From Creative Work to Growing a Brand

I talk about how I learned that doing great work doesn’t always mean clients will come easily. Early in my career I worked in 3D animation for education. We produced high quality content for schools and television, but as the market shifted, the work dried up. I learned that skill alone doesn’t guarantee growth. Later I created courtroom presentations and forensic animations for attorneys. The work was strong, but again, finding clients was hard.

I started paying attention to what separated the busy companies from the struggling ones. Around that time I began exploring digital marketing—building websites, writing emails, learning social media. That led me to a marketing director role for an IT company. Over eight years, we grew until that company made the Inc. 5000 list in 2019. I realized growth comes from showing people what you do, not just doing it well.

When I launched Joe Justice Media, I wanted to use everything I had learned to help other businesses in West Virginia tell their stories and grow their audiences through video. I’ve seen firsthand that video captures attention faster than any other tool. It helps people connect with a message, a brand, or a mission in a way that words and pictures can’t. That’s why I focus so much on helping others build their presence using video as the foundation.

Running a business comes with lessons that no one prepares you for. You learn how to handle taxes, manage expenses, and make decisions that shape the future of what you’re building. The tools change—from print to digital to AI—but the goal stays the same. Get attention, serve your clients well, and keep moving forward.