We were lucky to catch up with Jeremiah Drummond recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jeremiah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with a hypothetical question – if it were up to you, what would you change about the school or education system to better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career?
If I could change anything about the educational system I would help better prepare students who want to pursue entrepreneurship. More specifically, students who want to pursue careers as a creative. The traditional path tells us to finish high school, get a college degree, and find a corporate job with good benefits. I took a much different path, since I was a child I always knew that I wanted to be my own boss. I can remember being in elementary school selling candy and even making candy bags for my aunt to sell at her job. Around middle school I knew my entrepreneurial spirit would land me in the entertainment industry, but there weren’t any opportunities to learn about entrepreneurship in school. I was very fortunate that my mother was able to teach me what I needed to know to be successful but not everyone has someone in their life like that. There are so many creatives that have a lot of talent but don’t know how to successfully turn it into a business. So while the traditional path may work for some, it’s not the path for everyone. So I truly believe we can do a better job at teaching kids how to navigate those non-traditional paths such as entrepreneurship.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
My name is Jeremiah Drummond. I am a globally published photographer and videographer from Spartanburg, SC. My journey started with me wanting to become an actor. My grandfather, Papa, played a monumental part in my journey. He believed in my dream and purchased my first camera to submit auditions. After not landing any acting roles, I repurposed my camera. I further learned, in fact, my place was not in front of the camera, but behind it. My family encouraged me to take pictures and later start my photography company, Jeremiah Drummond Photography. Jeremiah Drummond Photography thrives at being the solution to clients by capturing memorable moments and creating exclusive content, one click at a time.
As I evolved, I continued to focus on taking my business to the next phase with new styles and approaches to photography. My creative eyes set me apart and has increased my demand. It has earned me the opportunity to work with celebrities and influential people such as Garcella Beauvais, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, John Gray, Necce Nash, Lisa Ray and DC Young Fly to name a few.
In the early part of my company’s building stages, I worked in Corporate America, while simultaneously traveling to different cities and states expanding my brand. Nervous, afraid and uncertain I had to make a very difficult decision to leave the corporate world. I believe it takes bravery to be successful. For me that looked like becoming familiar with the unknown. The decision I am most proud of. I have learned that in life we must take risk to promote growth. I encourage you to be brave no matter what your fears may present.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is collaborating with the other creatives. I find joy in watching the creative process unfold and how each person brings their own unique elements to create something magical.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Before covid I branded myself as a wedding/event photographer, but once we entered the pandemic all of my scheduled weddings and events were cancelled. So I had to completely change the business model I had made for my company. I started researching and learning more about studio photography and started to pivot my company to also take on more studio/portrait sessions. Within a couple of months my business began to grow again. I gained over 2k new followers on social media, I started traveling more to offer studio photography services in different cities, and I was able to build my brand in different locations. Although I enjoy shooting weddings, the pandemic really helped me grow my talents and my business. It forced me to grow as a photographer and has allowed me to travel and expand my brand.
Contact Info:
- Website: Jeremiahs.photography
- Instagram: Jeremiah_drummond
- Facebook: Jeremiah Drummond
Image Credits
Shamira Scott & Jeremiah Drummond