Meet Kendra Santucci | Marketing Expert & Videographer – Owner of Desert Sun Video

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kendra Santucci and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kendra, what do you attribute your success to?
I believe the most important factor behind the success of my brand is my strength of connecting with people. My whole life I have been labeled as a “people person.” Even in grade school, I would have to be moved seats because I “talked too much.” Well, I have turned that into a positive and believe connecting with others has moved my brand forward. When you own a small business, word of mouth is how you gain momentum. I believe in cultivating strong relationships with others. From those strong relationships, I have gained a lot business.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I own and run Desert Sun Video, a video production company in Tucson, Arizona. There are tons of videographers in the area, but I specialize in branding video specifically. I work mostly with small, local businesses in Arizona and make their brand/business stand out. When we think of what a videographer does, we often think weddings or large-scale commercials. In reality, every single business can benefit from video because it’s what shows off your personality, product, and brand.

I have to admit that I love working with the beauty fashion industry. I love bringing businesses to life.
Something that sets me apart is the storytelling piece. I was a local reporter and have a journalism degree. Storytelling is my true passion and I love being able to find a powerful story and tell it through video.

Going back a bit… I always knew I wanted to be a TV News Reporter. I grew up loving the news as a kid (weird – I know) and knew from a young age that it’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I loved to write, I was creative, I loved learning about people, and I really enjoyed being in front of a camera. I studied Print Journalism at the University of Arizona as a way to master the skills it took to be a journalist. I got my broadcast skills from internships and reporting for the local University TV station. I made a mini documentary for one of my classes and I knew I was meant to tell stories in this way.

Just weeks after graduating college, I was off to Amarillo, Texas to start my career as Investigative Reporter for ABC7 news. I did a two-year contract there and was handed a morning reporter job at KVOA back in Tucson, Arizona. After two years at KVOA (and hardly any sleep), I realized my passion was fading. The industry was tough under Trump’s presidency and I was barely making enough money to survive. I knew I needed a change if I wanted to start a family and have a social life, so I made the switch into Marketing/Communications. I found my new passion and ran with it.

I have done a few marketing jobs (working for Mikel Kristi Skincare and the City of Tucson) and I now work as the Marketing & Communications Specialist for the Vail School District for my full-time job. In my role, I shoot video to tell stories that make the district shine. It is truly the dream job.

For years now, I have been shooting branding/event video as a hobby alongside my career. About two years ago. I thought why not turn the hobby into a business and get paid doing what I love? I started Desert Sun Video in January 2021. I eventually would love to hire on employees do more marketing and design, but for now it is just me and I specialize in branding video.

I have learned many lessons along the way. I think a big lesson is take life day-by-day. When something bad happens in my day, instead of dwelling on it, I try to look at the positive. We live in a world full of a lot of negativity, but I choose to see the positive in people and in myself. Every day is a new day to do something big for yourself and others. When something doesn’t go my way, I take it as a positive because I learned a lesson.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is a great question. I am certainly a member of Tucson’s fan club! Tucson is one of the absolute best cities and I will defend this until the day I die.

Let’s pretend it is late February/early March. There are some beautiful Airbnbs, but I would recommend staying at the Arizona Inn, Lodge on the Desert, Hacienda Del Sol, or the AC Hotel. AC Hotel is my pick because you’re in walking distance to some great places.

For brunch, you’ll need to go to Prep & Pastry for tasty food and the best bloody mary in Tucson. My favorite restaurants are Locale, Culinary Dropout, Ermanos, Reilly, Blanco, El Charro Cafe, Agustin Kitchen, and Tito & Pep. The best bars are Sidecar, Portal, Union, Tough Luck Club, Hotel Congress, Boxyard, and Culinary Dropout.

If you like hiking, check out Sabino Canyon, Saguaro National Monument, Mount Lemmon, and Star Pass.

Some must-see attractions include: the San Xavier Mission, the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum, and make a trip down to Sonoita to do a vineyard tour.

I would plan extra time to make a quick day trip down to Bisbee too.

My favorite area in Tucson is the Mercado and the MSA Annex. Walk around and shop. Presta Coffee is a must and grab a cocktail at Westbound.

I could go on and on all day long though. I love Tucson so much!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to dedicate my shoutout to John McNeill of Trail 77. I have only known John for a few years, but he has taught me a lot of what I know. I met him because he works out at the gym my husband is a trainer at (The Protocol Strength and Conditioning). He invited me to work on a shoot with several hospitals in New Mexico in 2020 and then asked me to join his production crew for another project in the Vail School District. He is always willing to answer my questions and help show me how to do something. I know time is valuable and he gives it freely. Not only is he a great friend, but he has become a wonderful mentor to me. I owe a lot of what I know to John. Check out his incredible production company: Trail 77.

Website: https://www.desertsunvideo.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/desertsunvideo/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/desertsunvideo/