Do what you love and don’t be so concerned about always being perfect. Sometimes you have to learn through mistakes.
You have likely seen Jack Meyer around Madison. He is one of those twenty-year-old bundles of energy who did not leave town to go to college or to find employment. He is doing his life his way. It’s a bit different but in the end I suspect we will applaud him for his wisdom, energy, and hard work.
Jack tends to see the world through a different prism. Perhaps it comes from being home-schooled from 7-12th grade. Maybe, it’s his maturity as he has spent far more time around adults than with his peers. Once you experience the force of his personality, one is likely to enjoy his energy and eternal optimism. I certainly do.
Let’s give you some background. His parents are Elizabeth and Kipley Meyer. His Dad is a very talented furniture maker who has supported the family and made a reputation as an outstanding creative artist. That’s a bit unusual and perhaps has influenced Jack’s approach. His Grand Dad is Bill Kurtz who has played a key role in Jack’s out- look by sponsoring his involvement in the Lake Oconee Shot Gun Club. There under the tutelage of Coaches Addi- son Bell, Sammy McFadden, and Steve Lane; Jack was introduced to the sport of skeet shooting. Emphasis was placed on team members to have personal discipline, an awareness of safety issues, and shooting skill development. It paid off as during Jack’s eight years on the team they finished first in the state and runner-up twice.
While most of our Class of 2015 has departed Morgan County, Jack is doing some very interesting things that are very much Jack Myer’s own way. He has joined the Madison Rotary Club and he may be the youngest Rotarian in Georgia. The Club has welcomed his humor and energy with open arms. He has become very quickly involved in the Rotary Club’s various service activities and is now in charge of Public Relations.
You may see Jack at any of the numerous events around town. He took an intern position at the Morgan County Citizen and turned it into an employment opportunity as the paper’s photographer.
He is preparing to enter realtor licensing school. Jack’s thinking is that the real estate business matches his skill set. He likes the pressure, the commitment to client ser- vice, the requirement to multi-task, and the reliance on communication skills.
So his involvement in all these commercial activities is leading to what? Jack believes that what will work best for him is to find the career he feels passionate about and his subsequent college education will assist him in being the success he intends to be.
It’s not the way everyone does it, but when he finds his niche he will have done it his way. Youngest Rotarian in District 6910.
This bio was an excerpt from Lake Oconee News written by Dick Hodgetts.
Where did the idea for Jack Meyer Photography come from?
Ever since I was very young I always enjoyed photography. As I grew, photography “captured” my attention, I started learning as much about it as I could on a daily basis. In 2013 I started Jack Meyer Photography.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
A typical day for me consists of booking photoshoot sessions, going to my full-time job as a Sheriff’s Deputy, I normally analyze the stock markets and look for ways to further diversify my portfolio.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I always make an effort to continue my education. For me, feeling the mental lightbulb go off gives me the encouragement to keep wanting to learn and share what I’ve learned.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
Vinyl records making a comeback.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
My ability to multitask very efficiently.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Do what you love and don’t be so concerned about always being perfect. Sometimes you have to learn through mistakes.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on?
That you can live an active, upbeat and fulfilling lifestyle even when you work fourteen (14) hour per day
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Network, network, network. Word of mouth is vital to small businesses grow.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
Providing the best services you can offer to your client and always be genuine.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
Luckily I haven’t encountered any failures yet.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
I recently invested in new photography equipment which has allowed me to learn more about photography and continue to enhance my work.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Photoshop Lightroom. I use it for editing my photos to make sure I am presenting my best work possible to my clients.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. If Steve Jobs turned his dream into the huge company it is today, then there is no reason we can’t try to achieve that too.
What is your favorite quote?
“I never grew up thinking that I would be an activist, but if saying what I feel makes me an activist, then I’m an activist.” Ellen D.
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Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.