What if the people closest to you are holding back your business dreams? In this powerful episode, Pat Miller welcomes keynote speaker and owner of Foureva Media, Jamar Jones, to expose the game-changing truth: your network can either propel you forward or keep you stuck in imposter syndrome and lost opportunities.

Episode Highlights 🎤💡:

(04:53) - Champions vs. vampires: auditing your circle

(05:57) - The credibility gap and why opportunities aren’t showing up

(19:40) - Content vs “showbiz”: making your brand worth watching

Connect with Pat Miller ⬇

LinkedIn | Website

Connect with Jamar Jones ⬇

LinkedIn | Website | Instagram | Book

I'm Pat Miller, and this is The Professional Photographer Podcast. What if I told you the people in your life right now, yeah, they're helping you, but they also might be holding you back. Now, that's kind of a harsh, scary proposition, but hear me out, because today's guest, Jamar Jones, has literally written the book Change Your Circle, Change Your Life. And he's bringing his message to Imaging USA in Nashville in January. And the idea sounds pretty good. The people that are around you in your life, they can help you grow, or they can help you stay back and play small and drown in imposter syndrome and not have opportunities for you and your future career. But if you got in the right rooms with the right people and show up in the right way, everything could be different and you're in control. Kind of a provocative thought. And a really good guy. Jamar Jones is standing by. He'll explain all of this next. Jamar, thanks for coming on The Professional Photographer podcast. How are you today?

Oh, I'm doing incredible. Doing absolutely incredible. Just got back from London. It was absolutely fantastic. Hosted our first international event out there. But the jet lag, man. I'm finally on the up and up with the jet lag. But I'm doing absolutely incredible, man.

I love hearing about travel. Tell me your favorite part of being in London. Was it a meal that you had, a site that you visited? Tell me something great about your trip.

I mean, the Camden Town, if you've never been to Camden Town, they have upgraded that spot a lot. And so that was probably one of the highlights of the trip. Just so many shops and great food. They have a food market right there. Just all the shopping you could ever imagine is over there. And just like unique. It's not like big box stores. It's all very unique, like boutique-esque places. And that place is absolutely amazing. And I just. The thing I love about London is the public transportation. It's so easy to get around places. And in America, you know, unless you're in a major city, you just don't get that. Yeah, you don't get that.

Totally different. And it's Jamba Juice and McDonald's in every corner. We're not talking about unique places to eat. All right, well, if you want to know who this guy is on your screen that's traveling the world, bringing people together. If someone hasn't met you yet, tell them who you are and what you do.

Hey, my name is Jamar Jones. I'm a national, international speaker now. Hey, hey! International speaker, author of the book Change Your Circle, Change Your Life. And I run a company called Fourever Media where we help entrepreneurs monetize their brand positioning for more credibility and revenue for their business.

Something we all want. We're looking for more credibility and the ability to tell our story so people hear about it. We get a chance to learn from you in January at Imaging USA during the Bridging the Gap sessions. And we'll talk about that talk in a moment. But let's start with the concept. Your concept. Change your circle, change your life. Give us a big picture overview. What do you mean by that?

It's the essence that everybody needs to learn because oftentimes we go through our life, we're trying to, you know, we're trying to figure out how did we get here, how did we get here in our life. And oftentimes it's, I find it's unlocking our self awareness. So finding out who we are and how to navigate the space and what we're going through on a day to day basis, but also evaluating our current circle. We allow these people into our life. Besides your family, you allow these people into your life and you're wondering why you're stuck or why you're at the point you are in your life. And a lot of times, it deals with your current circle. And we're also trying to figure out how to get into new ones. And so the essence of Change Your Circle, Change Your Life is being on purpose and by design, changing your circle with intentionality. But also constantly evaluating your current circle to figure out who needs to be there, who needs to kind of have some separation and who needs to get the boots. Yeah, so it's a beautiful process and framework that I live every single day. I just did it in London where I didn't know any, you know, a lot of these people. But by changing my circle, by building rapport with people over the years, we were able to pull off something amazing in London. And so I literally just put it into practice like a few weeks ago.

You said a magic word, intentionality. This doesn't sound like something that people do on accident. They have to be ready to do it and, and then they have to take action with what you teach them.

