Dave Andrews, entrepreneur at Innovatrs, explains how he took his first steps into the film industry. Dave is the founder of the internet-based TV channel  The Syzygy Network.

Dave wants to move the channel onto cable TV once it has been fully established- making it only the second Sci-Fi TV network in U.S. history. This would help fulfill one of his biggest ambitions- to be remembered for funding the greatest producer and distributor of Science Fiction TV worldwide.

Innovatrs: What made you do it? Why did you become an entrepreneur?

Dave:I think I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and I’ve owned businesses in the past, but in this case, there’s much more to it. As a Science Fiction and Fantasy fan, I’m part of a much larger community; a community of millions. I’ve been hearing complaints inside that group for years about the lack of options for Sci-Fi and how the only existing channel for Sci-Fi fans is straying further and further from its core audience. Everyone in the Sci-Fi community knows there’s a huge hole that needs to be filled. I’m just the first one who’s been willing to go through the years of hell to make sure it happens.

I’m doing this for myself, my family and my partners, but I’m also doing this for millions of others in my community; the community of Sci-Fi fans. When I began planning a production company and film/television studio several years ago, I was asked again and again why we didn’t simply start a TV network? Well, there’s nothing simple about it, and it’s much more expensive than a studio, but eventually, I came around and realized that it’s the best business model for what we want to accomplish, which is nothing less than to become the preeminent name in Science Fiction and Fantasy worldwide.

Innovatrs: What was the original @ha Idea and how has it evolved?

Dave: We started out wanting to create a production company to produce Sci-Fi TV shows, but a production company is too vulnerable to the whims of television networks. It’s literally a matter of luck if you make it, no matter how good you are. I worked on 5 different television pilots back in my days as an actor and all 5 had easily recognizable Hollywood stars for the lead roles. Even with heavy hitters like those stars on board, not a single one of them was ever seen. Not one. I realized that I was unwilling to risk millions of other people’s dollars and years of my own life for something with so little chance of success. I realized I was thinking backwards. In the entire circle of companies it takes to get from script to screen, easily the least financially risky part of that circle was the TV network.

Think about this, how many national TV channels have ever gone out of business? It just doesn’t happen. Once established, the worst case scenario is that a channel will need to switch formats (i.e.: go from Sci-Fi to cooking or horror to drama, etc.) or the owners sell the channel to a larger company. They don’t ever go under. The toughest challenge is getting the money to start up in the first place. Once established, it’s a very stable business model. When I realized that, we switched gears and began planning for a television network. Initially we added it to our plans for a full-scale production company and studio, complete with multiple sound stages. The cost was too big for a start-up company. Eventually, we pared the initial plans down to just the network, the part of the company most likely to succeed on its own. The production company and studio can come later once the network is fully established.

Innovatrs: What were your first steps after you fleshed out your @ha idea ? What was your first crisis or hurdle?

Dave:We’re still going through our biggest hurdle, which is trying to survive long enough to attract investors to get us moving. My main business partner and friend Scott Brody has been with me since the very beginning, and he’s been very helpful, but some hurdles were mental on my part. I was highly resistant to the idea of going public until I stopped thinking of it as splitting the company up amongst millions of strangers and realized that it can be a way that all Sci-Fi fans can have a true stake in the company. We want to be far, far more involved with the fans than any network has ever been and this is a way that they can, quite literally, “buy in” to this company.

There are already thousands of fans watching us hoping we get this company going. Many have asked how they can be a part of it. They want it so badly that they’re volunteering to help us at their own expense. There’s a team of artists developing the look of our upcoming internet TV channel, a team of programmers beginning to develop the backbone of that channel, using the design team’s artwork as a guide. We have people volunteering their time to write articles, submit stories for our shows, spread the word about us and even print and hand out fliers at Sci-Fi, Fantasy and comic book conventions all on their own time and their own dime. Thanks to the efforts of a few who grew into a few more, we now have 8,000 fans following us, waiting for news about our progress to making this channel a reality. People from more than 30 nations all over the world are watching us, encouraging us and begging us to make it work. All of this without spending a dime on advertising or marketing.

There have been plenty of hurdles and will continue to be, but Sci-Fi fans are a loyal group. If they feel that you’re a true part of their community, they’ll go out of their way to help in any way. Without them, we wouldn’t have make it this far. They’re an amazing bunch. What it really comes down to is that you don’t get over hurdles by yourself, your team and supporters lift you over them. Of course, there have been personal hurdles to get over as well. In the last 8 months, well into the course of my pursuit of this company, my grandmother has died, my wife discovered she had cancer, went through the trauma of a double-mastectomy and has just completed her chemotherapy. My friend and business partner had a brain tumour removed, my mother is currently going through her third bout of skin cancer and my dog of 13 years just died yesterday.

And believe it or not, that’s not everything. I know… It sounds like a country song, but through all of these challenges, I have a responsibility to myself, my family, my partners and Sci-Fi fans around the world to keep moving forward. To make sure that no matter what hurdles are placed in our way, we’ll not only survive, but gain strength, knowledge and wisdom through the challenge. A favourite movie line among Sci-Fi fans is “Never give up, never surrender.” I live my life by that motto and that if something truly needs to be done; I’m willing to be the one to do it, no matter how painful. Creating this network is something that needs to be done for the Sci-Fi community. Regardless of how difficult it is, I’m going to make sure it happens.

Innovatrs: Did any past experiences or good advice help you navigate the entrepreneur’s rough road?

Dave: Several years back, I owned a sign and digital printing shop. I worked it alone. After a few years, I finally decided to give it up. Owning that business came with a very, very steep price. I was literally working seven days a week from the time I awoke in the morning to the time I went to bed at night, eating at my workbench. Even with all of that work, I was barely breaking even, hardly making a dime. I learned more than one thing through that experience.

First, I learned that I can’t do it all alone. I need a team beside me, helping me and being a part of the process. Second, I learned the hard lesson that if you start underfunded; you’re setting yourself up for failure. Third, and most importantly, I learned that no matter your level of success, it’s simply not worth it if you never see your family. Missing your daughter’s soccer games, missing dinner, not being there when the family needs you; it’s just not worth it. I’m still a workaholic by nature and I don’t think that will ever go away, but through almost losing my family more than once, I’ve realized that they need me as much as I need them, and if I can’t be a proper husband and a proper father, success simply won’t be fulfilling.

Innovatrs: Have you experienced any great failures in the past and if so, how have they helped you get to where you are today?

Dave: Even though I chose to close the sign shop when I could have kept it running, I still consider it a failure. When I started that business, I chose to try to save money by not hiring anyone until I truly needed them. Once it came time that I really did need them, I no longer had enough money to hire, nor did I even have the time left to go through the process. I didn’t prepare properly for growth and it cost me dearly. I’ve learned that it’s better to hire before you fully need someone, rather than waiting until it’s too late and lose money because you don’t have them. You have to learn to rely on others rather than trying to be a one-man-team, and I’ve learned that there’s nothing you can’t recover from if you have a talented team and a good attitude.