Rising Stars: Meet Joshua Brantley of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Brantley.

Hi Joshua, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was living in Orlando when the idea for The Printfather was born in early 2022. At the time, my life looked nothing like I imagined it would. I had just stepped away from my role as an oncology chaplain for the sake of my mental health, and I was walking through a separation from my wife. It was a heavy season. Quiet. Uncertain. The kind of season that forces you to confront who you are when everything familiar falls away.

And yet, in the middle of that, I held onto one thing—my clothing brand, GUM Clothing. It was more than apparel to me. It was identity. It was belief.

GUM stands for God’s United Movement. I created it as a way to bring people together—across denominations, across differences—under the shared truth that we are all children of God. I wanted people to see someone wearing GUM and instantly recognize family. Not because of a church name, but because of a shared Father. That vision started back in 2019, almost organically, when people began asking to buy the custom faith-based hats I wore. One request turned into many. Many turned into a brand.

I stayed active with it—hosting pop-ups, expanding products—but eventually I ran into limitations. Outsourcing my printing meant less control and smaller margins. So I made a decision that would quietly change everything: I invested in my own equipment and started printing my designs myself.

That’s when the shift happened. People began asking who printed my clothes. And for the first time, the answer was simple: “I do.”

What started as a necessity became an opportunity. Even when my clothing sales slowed, custom print orders kept coming in. There was a demand I hadn’t fully seen before. A friend of mine, who owned a successful print shop in Los Angeles called Fresh Prints of LA, gave me a piece of advice that stuck with me: “lean into it.”

So I did.

Around that time, I was also searching for a name—something that felt right, something that carried presence. I played around with ideas inspired by films and shows I loved. And then it hit me… The Printfather. It made me smile immediately. It felt bold. Memorable. Mine.

By the summer of 2022, I knew I needed a fresh start. Orlando no longer felt like home, and while Los Angeles was familiar, it didn’t feel like the next step. In a conversation with a friend, Atlanta came up—a city full of opportunity, especially for Black entrepreneurs. Something about it resonated with me. So in September 2022, I took a leap and moved to Atlanta.

I didn’t have it all figured out. Not even close. I picked up odd jobs, worked with a friend who owned a moving company, and printed shirts for his business. Wherever I went, I shared what I did. I spoke about printing. I offered my services. I stayed ready. Opportunity doesn’t always knock. Sometimes, you have to introduce yourself it.

Eventually, my friend and I leased a building together, and I had a small room to run my shop. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was mine. I put everything I earned back into the business. Every order mattered. Every connection counted.
Slowly, things began to grow.

A year and a half later, by God’s grace and through the support of incredible people placed along my path, I stepped into my own storefront.
That moment meant more than success. It meant dedication. It meant hard work. It meant growth.

Looking back, nothing about the journey was linear. It was built in the middle of loss, uncertainty, and rebuilding. But that’s the beauty of it—The Printfather wasn’t created when everything was perfect. It was created when I had to believe that something better was still possible.

And I’m still building. All glory to God the Father and to the Lord Jesus Christ.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road.

When I first started, the hardest part wasn’t even the business—it was my living situation. I had been on my own since I was 18, always having a space to call mine. And then, for the first time in 28 years, I didn’t. That shift hit me harder than I expected. It shook my confidence. It made everything feel uncertain.

I remember sitting in the park with my notebook, just trying to make sense of it all. Just me, my thoughts, and my prayers.
I prayed for everything—my family, my soon-to-be ex-wife, my child, my creativity, my character, my friendships. I prayed for direction. I prayed for strategy. I prayed that God would not only connect me with the right people, but also make me the right person who is praying to find the right people.

That season humbled me. It slowed me down. It forced me to listen.

Then came the financial pressure.
Money got tight—tighter than skinny jeans. Really, it was tighter than I was comfortable admitting. I was doing what I call “financial gymnastics,” trying to stretch every dollar and still keep the business alive. I kept asking myself, “How am I going to make this work?” There were moments I seriously considered going back to traditional work. I even had two opportunities in front of me. One, I turned down. The other fell through. It was all part of a bigger plan I couldn’t see so it was frustrating. But deep down, I knew it wasn’t what I was supposed to do.