Yeah, it's a lot of times I do a piece where you get to evaluate your current circle, and I have an exercise that I do it. And not many people audit their current circle of who are the people in my life, how am I connected to them, how much time am I spending with them, are they actually aligned with my goals and where I want to go, are they at least champions of mine, or are they vampires—which I like to call them, are they constantly draining your energy every time that you're with them? So the intentionality is just so important, is figuring out who you're around, but also where do you want to go? What kind of circles do you want to get into? What kind of people do you want to be around? What's going to get you from where you're at today to getting to that next level? And oftentimes, it's one relationship away from doing that.

I know one of the reasons that people come to you is work on their personal brand. And you've talked on the concept of the credibility gap before. Can you explain the credibility gap and how do we end up closing that gap in our life?

Yeah, it's a critical piece. And I, I challenge everybody listening to this right now to really listen to what I'm saying, because if you can shorten this credibility gap, a lot of great things are going to happen for you. So credibility gap is from the moment that somebody knows that you exist and they know a little bit about what you do, and then there's a huge gap in between that and opportunities and them actually wanting to reach out and say, hey, let me learn more, or I want to present you with this opportunity, or I want to connect you with this person. There's a gap. And the gap is trust and actually building, positioning around who you are. And the faster that you can shorten that gap, the quicker people are going to be able to present opportunities to you. And that's why it's so important. So, and I'm talking about in every single piece of the things that you're putting out there to the world, that's what you need to look at. So from your social media, from how you email people, when you network with people, and you're having an introduction with somebody. When you're getting on a phone call with somebody, if you're getting a referral from somebody else, like, what are they experiencing for the first time? A great way that I like to share this is so when we go into, let's say, Disney World and you walk through, like, from the moment you get there, there's an experience that they're leading you through, and they want to constantly just keep opening up your imagination, right? As you're exploring their world. So think about yourself of, hey, I invited somebody to Pat's amusement park, what's the experience like? You know, what's the experience like? What do you want them to learn first about you, what do you want them to know and where do you want them to go to get to building more trust with you? So by time you're talking with somebody, we're just talking about opportunities at that point.

People don't think that way. Why don't people think that way? That seems, like, obvious when you say it out loud, but we're looking down from 30,000 ft on our lives and our businesses as though we're a satellite. Like, it's so zoomed out that people don't think that way. Why not?

That's a great question. I think what it is is that, A, there's a lot of noise out there. So we're all trying to be like everybody else. And instead of looking deep word, you know, deep within, and saying, okay, what are my unique? Things that I can stand out in a competitive market? What are some things that make me different? What are some special gifts or skill sets that I have that nobody else has? And we're looking too far outward at what everybody else is doing and trying to copy it instead of looking at the greatness that we already have within us and saying, how do I display that more? And so it's just a change in thought process because there's so much noise on social media. Every time I open up this phone, I'm constantly inundated with everybody's highlight reel. And I'm just like, God, I'm not doing enough. And I gotta be like them, right? I gotta be like them. And when we have a lot of history behind us. You know, there's a lot of things that we've done in our lives, and we just have to showcase it to people. We have to let people know, and we can't assume that they just know about our life, everything that we got going on in our life. So it's just a such a change in thought process.

But isn't that sinister? Like, if you think about what you just said, the thing that makes you special will help you grow the audience and find the people you need to find. But the thing that makes you special, if you don't celebrate it, you may think, how could it be special? I've only got 100 connections, or I'm not where I need to be. So I must not be special, so I must act like someone else. That negative loop, it sounds like that's the type of thing someone needs to come in and grab and pull you out of, or is it possible to do it on your own?

