CEO MONTHLY / OCTOBER 2025 10 nder Edward Kostakis’ leadership, Xizmo Media has grown from strength to strength, standing out in a crowded market for its unwavering dedication to the craft. In fact, Xizmo Media made waves across the industry in 2020 as it embarked on its mission to make commercial drone usage legal in New York City. This groundbreaking moment paved the way for businesses and operators to finally capitalise on drone technology, creating additional job opportunities and revenue for the city. Edward wears many hats as CEO, understanding that in order to successfully lead a company, one must start at the bottom – learning and understanding every aspect of the craft and its market whilst simultaneously overseeing clients, networking, accounting, diversification, and keeping track of the emerging developments that promise to shape the sector. Edward brings to this role a wealth of invaluable experience, including numerous years in the Marine Corps, where he learnt the value of continually seeking self-improvement. Today, this teaching is implemented as a business philosophy at Xizmo Media. Edward’s approach to leadership stems from his time in the Marine Corps: first aiming to understand each member’s strengths and weaknesses before allocating them to the positions in which they will have the most impact. This process requires time, understanding, and patience, but ensures that each member of the team is wellpositioned and well-equipped to fulfil their roles. This is especially integral to Xizmo Media, a company driven by Edward’s belief that there is always something to be done. With that in mind, Edward would never ask anything of his team that he would not be willing to do himself. A shining example of this is his expectations for office cleanliness and contribution: Edward asks all employees to clean their workspaces by removing rubbish, cleaning windows, and dusting their desks. These are tasks that will only take five to ten minutes of their time, paling in comparison to the two hours Edward spends sweeping and mopping the office floors each weekend. “Lead by example,” he stated. “Whilst we have grown as a company since we first started conducting business in 2008, my leadership style has not changed much at all; if Xizmo Media grows to 200 employees strong, you will still find me with a broom and a mop on the weekends.” Edward Kostakis: The CEO Soaring to Great Heights Established in 2008, Xizmo Media is a full-service production company specialising in aerial cinematography and drone imaging. Based in New York City, the company provides its services to clients throughout the country and internationally, driven by an award-winning team of industryleading drone pilots and camera operators. This team is headed by Co-Founder and CEO Edward Kostakis, a professional drone pilot with a demonstrated history of excellence in the fields of major motion picture, film, and live broadcasting. We heard more about Edward and his role below, as he is named in the Most Influential CEO Awards 2025. Through this approach, Xizmo Media has cultivated a strong internal culture in which each member of the team strives towards a shared vision of excellence. This culture has enabled the company to navigate turbulent waters over the years, with its most prominent obstacle today being the USA government’s ban on Chinese drones, which have dominated the global market for the last decade. At present, the company is considering a variety of drone alternatives that are allowed to be sold in the country. This high level of adaptability is fuelled by Edward’s drive for self-improvement, propelling Xizmo Media far ahead of the rigid competition. He explained: “When all else fails, we hedge our future by diversifying our services and innovating what we can do for our clients.” In efforts to diversify, Xizmo Media has launched a separate branch called AeroSpect, a drone-based building inspection company. AeroSpect utilises drone technology to spot deficiencies in building facades at a much faster and more affordable rate than traditional methodologies, with the aim of incentivising building owners to complete the necessary repairs on their properties through the money they have saved by using drones for the initial inspection. Building on from this success, Edward aims to further diversify Xizmo Media’s services, leveraging the team’s vast drone experience to establish Top Drop NYC. This new branch will use drones to cater to the wider drone delivery industry – a first for New York City. Following his recent recognition as New York’s Most Influential CEO 2025 in Aerial Cinematography, we asked Edward what the future holds beyond the launch of Top Drop NYC. He shared: “I aim to continue diversifying within Xizmo Media to ensure that we will always have a future – no matter what that future may bring.” U Contact: Edward Kostakis Company: Xizmo Media Web Address: www.xizmomedia.com
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