Meet Melissa J. Martin: Visual Content Producer & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa J. Martin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa J., other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
Honestly, believing that I had what it took to work for myself. Since my business started out as a side hustle, there was a certain mindset shift that had to happen because I hadn’t seen myself running a photography business when I started shooting in 2015. So, after a couple years I realized I would need to look at my business differently if I wanted it to now be my career. But more importantly, it became a daily decision to believe in my abilities and that while the journey isn’t always easeful you have to believe that you can do it and reinforce that belief by making investments into yourself and your business that’ll continue building on that confidence.

What should our readers know about your business?
Melissa Joslyn Media produces stimulating visual content for brands that align with their goals for digital marketing. We collaborate with small businesses and established brands to creatively curate content that elevates their digital presence. After pivoting from portrait photography, Melissa Joslyn Media, LLC now serves businesses exclusively through brand photography and short-form video content creation. The addition of short-form video to our services is exciting as it’s becoming a big part of content marketing but to those who may be new to leveraging video it can be intimidating. While I’m a photographer, I’m also a beauty and lifestyle content creator so I’m constantly creating outside of client work. And I know how overwhelming and time consuming it can be to create quality content consistently for your audience. So, the goal is to help brands alleviate that by having relevant visual content on-hand regularly which is why our packages have recently been revamped to provide subscriptions for capturing monthly and quarterly content. I’m grateful to be reaching this point in my business because this is what I’ve wanted to focus on for a couple years however, I was still accepting clients for senior portraits or event coverage when I knew I no longer wanted to capture those things. I became unhappy with photography and thought that maybe it’d just ran its course in my journey. However, I was doing a disservice to myself by not aligning my messaging and offerings to attract my dream clients. Pivoting isn’t easy but I now know it’s necessary for the longevity of my business.

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.
Brunch is always a must for the itinerary. So, if we wanted to party and brunch BQE Restaurant and Lounge on Edgewood is always a good time and Kaleidoscope in Brookhaven is my favorite because I’ve never eaten anything I didn’t like and the mimosas never miss. Also, the SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion is a gem. They have great installations and one of the best views of Downtown Atlanta. I’ve done a lot of shoots in the Westside Provisions District but aside from how aesthetically pleasing the area is there are shops and restaurants there. And not too far away is Twisted Soul Cookhouse and Pours which is one of my favorite black-owned restaurants in the City. Lastly, for an all encompassing experience Ponce City Market for sure has something for everyone.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
In 2018, I attended the inaugural Porter Street Workshop hosted by Atlanta Brand Photographer Mecca Gamble. I credit Mecca and her then full-day workshop to not only educating me on how to successfully build a photography business but empowering myself and the other attendees through her continued guidance. She was a listening ear when I went full-time with photography, even when I got burnt out and thought I was quitting. Mecca is also a supporter of my inspirational apparel brand, Mind Your Blessings so her dedication goes beyond our journeys in photography. And as if I couldn’t look up to her anymore, she recently opened her own studio and I’m just still so inspired! Photography aside, she inspires me to just be the best me I can be and I’m grateful to have learned from her.

Website: www.melissajoslyn.com

Instagram: @themelissajoslyn

Image Credits
Melissa Joslyn Media