It is possible to do it on your own, but it takes a certain amount of, back to the word intentionality. It's carving out the space and time to do it. And so sometimes you need people to pull you out of that because they–a lot of times, that's why I really believe in mentorship, Pat, is because a mentor sees something in somebody else that they don't even see in themselves. And that's the power of mentorship, is that they're really seeing that something special when you're like, and sometimes people just need to hear it. Like, I didn't realize that. I didn't realize that. Like, I just did this thing in Denver, and this guy, you know, we had done a thing that I call the Wiki Famous Audit, and he had kind of just started to think about all the things that he's done in his life, and he just realized that he had already impacted over 35,000 people in his life of all the talks and all the things that he's done in his life, and he had never realized it up until that moment. And he was like, wow, I am kind of like, I'm a big deal. It's just it's amazing that, you know, but. But it took that time and space for us to pull that out of him, right? And give him that time and space to really think about the things that he's done. And so you can do it yourself, but you got to ask yourself the right questions, though. And that's the magic, is asking yourself the right questions to get to the right result.

When we see you at Imaging, we'll learn about Change Your Circle, Change Your Life. Maybe we will leave the conference inspired to join the circle that maybe is arm's length away from where we are right now. A place where we could and should be. But then, we may be tempted to tweak our personal brand or how we show up. Are we trying to fit in with the new group? Are we trying to show up as authentically ourselves? Like, how do we go about entering a new circle?

You gotta be yourself and authentic as possible. Now, some people, when they're authentic, it might not be the right time and place for that authenticity. So I'm more talking about the things that make you unique, your gifts, the things that make you different, those are the things that you want to really put out in there into the forefront, even when you're entering these new circles. And I had a story where, you know, I once was told like, hey, you can't wear the hat, you can't have the hoodies on, you can't have this hip hop-esque vibe. If you're trying to run a business, right, and you're trying to get corporate clients, you're trying to get brands, blah, blah. And I tried that. I tried it for a couple of years. Guess what? It didn't work. It didn't work. I was miserable. I kept putting on this facade, this persona out there. I had the collared shirt and, you know, I had all the button-up website and everything and I tried it for a couple years and then one day I'm like, this is not me. And the funny part of it, about it is that once I switch back to what I know, that I'm comfortable in the way that I want to present myself, more business came through the door. And so when you're going into these new circles, you want to present yourself as authentically you as possible. And instead, I love the–there's an image where there's a bunch of umbrellas and there's one like person that doesn't have the umbrella and they're looking up, and that person always stands out. So imagine that for yourself. Like, you don't want to blend in, you want to stand out. And then make sure that you have the right positioning, the brand positioning, to back up why you're so outspoken or why you're so, you know, out there. Because people are going to be curious. They're going to be like, oh, who is this guy? Or who is this gal? And they're going to want to learn more. And that's where you got to deliver.

When they look, there better be there, there, or otherwise you're just as much of an imposter as you were before because it's a fake.

Yeah.

Okay, give us an example I want to talk about, you don't have to use their name, but tell me about a client that came to you with all these beautiful gifts but didn't know how to express them. You took them under your wing, you walked them through your process, you helped them change their circle, and now where are us about that journey?

Yeah. Oh, my God, where do I start? There's so many people. So I guess that there's one client that comes to mind that when we first got together, the first thing is understanding all the amazingness that you have inside of you, right? It's how do we create the position that you're going to stand on? And so it's about asking the right questions and being able to uncover all the amazing things that they've done. And so we found out that they had a top number 1% podcast. We found out that they had already been able to give, like, a bunch of referral business for, I think it was like $1.5 million in referral business, which is nuts, which they haven't realized that before. And also, we found out that they had already helped over a thousand people and in their business, for the 10 years that they've been doing business. And so when we start to, and there's a lot of other things, but we start to uncover that. And so then it was about taking that brand positioning now that we've created, and then how do we apply that to our services, our offerings, and our positioning of how we're getting introduced to people? And so once we applied that framework to what they were doing, we created some new offers, we created some new pitches of how they're going to present themselves, then it was about getting to the right circles, right? Getting them into those new circles, pitching those right offers. We were able to have hundreds of thousands of dollars of new business revenue, new business opportunities. I think they're even acquiring a business at the very moment. And also, they were able to get on more podcasts and more stages because they're able to position themselves correctly and even working out some really unique partnerships. And so from the time that they came to me, kind of lost in figuring out exactly what they wanted to, like, what direction they want to go into to now the opportunities, because we shorten that credibility gap, they're now just constantly getting more and more opportunities. And that's just one of the many entrepreneurs that we've helped over the years.