Another challenge was starting over in a new city with no real connections in my industry. I didn’t know where to go, who to talk to, or how to plug in. Everything had to be learned from scratch. Every resource, every location, every relationship—I had to go find it. So I did.

I leaned into something that’s always been natural to me: connecting with people. I would go to suppliers and just start conversations with them and other customers while shopping. I’d ask questions. I’d listen. I’d learn about materials, techniques, and places I had never heard of. And in the process, I met people who were open, generous, and willing to share what they knew. That meant everything to me.

Because when you’re building from nothing, information is currency.
And community is everything.

Looking back, none of those struggles were easy—but they were necessary. They stretched me, refined me, and prepared me for the responsibility I carry now. They taught me how to build without guarantees. How to trust without seeing the full picture.

And most importantly, how to keep going when things don’t feel stable.
Because sometimes the road isn’t smooth.
But it’s still leading you exactly where you’re supposed to be.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
What I do today is rooted in where I started—creating, connecting, and building something meaningful out of nothing.

At my core, I run two brands: The Printfather, a custom and large-format print shop, and The Allure Box, a premium, magazine-style photo booth experience. Across both, my focus is the same—helping people and businesses show up visually in a way that feels intentional, impactful, and true to who they are.

With The Printfather, I specialize in bringing ideas to life. That can look like large format printed products such as easy-to-setup retractable banners, dance floor wraps, vibrant window graphics, apparel, and more—pieces that shape how a brand or an event is experienced in a physical space. I’m hands-on from concept to completion. I don’t just print—I think through the purpose, the placement, and the feeling behind what’s being created.

Because it’s never just about the product.
It’s about the experience it creates.

With The Allure Box, I focus on capturing moments in a way that feels elevated. It’s more than a photo booth—it’s a memory, and a moment where event guest create a joyful experience while servicing as a brand touchpoint and a statement. That blend of visual production and experience is something I’ve really grown into.

What I’ve become known for is my attention to detail and my ability to execute—especially under pressure. I’ve taken on projects I had never done before and delivered them at a high level. I don’t rush the process, but I do respect the moment. I figure things out. I adapt. I make it happen.

That’s a standard I hold myself to.
Every single time.

What sets me apart is how I approach the work. I don’t see myself as just a vendor—I see myself as a partner. I ask questions, I listen, and I care about the outcome just as much as the client does. I want what we create to feel right, not just look right.

Because people remember how something feels.
Not just how it looks.

What I’m most proud of, though, is the growth behind it all.

Not just the business—but the person I had to become to build it.

I’ve learned how to create under pressure, how to move without having all the answers, and how to turn uncertainty into something tangible. I’ve built something sustainable out of a season that could’ve easily broken me—and along the way, I’ve built real relationships and a community I didn’t have before.

And that means more to me than anything I could print.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
If I had to name one quality that’s been most important to my success, it would be adaptability.

I’ve had to figure a lot of things out in real time. Walking into situations I had no prior experience in, taking on projects I’d never done before, and still finding a way to deliver at a high level. That’s been a constant. I didn’t always have the perfect plan—but I stayed willing to learn, adjust, and move forward anyway.

I’ve learned how to be resourceful.
How to stay steady when things feel uncertain.
How to make something work, even when it shouldn’t.

Adaptability has allowed me to grow without feeling stuck. It’s helped me pivot when things weren’t working, and it’s given me the confidence to take on opportunities that were bigger than what I felt ready for.

Because the truth is, you’re not always going to feel ready.
But you still have to be willing.

That mindset—being open, staying flexible, and trusting that I can figure it out—has carried me through every stage of the journey so far.

It’s easier to be adaptable when you know God got you through it all.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theprintfather.com
• Instagram: @theprintfather
• Facebook: theprintfather
• LinkedIn: the printfather