We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jimmy Powell Jr a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jimmy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
The things my parents did right was to raise my siblings and I to be dedicated, hard working, honest, and to be a person of your word. At times in life, I realize that one, if not all of those principles, is very important to that moment or moments you are in. This is the mindset that allowed me to build the relationships I have in business and is also what got me to this point. I thank God often for giving me the parents I have and the wisdom he provided them with.
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
The way I got into my industry was my hard work and the inability to quit something no matter how tough it may get. However, I got into my craft by mistake and have been in love with it ever since. I started off creating with pencils and a paint brush. My entire life has been around creating no matter the medium. While intending art school, I noticed we could rent cameras from the school, make something, and present it at a student showcase they would have every month. I really didn’t no much about the editing process or how to work a camera so I stay up for weeks clicking every button in the editing program and taking notes until I felt I understood enough to create something. Once I felt comfortable, I rented a camera, found the button to record, and then I began my attempt at making a video. Being an artist by nature helped me understand composition, which allowed me to frame a decent shot. After that, I made a one minute film and presented it at the student showcase. The response from the crowd was amazing, and I was asked to present another film piece at the next showcase, which left me speechless because I knew I really didn’t know much about making films. I did a few more showcases before I started to think that maybe I could do this as a career and make a living from it. I knew I needed a portfolio so that I could get clients and opportunities, so I began doing free work until I felt comfortable with charging for my services. My portfolio started to grow along with my clientele. Then I started thinking about creating a look , and later, I came to understand it as my brand. While establishing my brand, I used the principles my parents taught me, which are dedication, hard work, honesty, and being a person of your word. Applying those principles let my clients know that if I was taking on their project, it was going to be creative, and I wouldn’t stop until I hit the mark. Now, 15 years later, I am an award winning, Grammy nominated, problem solving creator.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the ability to make something from a thought. Being able to bring an individual’s vision to life is very gratifying. I was always told I would be a starving artist but I knew in my heart that, that would not be part of my story and if it was, it would only be in the beginning but not in the middle nor end of my creative journey. I knew once I started on this journey, I would not be able to quit, and eventually, I would run out of ways to fail, which would lead me to success.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish I knew about the marketing process earlier in my career. I am still slowly understanding marketing and the importance of it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Jpowelldigital.com
- Instagram: @jpowelldigitalspecialist
Image Credits
Jimmy Powell Jr