When we see you in Nashville, you're going to be in just the right room, because photographers want to be known and they want to have a thriving business. But also, when you talk about imposter syndrome and credibility gap and confidence, every time they grab their camera, they have to wrestle. Am I shooting what I think the client wants, or am I shooting what is inside my heart to shoot? And that personal confidence to capture their art the way that they want to. So I think your particular topic of Change Your Circle, Change Your Life is going to be very powerful for them. So give us a preview of the talk and what can we expect?

Oh, my God. So people don't know–a lot of people, I mean, you know this, Pat, but I have a video background, and that's why I'm really excited to speak at this event. And the video background, like, so I know what this back and forth and understanding, like who you are and what you want to bring to a project, you know, from a photographer's lens. TCI did there. Plus one there. So what you were just saying as far as how photographers want to position themselves. Well, you're an artist, and I think more photographers have to understand that you, clients are hiring you for your art style, for the uniqueness, for that, the thing that's going to separate them once they get those images, that it's that art style. And I know clients, they have kind of the way that they want things done sometimes, but oftentimes they're making the decision to pay you because of how you do something. And I think a lot of photographers seem to double down on that. A lot of us are, we kind of have the blanket stuff, and it's the same old services, same old packages, and we're missing the thing that makes us different of why they're going to choose you. And so in my talk, you're going to learn a lot of strategies about how to network the right way, how to be able to position your offerings correctly, how to make sure that you stand out and your brand positioning is on point, and then also how to take what you're doing today and get to the right person. Right? That actually is going to appreciate your art, appreciate how you're going to how you show up. And so because that's why they're hiring you in the first place. And it's about making sure that you're actually putting out messaging and communication out there into the world that actually attracts that person to you. And a lot of us aren't doing that. So you're going to learn about all those things, plus more. Because I understand what you're going through, because I've already been there.

I've been a follower of yours for a long time and a fan. And the conversation today of hearing how you're going to help these photographers out, something just kind of dawned on me and I want to ask you about it to see if I'm thinking about it the right way. We're all creating media, we're all creating content, but very few are creating showbiz. And it seems like that's what you help people realize. What's the showbiz inside their business to turn heads, to get attention, and to make the media that we're creating and the content that we're building worth watching? Is that a fair way to capture what you've been talking about?

It's a unique way, I think, in how you articulated it. And it's true, because the business side to the show is everything, right? Yep. Everybody wants to create amazing show and have that attraction and entertainment feel into what they do, but there's a business side to why we're doing it in the first place. And oftentimes we miss that. And that's essentially, you know, what we help people with, is figure out what. What is the business side of what we're doing, and how does that apply to our goals, our passions, our dreams, what we want to be able to put off or put into this world. But we're making that attractive, but we're also making it make sense, you know, and oftentimes because people come to us in kind of different capacities. Sometimes, they have all the audience in the world, but they don't know how to monetize it. And some people, they're monetizing a little bit, but it's so hard for them to attract anybody to what they got going on. So, depending on where you're at, either way, we're going to be able to help you, especially within this talk, and for you to be able to get the visibility and the attraction, the attention that you need on your business, but also to be able to monetize it correctly, position it correctly. So that way, this actually grows as a business for you.

Always great to connect. Can't wait to see you in Nashville. Jamar, thanks for coming on the show, man. I really appreciate it.

Oh, I can't wait. It's going to be good.

Thanks for tuning in to this week's episode of The Professional Photographer Podcast. I'm already getting ready for next week's talk, so hopefully you'll join us. And it's easier to join us if you hit subscribe because then we'll just boink, show up in your feed. That's the YouTube noise. Boink. Also, leave us a comment and tell us what Jamar said that resonated with you. And like the show that helps us win the algorithms. If you're not yet a member of Professional Photographers of America, you are missing out. PPA offers incredible resources like equipment insurance, top-notch education and a supportive community of photographers ready to help you succeed. It's perfect for photographers who are serious about growing their business in a sustainable and profitable way. At PPA, you belong here. Discover more about membership at ppa.com. That's ppa.com. I'm Pat Miller, founder of the Small Business Owners Community and the host of the show. Thanks for tuning in. We'll see you right here next time. Take care.