Veteran Creates Covid Testing Company

How This Veteran Created A COVID Testing Company That Saved The Entertainment Industry In 2020

San Diego Veterans Magazine had a chance to sit down with entrepreneur Alex Ostebo

Alex Ostebo comes from a long line of veterans, having herself served as a Captain and Company Commander in the Army Reserves for eight and a half years. Simultaneously, she embarked on her entrepreneurial journey, building two successful businesses, Creative Picnic, a production and artist management company for photographers, and most recently, Kameo, which has since become the leading provider of COVID testing and management services for the entertainment production industry.

SDV Magazine: Tell us about your career and how you were able to balance work with your military commitment?

Alex Ostebo: When I was first commissioned in the Army Reserves, I was stationed at the 55th Sustainment Brigade at Fort Belvoir. Simultaneously, I started my civilian career in marketing, which is when I realized my love for entrepreneurship and decided to start my own company for artist marketing and production. When the pandemic hit, I pivoted to create a company that could offer a solution to the challenges Hollywood would face to produce content safely during a pandemic. I’m not going to sugar coat it, finding a balance was difficult, especially when I was serving as a company commander, which is a full time position itself. However, I did gather a few pieces of wisdom during this time that helped me succeed. In a world where you are being told from both ends that things need to happen “right now,” prioritization is a must. Additionally, it is critical to learn how to set boundaries and delegate as much as you can in both your civilian and military careers. Lastly, and most importantly, go easy on yourself–you are doing your best, so let the small things slide.

SDV Magazine: What kind of difficulties did you experience transitioning to civilian life and how did you overcome those difficulties?

Alex Ostebo: I was very lucky because I had a civilian career during the course of my military service, and as I had two demanding businesses taking up my time, the transition was pretty seamless. I was surprised, however, that my insurance stopped before my last date of commission, which left me without insurance for a period of time and scrambling to find alternative coverage.

SDV Magazine: What lessons or skills did you learn in the military that helped you start Kameo?

Alex Ostebo: Many of the skills I learned in the Army, including how to be a good leader, translated perfectly to those needed to become an entrepreneur. The military instilled in me a resilience that continues to help me fight through the fear of the unknown, especially when creating a company during something as uncertain as a pandemic. When COVID hit, the entertainment industry grinded to a halt. My military experience gave me the confidence and discipline needed to think through complex logistics and be one of the firsts to establish an effective way to mitigate risk on Hollywood sets.

SDV Magazine: What advice do you have for veterans who are looking to get into entrepreneurship and the production industry specifically?

Alex Ostebo: For veterans excited to start their own business, my advice is the following:

• Go with what you know - Finding something you are passionate about is important, and your foundational knowledge of the industry will help propel you to success. • Look for the problems around you - The businesses that are most likely to succeed are those that solve problems you care about. • Build the right team - Bringing on the right people early on will help you grow efficiently and be successful.

• Use your resources & network - Reach out to your family, friends, neighbors, local businesses, etc., to gather information and get feedback. Small businesses love supporting other small businesses especially if the relationship is mutually beneficial.

For veterans specifically looking to get into film and TV production, I have great news. Not only is the production industry conducive to the strengths and needs of former military vets but there are also fast tracks to get involved:

• Join the Union - The unions have a direct commission option for veterans, where veterans can join for free. • Specialty Jobs for Veterans - As we learned from the tragedy on the “Rust” set, there is a huge shortage of trained armorers, which is a huge opportunity for military vets trained in this field. There are also other specialty positions that allow for a seamless transfer of experience including jobs in transportation, medics, stunts and pilotry. • You Already Have What It Takes - Productions not only wants military vets, they NEED them. Our work ethic, reliability and professional nature is exactly what makes for a strong crew member. • A Sense of Community - Productions have a community and camaraderie feel that is very similar to the military.

For more about Kameo, visit www.kameo.co.

2021

G O A L S

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