We recently connected with Brian Pickerel and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Brian thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was stepping away from full-time pastoral ministry after 18 years. That role had been a huge part of my identity. I loved the people, the rhythm, the sense of calling. But over time, I began to sense God shifting my direction & inviting me to trust Him in a new season where purpose wasn’t defined by a title, but by obedience.

I didn’t walk away from ministry entirely & I’m now serving as a bi-vocational pastor, and honestly, I’m more involved in the community than I’ve ever been. That shift gave me the margin to launch Pick Designs, where I help people and businesses tell their stories through video, branding, and design. What I discovered along the way is that my purpose never changed & I’m still building spaces where people feel seen, encouraged, and called upward. I just swapped pulpits for camera lenses and design boards.

The phrase that keeps coming back to me is designing sanctuaries. Whether it’s a church, a brand, a video, or a conversation & I want the people I work with to walk away with clarity, confidence, and peace. That’s the deeper thread in all of this. And it’s what makes the risk worth it.

Leaving a full-time title felt uncertain at first. But I’ve found more freedom, more connection with my community, and more alignment with how God wired me than ever before. I’m grateful every day that I trusted Him with the in-between.

Brian, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m Brian Pickerel, founder of Pick Designs, a creative studio focused on storytelling through video, photography, and branding. I’m also a bi-vocational pastor, a husband, and a dad to four incredible kids. For nearly two decades, I served full time in pastoral ministry. That experience taught me how to listen deeply, lead with heart, and communicate in ways that connect. Over time, I felt God calling me into a new space, one where I could use creativity, design, and storytelling as tools to serve people beyond just the walls of the church.

That’s where Pick Designs was born. I help businesses, churches, and individuals tell stories that are both beautiful and clear, whether through brand films, highlight reels, social content, or identity design. I’ve worked with athletes looking to stand out, medical practices needing more than generic marketing, and ministries that want to communicate their mission with depth and soul.

At the heart of it, I solve the problem of clarity, helping people show the world not just what they do, but who they are and why it matters. That might look like a cinematic video that captures the heartbeat of a brand, a logo that feels like home, or a story-driven reel that moves someone to action.

What sets Pick Designs apart is the lens I see through, both literally and figuratively. I approach each project like a sanctuary, where story, purpose, and design meet. I don’t just want things to look good; I want them to feel true. My clients aren’t just clients, they’re people with something meaningful to offer, and it’s my joy to help bring that to life.

What I’m most proud of is the way this work has allowed me to stay deeply rooted in my faith, connected to my community, and intentional with my family. It’s not just about building a business, it’s about building a life that reflects what I value most.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

In the same year we faced deep loss, two miscarriages and a door that closed. But that season became a refining fire for both my faith and creativity.

That year felt like wave after wave, grief, disappointment, confusion. I had to wrestle with deep questions about calling, worth, and trust. But in the middle of all that, something happened: I slowed down. I prayed more honestly. I started creating again, not for a paycheck, but because I needed to express what I was carrying. And that was the beginning of Pick Designs, not a business idea, but a response. A way of building something beautiful in the middle of brokenness.

Resilience for me didn’t look like pushing through with grit. It looked like learning to listen again, to feel again, and to believe that even in loss, there was still purpose. That season didn’t just mark me, it reshaped me. It reminded me that my worth isn’t in a role or a result. It’s in being faithful with what I’ve been given, even when the plan changes.

Today, I carry those losses with me, not as weights, but as reminders. Reminders that God is still good. That beauty can rise from ashes. And that the calling He gives us isn’t always safe, but it is always worth it. That difficult year didn’t break us, it redefined us. It deepened our empathy and sharpened the purpose behind everything I now create.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Yes, there is. My creative journey is driven by a clear mission: to help people see beauty, find clarity, and reconnect with their purpose. I believe design, story, and creativity can do more than sell a product, they can create space for people to breathe, reflect, and feel seen. That’s why I call it designing sanctuaries.

Whether I’m filming a brand story, building a visual identity, or capturing a powerful moment, I want the work to feel like a place of peace and meaning, not noise. That heart comes from my background in ministry. For 18 years I served as a full-time pastor, and I still pastor bi-vocationally. I carry that shepherding mindset into every creative project. I’m not just designing for the eye, I’m designing for the soul.

So yes, the mission is bigger than content. It’s about helping people uncover the story they’re meant to tell and giving them the tools to tell it with truth, beauty, and purpose.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pickdesignsco.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pickdesigns/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pickdesignsco/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianpickerel/
• Twitter: https://x.com/brianpick
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@brianpickerel
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@pickdesigns

Image Credits

Pick Designs