Today we’d like to introduce you to Jevauhn Jones.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
It all began in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands where I was born and raised. My mom (Lisa) and dad (Paul) are singers and quite a bit of my family are musicians as well. All my life, I’ve been involved in some aspects of the entertainment industry. I grew up in church and that’s where my love for entertainment as a whole started. I sang, played multiple instruments and performed in bands at church, school and in the community as well. My church had a production company that produced local concerts so naturally I was a part of that process because of my musical background. When I really stop and reflect, I’m not sure if I ever told him, but it was actually my Uncle Edwardo (we call him Junie) that influenced my journey into photography/videography and media as a whole. He was a Production Manager for our local PBS television station and would let me hang with him at the station at times.
Fast forward to high school graduation and on to college. I graduated high school at 17 and moved from the small island life I knew and moved to Jacksonville, FL and attended Jacksonville University. I majored in Music Business with emphasis on management and marketing. After I graduated in 2008, I decided that I wanted to further my education and moved to Orlando, FL to attend Full Sail University. In 2009, I graduated with a Master’s Degree in Entertainment Business. My original plan was to apply at Record Labels and move to New York, but life had other plans. I decided to stay in Orlando and right out of Grad School, I began working at a local church called Faithworld at the time. It was a large ministry and had a heavy emphasis on media and production, so it was a perfect fit. I began working in product development for the branch companies and ultimate ended up in Production and Social Media Management.
Staying in Orlando proved to be a blessing because it’s where I met my wife Marlange and we started our family. The story is so funny because we were living in the same apartment complex and I asked her out several times and she turned me down every time. One day, I guess we just clicked because neither of us knows when it went from friendship to dating. (LOL) I proposed in January of 2012 and we got married that same year. She has a daughter Meagan from a previous relationship and together, we have a daughter A’Leesa. Even while working at my job, naturally I did freelance work, as many people in my industry do. After 12 years at my Faithworld (Re-Branded as Judah Church in 2014), that season came to an end in 2020. This is how the Jones Media Group was officially born. I decided to become my own boss. I told my wife what I wanted to do and she said Let’s Do It! We emptied our savings account, my dad helped and a couple of other family members pitched in as well. This is how Jones Media Group, LLC was born.
We formed the LLC, opened bank accounts and bought equipment. It wasn’t difficult to conceptualize the brand. It was simple because I’d already been doing everything I was going to be doing, just as my own boss. I created the logo, built the website, setup my social media accounts, and began marketing the brand. Naturally, our clientele base includes not just the Central Florida Area but the U.S. Virgin Islands as well.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
You know what’s more challenging than starting your own business? Starting your own business in the middle of a pandemic. I must say that any business like ours that survived during or began during the pandemic are the real deal. When you become your own boss, you set the goals, the standards and it’s really up to you whether you succeed or fail. You either sink or swim and when your family depends on you, you better swim. After you’ve emptied your savings and have a zero-dollar marketing budget, you depend on word-of-mouth from friends & family. Just the same, you depend on social media and rely on those same people to share all your content and marketing materials.
Statistics show that 85% of people that start a photography/media business will fail in the first year. That’s scary, but faith, consistency and being positive helps to ensure that you stay on the positive side of that statistic. In our business, every client brings unique challenges and no two jobs are the same. You literally have to go outside the box, so to speak, with every single client. Delivering a unique final product to each client has its challenges, but it forces you to always be ready for change and something new every time. Creative block is a real thing and if you don’t have things or people to keep you motivated, you’ll find yourself stuck more than anything. Network with like-minded entrepreneurs and creatives. Surround yourself with positive people and be willing to accept constructive criticism.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Jones Media Group, LLC. is a creative and digital media group based in Orlando, FL with worldwide reach. From photography to videography and graphic design, our solutions are strategic, create recognizable brands and help to engage people.
We specialize in:
Session Photography
Engagement Photography & Videography
Wedding Photography & Videography
Event Photography & Videography
Graphic Design
Web Design
Social Media Management
Our motto is simple: Design. Capture. Inspire.
We design material to catch the eye. First impression is usually the lasting impression. So when designing material, we design with the mentality that our clientele only has one chance to capture their client.
We capture memories that will last a lifetime. The saying goes “A picture is worth a thousand words.” For us, “A picture is worth a lifetime.” We sleep better knowing that we created memories that will last for generations to come.
We inspire with what we design and capture. If we’ve done our job with excellence, inspiring others with our work comes easy. We make sure that every experience with us is one you’ll never forget. We are proud when a client can say, “You Nailed It” or “We can’t believe you caught that.”
We pride ourselves on making sure our clients don’t feel like just another job. We create a family feels from our first point of contact through consultation, throughout our work, and after the work is done. Every client becomes our family for life.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is when that thing you’ve set out to accomplish is cultivated from idea to an end product, and it creates a lasting impression. Success is more than just money. Purpose is everything and everything has a purpose. My faith keeps me grounded and thinking positively even in the most challenging situations. Keep yourself open to new things, encourage others and most of all, believe in yourself. Be passionate, be prepared and never stop learning. I believe success will follow you as long as you don’t settle for anything less than excellence.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@thejonesmediagroup.com
- Website: www.thejonesmediagroup.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/thejonesmediagroup
- Facebook: facebook.com/thejonesmediagroup
Image Credits:
©Jones Media Group
