Team
Ben Steine
Videographer, Editor & Co-Producer for Joshlilj
Ben Steine handles much of the day-to-day videography and editing behind Joshlilj. Working alongside Josh Liljenquist as a co-producer and co-director on many projects, he helps carry each story from the first recorded moment through the final edit.
The beginning
A camera became a way to bring people along.
Ben began creating videos around age 12 with a Nokia 5300 phone. When he was 13, his parents gave him his first camera. Growing up between two households, recording the experiences he cared about gave him a way to share those moments with both parents.
“The camera allowed me to take my parents with me everywhere I went.”Ben Steine
Family influence
Grit, gratitude, curiosity, and faith.
Ben credits his father, mother, grandparents, and brothers with shaping his commitment to family, his curiosity, and a do-it-yourself mentality. He also points to his father's recovery after an accident as a quiet example of perseverance—one part of a broader family influence that taught him to value effort, gratitude, and faith.
Education and early work
Entrepreneurship gave the creative work a foundation.
Ben earned a bachelor's degree in entrepreneurship from the University of North Dakota. At UND, he participated in the UND Sales Team and helped found the UND Entrepreneurship Club. He later spent approximately two years working in marketing, building experience that now supports both the creative and practical sides of production.
Purpose and faith
Finding a larger purpose for video.
Ben says reading The Purpose Driven Life by Pastor Rick Warren changed how he thought about his abilities and the kind of work they could serve. For Ben, video was no longer only a creative skill; it became a way to contribute to something larger than himself.
“I knew God had a purpose for me using my unique skills and abilities. I knew it was through video.”Ben Steine
He describes his eventual work with Josh as connecting with that personal sense of purpose. It is Ben's account of his own faith and experience—and it continues to shape the care he brings to the work.
Working with Josh
A first project became a full-time creative partnership.
Ben met Josh Liljenquist through a mutual friend in 2025. They worked on their first video the following day. That project grew into a full-time videography and production role, with Ben collaborating closely with Josh on filming, editing, co-producing, and co-directing many Joshlilj stories.
Responsible storytelling
The person in the story comes first.
Many people featured in Joshlilj videos are navigating difficult circumstances. Ben sees the way each person is represented—not only the visual quality of a video—as a serious responsibility. His goal is to make the story compelling without losing dignity, context, or respect for the person who trusted the team to share it.
“It's my job to present each person's story in a way they would be proud of.”Ben Steine
Looking ahead
A growing record of impact.
Ben hopes the team can document a growing record of impact, collaborate on larger projects, and partner with more people and organizations. Through that growth, he wants to keep using video to highlight kindness and faith—and to “continue to pour love into the world through each person we meet.”