Today we’d like to introduce you to Chase J. Jackson.
Hi Chase J., thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey of being a creative started with my Mom. She tells me that when she was pregnant with me, she would lie down and write words and stories using her finger in the air. To this day, I believe this was God’s way of preparing me for my gift and purpose. Growing up, that was our “thing”- she was my first content creative partner, helping with my school art projects, dioramas and listening to my short stories and poems.
While attending the University of West Georgia, where I graduated with a degree in English and Mass Communications, I signed to a book publishing company and released my first book, Whispers in the Dark. This opened opportunities for speaking engagements, book signings, and networking locally and abroad.
Eventually, I wanted to put visuals with the words that seemed to jump off the page to me. I bought a camera for my then-girlfriend (now wife), Jessica, for her birthday and started asking to borrow it. She played a pivotal role in encouraging me to pursue my passion for film full-time. I would come up with ideas and she would help me create content for Youtube.
I also began filming weddings, birthdays, and family gatherings. I received an opportunity to intern for a television show in Atlanta. Even though this was an exciting time for me, I was not receiving enough money from my book’s royalty checks, I wasn’t getting paid from the television show, and I was working full-time at a job I did not enjoy. The uncle of an Atlanta basketball player I was traveling with to film sat me down and said, “I know you’re enjoying filming these events with him, but it’s time for you to get your business in place”. I knew then, that I needed to change my mindset on how I was doing business.
In 2021, 15 years after first picking up a camera, I started our family media company, Jackson GEN Media Group, LLC. Our mission is to help businesses with their advertisements through film, photography and publishing. I also joined a business mentorship group called Recession Proof to help me with my business strategies. I encompassed all of my previous experiences in building this company and even better, I get to share it with my sons who have also taken an interest in creating.
What’s in store for Jackson GEN Media Group, LLC? We have had the pleasure of filming with Recession Proof for their anniversary event, working with Keris Kares, a nonprofit organization that brings awareness to pediatric cancer, the City of Palmetto for their recent fall festival, the Horse Riders of Atlanta, among several other projects that are currently in the works. We are also publishing my book, The Family Curse and my sons Cj and Kaiden have a book- The Adventures of Cool Kid CJ and King Kaiden, both releasing in 2023.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it has not been a smooth road. One thing that I struggled with was trying to understand why no one would show the process and business of entertainment. I remember interning for a record label in 2006. I was so excited for the opportunity and eager to learn as much as I could. At the time, since I enjoyed writing stories, my plan was to become a songwriter. I would drive from Newnan to downtown Atlanta to answer the phones and open the door, but I wanted to learn more than that. It felt as if no one cared about what I could bring to the table and they just ignored my capabilities.
After doing that for months, I eventually left and realized that if I was going to make something happen, I needed to do it myself. I wasn’t going to get anywhere by being passive if I wanted to achieve at the highest level. I began studying business, contracts, film, editing, digital marketing and started networking at entertainment events in Atlanta.
Today, I’m thankful for my film mentor, James Schiller Paul who never hesitated to answer any questions that I have. I’m also thankful for my business mentors, Marcus Barney, Nehemiah Davis, Myron Golden, David Shands and Pushman Mitch who have created communities for entrepreneurs who share business ideas and strategies to get to the next level. I always tell people to find a mentor because they will help you reach your goals a lot faster.
Even though my experience at the record label was bittersweet, I’m thankful for the opportunity I had. Now when someone comes to me eager to learn about content creation, I’m just as eager to guide them in the right direction.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Jackson GEN Media Group is a multi-media marketing agency that helps businesses with their advertisement through film, photography and publishing. Although we have an in house team, we partner with photographers and videographers around the Atlanta area according to our client’s needs. We also have a partnership with C & C Film Studio.
What sets us apart from other companies is our full-service capabilities. If a client has a book that needs to be published, we will work with them on a retainer from the beginning to the end of their process. We help with the book covers, editing, distribution, marketing, book signings, photoshoots, events, and speaking engagements. Our marketing team is one thing that I’m most proud of with my brand. We understand the importance of marketing a client once their product is done. When I was signed to a publishing company, marketing wasn’t at the top of their list for the author. It was left up to the author to do their own marketing. Advertisement is just as important to a brand as the book itself and we pride ourselves on helping our clients with marketing campaigns.
What were you like growing up?
My journey of being a creative started in the second grade in Ms. Preston’s class at Berean Elementary School. I had a homework assignment where we had to put various words into a story. I don’t remember my exact story but I do remember Ms. Preston writing on my homework assignment that I needed to see her after class. I stayed behind after class and she asked, where did I get that story from and I told her I made it up. She was impressed by the story and told me to continue writing. I took her advice and began writing short stories and poetry over the years.
In middle school, my friends and I would read Goosebumps and Fear Street books which inspired me to write my own suspense thrillers. I wanted to bring my stories to life so I would film them on a small handheld camera and upload it to Youtube. I’ve always been observant of people’s emotions, actions, how they speak, tell jokes and I would incorporate different personalities into my stories. I’ve had members of my family who served in the Army and Navy and I would listen to their experiences.
One story I wrote was called, A Fallen Marine. The story is about a Marine who is getting ready to be captured and decides to write a letter to his mom. I get chills to this day about this story because it felt as if someone was actually talking to me while I was writing it. Over the years, various service members would leave comments under the video thanking me and explaining how they were touched by the story.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jacksongengroup.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/jacksongengroup
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/jacksongengroup
Image Credits
Zina Franklin
