We had the good fortune of connecting with Jaret Roose and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jaret, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
This is a little long, but I thought I’d give y’all some of my background first so you can better understand my thought process (:

I was working a really great full-time videographer job at Kennesaw State University my senior year of college and I thought that it was going to be everything I ever wanted. I was doing what I loved and making a living doing it, what more could I want, right?

I am so thankful to have worked that job because I learned so much, I got to create some amazing videos, and work with some awesome people. But about 7 or 8 months in it slowly began to feel like I had gotten everything I wanted to out of it. I didn’t feel like the job was pushing me to grow, I didn’t want my bosses job so I felt like it was a dead end, and I started to look out the window on my lunch breaks and feel like I was meant for more. I’ll never forget that feeling. Almost like I was trapped.

A couple months into my senior year I had reached out to a guy named Andres Lopez who knew someone that connected me with Spark weddings. So while I was working my day job, I started filming weddings on the weekend for both Spark Weddings and Andres Lopez Films. I knew that I enjoyed it and that I loved capturing peoples love and relationship. So I continued to shoot and grow my wedding portfolio.

I didn’t quit my job and really go full-time with my business when I left my job at KSU though. I actually got offered an editing job by one of my mentors to help me get out of my role there and did that with him for a few months. I ended up not loving that either and was overwhelmed by how much I had on my plate. I was still filming on the weekends, working on capstones, finishing my degree, and editing masterclass style videos for my mentor 40 hours a week. I ended up quitting the editing role and taking time to focus on graduating, getting my mindset right, and building the back end of my video production business.

I am so happy I decided to do this. I knew I had the video production skills to succeed as a business owner but I had no idea how I was going to find clients and make a decent living. That feeling is scary but I tried to use it as motivation to figure it out. I knew I had my weekend associate shooter gigs if nothing else so I would be able to afford rent and buy food. So I just spent as much time as I could just starting and trying to build something.

I think that was the hardest part, simply starting. I knew I didn’t want to go back to a 9 to 5, I wanted to be my own boss, I wanted flexibility, and freedom. So I used that as motivation, made a long checklist of things I needed to do and everyday I do something to get myself one step closer to being where I wanted to be.

I had a quote on my whiteboard that said progress over perfection. I am very much a perfectionist so I just needed a remainder to just keep working, moving forward, and refining.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It’s funny when I think of the word art my mind never goes to video or photo. My mom is an art teacher so I guess I always saw art as a painting or drawing. When I think about it though, film, in my mind, can be one of the most powerful art forms there is. I mean there is a reason why we all love going to the movies so much right. And who doesn’t want a “movie” documenting their love and wedding day??

What excites me about what I create is that I have total creative control within my films. Yes, of course I ask my clients the style and feel they want in their film, but how I tell their story is up to me. And I try to make each film as unique as I can. It’s so easy to find a wedding company or a videographer that has a structure for how they make their films and there is nothing wrong with that and it works for a lot of people out there. But for me, sometime I like to break that structure, do the opposite, try something different, make it embody the couple as much as possible. I always have builds, quiet moments, and excitement within my films, but how it looks and progresses is different for every film.

I want my couples to feel all those moments that rushed through them on their special day. I want them to not just have a day to remember with their film, but to look back and be reminded of a love that can last into eternity.

So that is what I aim to do in my films. And sometimes I can be overwhelmed at trying to achieve that task every time. But If I don’t try and am not pushing myself to be uncomfortable and become complacent in my films, than I start to lose why I do what I do.

When I look at where I am professionally, I can’t say enough about those around me who have helped me get to where I am. I am by no means rich and my business isn’t huge, but I love where I am and am excited to keep growing. I am happy I can work for myself full-time, pay the bills, and spend time with my wife and puppy.

I did so much learning and still love learning more about cinematography and running a business. I can’t say it was really hard to get to where I am, I just did my best and tried to make logical next steps and I’m here! It just takes a lot of self discipline and organization to run a business. It can weigh heavy on your mind too, you never really clock out and that isn’t for everybody. I am still learning how to find balance in it all and I think that has really been the greatest challenge. Not so much running the actual business and creating wedding films, but finding mental rest and balance in life/work. Like I said earlier, I am a perfectionist, so things will be in my mind even when I am not really working I have a problem of always thinking about work.

What has helped me most is knowing that I am not the sum of the things I am good at, the things I have done, or the business that own. Jesus calls me His son and I have no foundation within myself. I am beloved. Of course I have to remind myself this on the daily basis and am still try to grow in His love, but it has definitely given me a lot of peace and comfort.

The biggest lesson I have learned running my business is that, yes, it seems really cool and you have no boss over head or forced to really do anything, but it can also be very lonely and challenging mentally. I am extravert, so I have to make sure I am doing things every week to keep me from falling into a place of loneliness. Introverted business owners probably love this lol, but I have found out that there are definitely pros and cons. But I really wouldn’t change it for anything.

I would want people to know that I put all of myself into my brand. My goal is to serve me clients from a heart of love and kindness, and to give them an end product that is better than anything they could have imagined. Also, that my story is their story. I always talk to my clients about my wife and our love story. I am head over heels for her and our little family and I love sharing that with my clients as they are writing their love story and getting ready to make the promise of a lifetime. (:

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
So I don’t hate ATL, but I am defiantly more of an outdoorsy person.

My dad lives on the lake, so I would have to spend a day on Lake Lanier riding jet skis, grills, having good talks, etc. Maybe going kayaking if it isn’t too busy lol.

I live Alpharetta and would love to take them to the farmers market they do on Saturday mornings, maybe go to maple street biscuit place for breakfast and Antico Pizza Napoletana for lunch. I would take them to the park nearby where my wife and I take our dog all the time.

During October I love going to the pumpkin patch or apple orchards in ellijay.

I also love hiking up yonah or camping at rabun bald.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Dale Goldberg – He helped me get my job at KSU where I learned so much, taught me a lot about what I know today, and pushed me to go out and do what makes me happy and fulfilled

Website: https://www.jaretroosemedia.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaretroosemedia/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaretroose/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jroose4

Other: https://vimeo.com/jaretroose

Image Credits
Jason Getz – BTS_052521_EMBA_Commercial_JG_11 Jason Getz – FYW_210624_BTS_00201 Jason Getz – FYW_210625_BTS_00487 Evan Woodrum – ew_-06898

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.