Meet Madison Kreifels, Founder @ InfoFilm

InfoFilm is a marketing services company that seeks to bridge the gap between agriculture businesses and their consumers through videography, product and branding photography and social media management. Kreifels placed in the 2025 Advanced Traction Bracket of the 38th annual New Venture Competition and recently graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She participated in the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program and the Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship.

What inspired you to become an entrepreneur or support other entrepreneurs?

Entrepreneurship has been woven into my life for as long as I can remember — even before I had a name for it. As a kid, I was the one trading bracelets on the playground and somehow walking away with three times as many as I started with. Looking back, I laugh and think, “Young saleswoman in the making!”

At 13, I started my first real business: Madison’s Farm Fresh Sweetcorn. I planted, harvested and sold sweet corn to people in my hometown of Syracuse, Nebraska. That experience was incredibly formative. It gave me a deep respect for the people who work in agriculture and opened my eyes to the grit and heart behind the industry. My grandparents farmed, but my parents didn’t, so this was my first hands-on experience. I always had a love for ag, but this is when I realized I wanted it to be part of my life moving forward.

After graduating from high school, I passed the sweet corn business down to my younger brother. That transition solidified something for me: I knew entrepreneurship was the path I wanted to take. It’s not the easy road, but it’s one that constantly challenges me to grow, learn and surround myself with people who think differently and dream boldly.

At the end of the day, what inspires me most is the feeling I get when I use the gifts God has given me to create something meaningful for those around me. I truly believe He has a plan for my purpose, and I’m just trying to let Him take the lead in writing my story.

What advice would you give yourself if you could go back in time to when you were just starting out?

When I was first starting out, I wrestled with a lot of self-doubt: What will people think of me? Do I have enough credibility to be doing this? What if they hate my work? Fear and imposter syndrome were loud.

What pulled me through those early moments wasn’t a single breakthrough — it was the people around me. My mentors, friends and family played a bigger role in my journey than I ever expected. They believed in me when I struggled to believe in myself.

If I could go back, I’d tell myself this: Entrepreneurship can feel lonely, but it doesn’t have to be. Surround yourself with people who challenge you, support you and remind you why you started. Build your circle intentionally — those relationships will be the ones that celebrate your wins and carry you through your lowest points.

Community isn’t just helpful — it’s essential.

How do you stay motivated when things feel overwhelming — or stagnant?

Feeling overwhelmed or stagnant is almost inevitable as an entrepreneur. Honestly, it’s scary. You can be as proactive as possible on the back end: keeping a cash safety net, budgeting carefully, following your accountant and adviser’s guidance. But what no one really prepares you for is the mental and emotional toll. That part is hard to navigate.

For me, the key is space — time to breathe, reset and reconnect with myself outside of the business. Even as a creative running InfoFilm, I have to intentionally make space for other kinds of creativity and peace in my day-to-day life. I keep music playing most of the day. My guitar lives in my office. I’ve probably spent too much money on candles, but they help ground me in stressful moments.

Outside of work, I joined a pickleball league with my best friend, and my fiancé and I will jump on the trampoline when we need to shake off a heavy day. It might sound silly, but these little rhythms keep me sane. They help me stay grounded and show up as the best version of myself — not just for my business, but as a fiancée, friend, daughter, sister and teammate.

It’s not a one-size-fits-all formula. But this is what works for me, and it keeps me going.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve overcome and how did you overcome it?

I think I’m in the middle of my biggest challenge right now. I recently took my business full-time — something I’m incredibly grateful for. What a gift it is to do what I love: telling stories that serve agriculture and the people who give their lives to it.

But with that dream comes a whole new kind of pressure. This is the real world now — no safety net, no backup plan. Most of my friends are either working for others, settled into steady careers or still in college. I’m the black sheep in a lot of ways, and honestly, that’s been hard. It can feel isolating not having someone in your immediate circle who truly understands what you’re walking through.

At the same time, that’s the beauty of entrepreneurship. There’s no one right path. There’s no pre-written map. I get to write my own story, choose who I surround myself with and serve the people and industry I care most about.

It’s bittersweet. It’s exciting. It’s lonely sometimes. But I’m grateful for the road I’m on and the path God is carving for me.

How can the Nebraska community support you?

I’m always looking to learn from others. If you know of anyone who’s been down this path before, I’d love to connect. And if there are any entrepreneur circles, peer groups or retreats you’d recommend in Nebraska, please send them my way!