We caught up with the brilliant and insightful James Pritchett a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi James, thanks for joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

To be honest, life experiences and working multiple-level jobs have prepared me for what is about to happen in my life. Everyone’s timing is unique. Some get their fortunes and blessings really early in life, yet some are late bloomers. And unfortunately, some never achieve their highest potential in life for uncontrollable reasons. During my life, I have definitely had more losses than wins. Everyone dreams of that fairytale Google & Facebook Founder success story and to become world famous billionaires. Many of my friends have said to me, with love and laughter, “JP, you have had so many companies, ideas and business cards!” Yet, I kept it moving. So, perseverance, thick skin and patience is key. Yet, honing your skill set in any chosen profession is vital. I recognized my creative gift at an early age and used it to advance my career in design, art direction, executive management and marketing for a couple decades. I was also a programmer in the early days of coding—well before all of these amazing coding tools were developed today. So I was able to advance all my ideas and companies a little faster than most because I didn’t have to tap into so many costly third party resources. I have been a dreamchaser for a majority of my professional life, filled with highs and lows, so I definitely understand the struggle.

Learning to do what I do started with a primitive graphic design program called Harvard Graphics in the early 90’s. I spent hours, days, weeks and years learning to manipulate this software and create incredible designs and graphics on my own. So step #1 would be dedication to being the best at whatever you’re doing. That’s THE ONLY way to stand out in a crowded room of competitors. Step #2 was to join professional groups and attend professional conferences & workshops to learn industry shortcuts and secrets you probably wouldn’t find out on your own. Step #3 is to make sure you know what you learned and can comfortably present it when put on the spot, flawlessly. So I worked continuously to keep my creative blade SHARP.

James, 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?

A true testament to learning via trial by fire was the development of my first invention—the Doorbell Boa®. First of all, it took 2+ years to even get the patent granted. In that time, 30+ copycat companies have emerged and have been basically stealing revenue from me and my company. I’ve never had to deal with patent infringement, supply chain price hikes, customer satisfaction and inventory problems on this level before. Yet, I learned VERY quickly by being put directly in the fire and surrounding myself with others who were experienced managers. Now the product is on track to earn $3 million in sales this year—which would probably be double if there weren’t 30+ copycats :- (

I attempted to become a bestselling author in my early 20’s, but I don’t think I was ready. I hadn’t had enough life experiences at that point of my life. Now that I’ve lived through some blissful and painful moments, like raising a half a million dollars for a tech startup on the west coast, confronting a cancer scare and surviving an epidemic, I think I’m ready to tell some MUCH MORE compelling stories now.

I am really proud of my upcoming novel, Fly on the Wall, and I hope you enjoy it if you decide to support.

Have you ever had to pivot?

In my mid-to-late 20’s, AT&T was divesting and I was offered a management package to voluntarily leave the company. This was a major pivot in my career path. At AT&T, I worked in IT while in college for Computer Information Systems. So my world was basically all about computers. But I decided to take a leap of faith when offered and do something I loved even more—being creative. So, in an instant, I went from being an IT Manager with a Fortune 500 company to becoming a designer for a smaller, yet incredibly busy trade magazine in a different state. Now that was a pivot!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I wish I was more of a technology visionary, like some of today’s leading tech company Founders, who could see past the life-changing technologies we already have today. I’d be rich. However, I do think I was gifted with a knack for storytelling and there’s a richness in that. Whether you’re designing a marketing flyer or writing a film’s screenplay, you’re always telling a story with hopes that someone will enjoy it and REACT to it. That’s the most rewarding aspect for me. Just like the successful reaction we got with the Doorbell Boa®, which was designed to keep people safe in their homes and businesses, I’m hoping my new books will spark a similar reaction and possibly change lives in the end.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.JamesPritchett.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamespritchett3d/
• Other: www.DoorbellBoa.com

Image Credits
Timothy Nettleton (5k Run Photographer)