Meet the Rhyl entrepreneur who went from selling phones to creating films

A 22-year-old videographer from Rhyl has gone from strength to strength since giving up his day job and turning his hobby into a fast-growing business.

Sam Beavan founded his videography company Bevovisuals in 2021, which works with businesses and organisations on brand building and campaigns by creating slick promotional video content.

Sam, who has been filmmaking since the age of 13 when he developed a passion for making and editing videos at home, was working in a mobile phone shop in Rhyl when he decided to take the plunge and turn his hobby into a business venture.

Since then, Bevovisuals has gone from filming for local businesses and wedding parties to working with nationwide household names like New Look, Adidas, SikSilk and renowned UFC fighter Paddy Pimblett. Sam has been nominated for a Wales StartUp Award two years in a row and, this year, the business expects to more than double its previous turnover.

Sam said that his local work built strong foundations for the business growth that followed: “I’ve always enjoyed working within Rhyl and my first big project was actually with the local council, which was a huge learning opportunity for me. It really emphasised the importance of communication with the client when there are so many moving parts to a job, and it stood me in good stead to start putting myself out there for bigger contracts across the UK.

“I’ve since been lucky enough to work with some huge companies with the budget to allow me to create incredible, high quality content for them, and the experience I’ve gained has given me the confidence to continue taking on bigger and bigger challenges.

“I think larger firms and personalities are increasingly appreciating how agile and efficient small businesses and lean startups like Bevovisuals can be, with no lengthy approval processes or hard and fast policies to complicate their ever-evolving plans.”

Sam bases himself at coworking hub Costigan’s on Bodfor Street, where he was the founding member when it opened its doors for the first time in 2021.

Sam said: “It was actually my mum who first brought Costigan’s to my attention. She picked up a leaflet from the town centre and thought it would be a great way to get me out of the house and into my own professional space.

“I don’t think either of us realised at the time how much of a game changer it would be for my business. As well as having a space to call my own, I’ve received so much support and advice on the elements of business that I wasn’t experienced in, from the finance side of things to marketing and goal setting. Being around other entrepreneurs who are going through the same process or who already have experience in starting up has given me so much more insight into how I should be doing things and how to avoid making common mistakes.

“I do believe that I would have always made the business work no matter what, but being part of a coworking community has fast-tracked that process massively and has meant that I’ve accessed amazing opportunities so much earlier on in the journey. I’m now fortunate enough to be in a position to consider building a team, creating another base for the business in a larger city, and I’ve even been able to take on a second business focusing on wedding films, so there are a lot more exciting developments in the pipeline.”

Costigan’s is operated by small business support and coworking firm Town Square Spaces Ltd (TownSq), which has a growing network of collaborative hubs across England and Wales, on behalf of Denbighshire County Council.

Costigan’s Community Manager Owain Colwell said that Sam’s success was testament to what could be achieved through a little collaboration: “We are so proud to have Bevovisuals at the space and it’s been fantastic so see how Sam has pushed the business forward since joining us.

“There’s no doubt that he always had the talent and determination to follow his dream, but whilst being here at the space he has thrown himself into every networking, learning and business development opportunity, and has become a truly impressive entrepreneur.

“It’s been a pleasure to play a small role in the story of Bevovisuals so far, and we look forward to seeing what Sam will achieve next.”