There are plenty of pathways to reach the top of the ladder and become a leader. But according to James Patrick, when one places the entire energy into the outcome of providing to others, one grows organically as a leader.
And this organic leader performs in the service of others, to help them achieve their goals, overcome obstacles, face struggles, and reach aspirations through service, company, or even a brand.
In this exclusive cover feature, Exeleon Magazine highlights the journey of award-winning photographer, best-selling author, entrepreneur coach, podcast host, and public speaker – James Patrick.
Seeing the Bigger Picture
In his early business years, James tried to avoid focusing too much on himself in all aspects of life, including being labeled as a leader. He cites it as a part of his own struggle with imposter syndrome. However, that gradually shifted when he started to teach at college level as well as taking the stand on public speaking.
What really brought a drastic change in front of James was his mentor, a university professor who personified the image of a true leader in front of him. “Emulating the amazing work he did, and the impact he had on the lives of others was one of the greatest goals I could set for myself,” shares James.
Honing on the Niche
After graduation, James ventured out into business around 2008, when the great recession came bearing struggles not only for him but for every other businesses in the nation. He quickly rose up to the situation and made a smart move to focus specifically on sports portraiture and fitness photography rather than marketing himself as a conventional photographer who could take on any style of project.
James’ innovative thinking paid off, and he started to quickly grow his customer base as he was the only one marketing in that particular niche. “I did not really have competition, and it was far easier to generate a growing client base quickly.”
Moreover, by delivering a unique, specific kind of service over an all-in-one solution, James doubled his business during the recession. Fast forward to today, by offering his services in a particular niche, James has over 600 magazine covers in his portfolio.
Going Beyond Photography
Highlighting the growing challenges of any business, James shares that marketing, getting seen, and being a household name is one of the arduous tasks any entrepreneur has to take. The current industry space has become extremely competitive and crowded, where consumers can be seen overwhelmed with choices.
Perceiving the same and leveraging his marketing background and the relationships he has nurtured over the years, James went a step ahead to create the right image for his clients, bridging his photography skills with coaching services, and empowering his prospective clients to generate new leads and grow their businesses.
Today, James branches his exceptional services across three robust pillars.
First, he helps the clients through practical marketing strategies that increase awareness and generate prospects for them.
Second, James builds a relationship of trust and nurtures prospects with the help of a content system to become qualified leads for the clients.
And lastly, he establishes numerous conversion points for his clients to onboard new businesses on a growing basis.
James considers it a true privilege to see his clients grow their business 2X, 4X, or even 6X in the working timespan. However, the most significant achievement for James is his clients’ return due to the exceptional service being offered. He says, “Above anything else, the greatest honor I have is when my clients continue to work with me again and again, over time as we work in concert to raise their goals year after year.”
Pursuing Outcomes
James shares light on the fact that the modern digital world has empowered everyone to take on and perform any kind of job, whether it be photography, coaching, or any other profession.
However, the prime factor that will pave the wave for success for an individual is how one defines the outcome of that particular job. “So, my job as a professional photographer cannot be just to take good-looking photos. Instead, I have to make images that work. Making images that work means I have to possess an in-depth understanding of my client, their goals, and the work that will help them achieve those goals,” shares James.
The same goes for his coaching practice. James clearly states how easy it is to inspire someone. However, at the same time, it can take a great deal of focus and energy to work with a client to build a strategy and a roadmap that actually produces results.
Hence, as a well-known personality in the industry, James goes beyond the ordinary to help clients produce the best results they ever achieve in their business. “At the end of the day, outcomes matter.”
The James Patrick Lifestyle
Just like a frame for any photographer is a white canvas to be painted, James says that the idea of balancing work and life is also subjective in business parlance. What works for him might not work for others as someone might see it as far too much work, while others might think it is not enough hustle.
A day in James’ life spans across four facets which constitute a healthy, fulfilled day. Being the founder of different companies and brands, James has to structure and build boundaries within his schedule to keep things organized and handle them in an efficient manner.
Another significant factor is that his days are never routine or similar in any way. However, he makes sure to have a few non-negotiable habits, including his health, mindset, relationships, and growth, that he works to achieve daily to sustain balance.
And, most importantly, as a new father, James’ priorities have changed significantly as to how he plans his days.
“If I know I was able to make deposits into those four facets of my life at the end of the day, I can close out that day feeling fulfilled.”
The Secret to Penetrating the Industry
Looking back at his journey, James says that he wants to tell his younger self to implement his ideas rather than piling and sitting on them. “I would encourage myself to launch my ideas before I thought they were ready, knowing now that an idea without action remains just an idea. I would push myself to be proactive in the pursuit of my goals versus waiting in a mode of reaction.” At the same time, he mentions how he would have liked to invest in his four facets of life much earlier than he actually did.
And for the young and aspiring entrepreneurs, James wants them to come up with a unique and worth noticing product or service. “I will often hear the same generic answers from everyone. My reply to that is always, ‘would your competitors say anything different?’ Of course not. They need to go beyond that.”
To find this uniqueness, the aspirants must go to the roots of their business and figure out what makes them different in the first place. “For example, find another photographer who has shot more magazine covers than I have. That is far from a humble brag; that is a unique differentiator that I use when marketing my services to individuals who want to appear on magazine covers,” explains James.
Another area from where this differentiating factor may arise is the approach and methodology of the work. It can be in the background of the field, the journey, and transformation, or even the individual entrepreneurs strive to work with. In addition to that, their USP must be dynamic that evolves with the business over time as the growth progresses, instead of a static one that remains the same.
Pursuing Growth with Future
Every few years, James likes to write out a long-term statement he sees for himself for, both personally and professionally. This document primarily covers his four facets of life: health, mindset, relationship, and personal & business development. While most of them are private, the others see the light in the form of his publishing business, overseeing a digital content network, a top downloaded podcast, and a few other print publications to provide audience with a tool they can help to grow their awareness and leverage the power of media.
James has also put holistic goals for his health and wellness as he’s a new father and plans to play an active role in his son’s life going forward.
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