
Before the full edit, I sent Justin two short clips, around 30 seconds each. Same footage, two different vibes: different animations, different text styles. And one question: which one do you like?
Justin didn't expect this, and it made his life much easier. Choosing between two good options takes a minute. Explaining your taste from zero takes hours. And once he picked one, he felt comfortable letting me run with the rest.
This is the difference between an editor and a pair of hands. If you have to say “cut from second 20 to second 40”, you're still editing. You just use someone else's mouse.
The two objections before hiring an editor
I asked Justin what stopped him before. Two things. Probably the same two things that stop you.
| Objection | What changed his mind |
|---|---|
| “It costs money.” | It's an investment, not a cost. His self-made ad drove some sales but looked amateur. Better videos sell more, and the money comes back into the business. |
| “It won't be exactly what I want.” | A rough draft in 2 days and two style samples to choose from. He saw the result before committing, and it looked better than what he could make himself. |
“That stress is now gone. It's going to look way better than what I was able to do myself, and much faster.”
Justin Sottilare
When you shouldn't outsource yet
Justin's answer has an important “if”: if you make some money. Before your first sales, learning the basics yourself is fine. Make the first ad. Edit the first videos. You'll understand what good looks like.
But once the business works, staying your own editor is a choice to stay small. As Justin says, you can spend time mastering a skill set you don't need, or you can outsource it and focus on the things that grow the business.
What changed since then
This interview was recorded in 2024. Back then I edited Justin's video myself, with my own templates and shortcuts. I've been making content since 2014, so for me it was two days. For him it was a week.
Today it's not just me. A 7-person team works behind every client: a producer, editors, a thumbnail designer and an account manager who checks every video before it goes live. The idea is still the same as with Justin: you bring the expertise, we do the heavy lifting.
FAQ
Should a solo founder outsource video editing?
Yes, once the business makes its first sales. Justin Sottilare, founder of American Football Academy, calls it “an absolute yes”: every hour you spend editing is an hour you don't spend on your product, sales or marketing.
When is the right time to outsource video editing?
When you already have a few sales and you notice that editing eats your week. Justin's rule is simple: earn money, reinvest it right away, and the first thing to buy is your own time.
How long does it take to edit a 20-minute video?
For a founder who isn't a fast editor, about a full week. In Justin's case, a professional editor delivered the first draft in 2 days and the final version 2 days later.
Does a video editor need to know my niche?
No. I had never watched a single American football game, and Justin's shot list was incomplete. A good editor fills the gaps with logic and asks the right questions. You check the facts, they build the story.
How do I make sure an outsourced editor gets my style right?
Ask for two short samples first: the same 30-second clip in two different styles, with different animations and text. You pick the one you like, and the editor runs with it for the full video.
What are the main objections to outsourcing video editing?
Two, according to Justin: the money, and the fear that the result won't look the way you want. The first is solved by treating editing as an investment in sales, the second by style samples and a fast first draft.
Is outsourcing video editing worth the money?
If the videos sell something, yes. Justin made his first ad himself. It drove some sales but looked amateur. A professional edit costs money, but that money comes back through more sales and the hours you get back.
What should I send a video editor?
The raw footage and a shot list: what the video is about, the key points, and the parts that must stay. It doesn't have to be perfect. The editor's job is to turn it into a clear story.
How do I avoid micromanaging my video editor?
Agree on the style before the full edit, then give feedback on a finished draft, not on every second. If you have to say “cut from second 20 to second 40”, you are still doing the editing yourself.
Who is Justin Sottilare?
Justin Sottilare is the founder and head coach of American Football Academy, an online academy that teaches coaches how to build an offensive system and playbook. He played and coached football internationally.
What does Evgeny Maximov's agency do today?
In 2024 I edited Justin's video myself. Today a 7-person team does the whole thing for high-ticket founders: strategy, scripts, filming, editing, thumbnails and publishing. The client films one day a month.
Founder of a done-for-you YouTube agency for high-ticket founders. Making content since 2014. More about me
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