business
Video services, online toy sales fund mission work in Africa
■ An Ohio family physician turns a love of video and toys into a business that makes money for health care in developing countries.
By Victoria Stagg Elliott — Posted March 21, 2011
Making sidelines pay
Doctors who branched out beyond running their practice tell why they did it, how they did it, and what you should know before you do it.
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Name: Kristofer Sandlund, MD
Specialty: Family medicine
Location: Zanesville, Ohio
Company: Storyteller Studios offers videography services locally and sells vintage toys online (link).
Annual revenue: About $50,000.
Why he started the business: Dr. Sandlund was looking for a way to fund his mission work training other physicians in Africa and raise money for the Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons.
"There are literally hospitals [in Africa] that are closing, but not because of a lack of funds or staff. They don't have a surgeon," he said. "If we bring Africans here and train them, they tend not to go back. This program funds the training of surgeons who will then staff these hospitals. It's a very effective use of money. Once a surgeon is trained, they will serve the needs of tens of thousands."
He opened Storyteller Studios in 2005 in the same building as his practice. The company converts VHS tapes and 8 mm film to DVD, adding music when appropriate. Storyteller Studios also creates collage videos out of other visual media for weddings and special occasions and makes videos for businesses to show at trade shows or online. About a year ago, he added an online toy store to the business, selling about 2,500 items in 2010.
"I wanted to start a business that would be solely to promote medical mission work, mainly in Africa. And I wanted a business that, once I got it going, would hopefully keep contributions going long after I retired and even after my death," Dr. Sandlund said. The company has one full-time and one part-time employee.
Why he continues to practice: "It's a lot of fun."
Words of wisdom: "Just stick with it. We're now in our sixth year, and we're just now becoming profitable. It takes a lot of work."
