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

Hi Joe, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started my business Stage Ten Media, to have the flexibility to create for my clients and release quality content for consumers. I have always been an entrepreneur. I started a business in college and did well with it. I love the flexibility of being my own boss and making decisions. I have worked for some great companies over the years, and being able to contract for projects is a good option. I am creative by nature and I wanted a business that I could make a good living and create. Since I also use conventional business practices, my company has diversified and we do consulting, investments, and asset holding. I have a financial and technology background, so executive work comes naturally. Film production and Executive production are what we do. I find there are many young creative’s that are trying to turn their art into their business and it’s not always easy. We consult and sometimes partner with all types of business owners and creators to make great content and monetize.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I consider myself Creative and a Technologist. Much of our art and entertainment is now mingled with technology, like digital art and visual content. We consume music and film on platforms like Spotify, Amazon, and Netflix, so technology is interwoven into all of it. I specialize in combining the two and putting all the components of a project together. As a producer, I can create in the process as needed. I can also put on the executive hat and see the business elements as well, that’s what makes me a bit different, I wear a lot of hats. I’m most proud of the music and film projects that I have worked on over the years. My last short film was nominated for a Bronze Lens Award. There is still room for growth so I’m not done yet. It has been an interesting process combining art and business. In the beginning, it was all about art, but you can’t pay the bills with great ideas. I always encourage education in some form or fashion and finding great mentors who have done it before. There’s not much new under the sun, so use past experiences from good people to propel forward. I want everyone to get excited about Stage Ten and what we’re doing in Atlanta and beyond. We want people to subscribe to our channels and join the conversations on social media and newsletters. We have more great films, shows, and music coming out from our brand and it’s great to engage our consumers to find out what they want to see.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I have quite a few favorite spots in ATL. I love the Ponce City Market it’s a great vibe and good shopping. Of course, I love Piedmont Park, Little 5 Points, Atlantic Station, and the Drive-in Starlight Movie theatre down on Moreland. There are too many to mention but I have to shout out some great food spots like Mamoun’s Falafel on Northside and West Egg Café on Howell Mill. If we are hanging out we’d go to the normal tourist spots, Centennial Park, Stone Mountain, and the Aquarium. We would also head to some parks like Sweetwater Creek State Park and Grant Park. Also, I take them kayaking down at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Center. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many individuals that have mentored me or motivated me in business. The person who has done the most is my father, Francis Howell. He was a self-made man and I worked in his construction and home remodeling business growing up. He started from scratch and built a great real estate company, which we still control. So of course investing and real estate come second nature for me, as well as solid business practices. I learned that it not only takes hard work, but you have to be very good at what you do and produce quality. It’s very competitive in the business world and in arts, putting your best foot forward is critical for success. There are others who have helped me chart a course in entertainment such as DJ Eddie F, who gave me an internship, and Jocelyn Cooper who gave me a chance in music, shout out to them. Also, Nancy Howard really opened doors for me in the film space. There are associates and partners such as Alicia Godmasch as well. We have a venture called Maswell Films, I’m very excited about that. We are also working with Atlanta creative’s on the “Feature Film Project”. The FFP is a collective of Filmmakers, Actors, Crew members, Musicians, and Investors, coming together to produce great films in a shorter cycle. There are so many talented people, but not enough opportunities. This effort is a win-win for all and they facilitate getting the films out to distribution partners. We are always actively looking for those who want to apply. The site is www.featurefilmproject.com, it’s a great opportunity. Big shout out to FFP, great things are coming from that team for ATL.

Website: http://www.stageten.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/stageten

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9KL4NdJ292-0rNEoDmkfuQ

Other: http://www.jubifilm.com

Image Credits
Stage Ten Media

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlana 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.