We had the good fortune of connecting with Dru and Shay Phillips and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dru and Shay, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
We had already been working together on multiple projects whenever we needed to lend each other a hand. I (Shay), was let go from a job after a merger and suddenly I had a lot of free time on my hands. At that point, we began working together even more frequently and paired so well as a team, we thought we should make it official. Dru was on board right away and 1Fourteen was born. We felt fortunate to have a mix of photography, videography, illustration, and graphic design between the both of us. It was the perfect match.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Our art isn’t particularly revolutionary, however, the experience you have with us is always the most memorable. We pride ourselves on authentic experiences with each client and that’s how we are able to deliver a product that most feels like them and conveys the essence of them every time.

Having a team of two sets us apart from others. Our thoughts come from 2 different creative minds, two different sets of expertise and 2 different walks of life.

We are most proud to help people we know and love. We, of course, love big opportunities like shooting for TV shows, but we are always grounded enough to help our loved ones thrive creatively. We especially love to show support for small businesses and those coming into entrepreneurship. No matter how big our jobs get or how large the stage gets, you can still always find us shooting a wedding, taking headshots for a friend or behind the cameras at our church.

One of the largest lessons we’ve learned along the way is having a standard for our work. Most people think this principle only applies to a small budget, however, we have learned that if the end result isn’t something you can be proud of, it’s best to give the job to someone else. Whether the budget is below your worth or one of the largest you’ve had, it’s always important to choose the quality of your work over everything. At the end of the day, your dream client may see the thing you aren’t proud of and that ends up becoming a representation of you. Make sure every representation of your work is deserving.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We never let people come visit us without going to The Corner Tacqueria in Smyrna. Sometimes, we even take clients there if time permits. They have some of the best tacos and margaritas in town. We also love Ponce City Market, walking along the Beltline and taking advantage of the many brunch options and Black-owned restaurants on a Saturday.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Our church, The Sanctuary Village of Power overly supported the moment we told them our name. The day we launched, our social media was flooded with them shouting us out. To this day, it’s mostly our church members that bring our clients to us through word of mouth. Their level of support is unmatched.

Danienlin3D has also always been a tremendous help in lending us a hand and being the honorary 3rd member of our team whenever we need him.

Lox Phillips may have been one of our very first fans and she’s our sister and always ready to remind us of our talent.

Kariss Forté for always wanting to hang our art on her wall and for being one of our first models.

Lastly, Ashley Laye is a person who has put our company in so many spaces and circles that we have been privileged to be in. She always believes in us and backs it up with constant support.

We love you all and many more that we may not have called out. Know that we appreciate every last one of you who love us!

Website: www.1fourteenmedia.com

Instagram: @1fourteenmedia

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1fourteenmedia/

Youtube: 1Fourteen Media

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