Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tom Watters. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tom, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I do earn a full-time living from my creative work. It didn’t start that way. In 2015, I worked front-desk at the Emergency Room while doing video work on teh side. It took me two years oft that to fully make the transition to full-time creative work.

A major step early on for me was working with a friend’s production company. That gave me the chance to touch every part of the process, grow my skill set, and see what it took to operate at a higher level. Eventually, I stepped out on my own, which meant shifting from being purely creative to also carrying the weight of sales and business. That was a steep learning curve, but it also gave me autonomy and the ability to serve clients the way I wanted to.

I am a self-motivated individual and I fully embraced the “school of hard knocks”. I love to learn and am willing to dive into new experiences that challenge me. Looking back, I could have sped things up by seeking mentorship earlier and learning faster from other successful people in the creative world.

Today, my focus isn’t just on making cool creative. I want to connect my clients with their customers and help them achieve real business goals.

That shift, understanding the real value of what I do, has been massive for my career. As creatives, we can get lost in how “cool” our work looks, but the real question is: does this piece actually connect with the audience? Does it serve my clients goals? Is it an ad for me, showing off my skill, or is it for them, building a real connection with their customer?

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am Tom Watters, Founder and Creative Director of Watters Media. I’ve spent over a decade in film, photography, and social marketing; helping brands tell their stories in ways that actually connect with people and drive results.

When I was 19, I saw a short humanitarian film and it instantly connected me to their cause. It demonstrated the power of storytelling through film. I was fascinated by the way music, writing, imagery, and story structure could be orchestrated into something that moved people. That moment hooked me. I saved for my first camera, traveled to Australia for a year capturing my experiences, and came back determined to turn this passion into a career.

Today, Watters Media offers video production, photography, and social marketing. That means brand films, ads, social reels, story-driven pieces, as well as content strategies, ad campaigns, and influencer collaborations.

What sets me apart is that I don’t just create beautiful visuals. I think about how they function as part of a brand’s larger strategy. My focus is on connection: does this piece help my client reach their audience, solve their problem, and move their business forward?

I’m most proud of being able to provide agency-level strategy and production at a scrappy, efficient scale for brands that might not normally have access to that level of marketing. I love drawing out authentic stories from real people, crafting them into something powerful, and then delivering them in a way that drives results.

The main thing I want people to know about Watters Media is that I care deeply about both the craft and the outcome. I bring the storytelling, strategy, and technical skill but I also bring partnership. My clients know I’m in their corner, not just to make something “cool,” but to make something that matters.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

For me, work shouldn’t just be about making money. Our time and effort on this earth is so valuable and we should trade it for an impact that we can respect. At the core of what I do is helping passionate people and businesses become discoverable and build genuine connections with the customers who would love what they have to offer.

I want to bring attention to people who are truly great at what they do but just need others to catch their vision, their passion, and their why. I find joy in listening deeply to the story of a person or brand, drawing out that depth, and then being responsible for expressing it to the world through these artistic mediums. That’s the end goal of my work; creating connection and beautifully expressing the people, businesses, brands, and causes I get to work with.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Resilience, for me, has always shown up when I’ve stepped into situations that stretched me past what felt comfortable. I don’t chase risk for the thrill of it, but I intentionally push into places where growth requires discomfort. Easy-mode doesn’t build much character.

I once pitched a project that was far larger than anything I’d done before. The client said yes, and midway through, I was overwhelmed. I remember lying in bed one night staring at the ceiling, seriously considering calling the client to say I couldn’t pull it off. But instead, I stuck with it, pushed through the stress, and saw it to completion. The final video turned out great and ended up helping the client raise funds for a major initiative.

I’ve learned that resilience is built in those moments of pressure. When you want to quit but decide to see your way through it. You often find yourself in unfamiliar, choppy waters, but if you keep moving forward, things usually work out. That repeated experience has given me a quiet trust: when challenges come, I know I can work through them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wattersmedia.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/wattersmedia
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-watters-92a69b178/