Today we’d like to introduce you to Reginald Ross.
Hi Reginald, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Taking a look back on how everything started, multiple events made me into the person you see here, today. Growing up in a single-parent household, run by a hardworking mother (Dionne) responsible for raising 2 boys with limited help and resources was eye-opening, to say the least. Witnessing my mother continue to push herself every day and accomplish what she did, day in and day out against all odds, built a different type of drive in me. This drive still pushes me every day to never settle or accept things for what they are while finding my path in the process. At a young age, I had to step up to become the “man of the house” which gave me a head start on how to operate in the real world.
Finding my path was probably one of my biggest struggles coming up. Looking back as a kid I could never find that thing that I felt passionate about, something that gave me that “light bulb” moment. Which led me down a path of exploring different opportunities based on what I have seen other’s doing and had an interest in. It took me some time to realize the answer was always right in front of me.
Dating back as far as 2008, when I would have been in the 7th grade, I had to have back surgery (spinal fusion) to correct the alignment of my spine. After the procedure and hearing the doctor give me the next steps, mentally I felt limited on what I would physically be capable of doing moving forward. This challenge presented many obstacles I had to overcome to get to where I am today. Being involved in contact sports and certain physical activities were then off the table for me which allowed me to explore other ways to be involved with sports, football in particular.
My younger brother Deion was my first inspiration. He is an insanely talented athlete all around and is currently playing football for Purdue University. His love for the game allowed me to begin creating highlight films for him and this resulted in my first project, a highlight video for my brother.
After this, and to this day, I study graphic design, videography, photography, web design, and much more. By learning all of these specialties, I have been able to create/develop many different projects throughout my career thus far. This path all began as a hobby and little did I know, just how much I could really succeed at this.
For years, my brother (Deion) told me to keep doing what I have been doing but to do it on a larger scale. Eventually, I was able to see what he saw the whole time, which was just how big this could get. This boost in confidence was the last piece of the puzzle for me to reach the next level.
I am now the proud owner of Reggie Ross Visuals LLC.
With this business, it is easy to understand the purpose and goal. Which is to use my talent and abilities to put others in the best position possible to succeed while also capturing memorable moments for others to relive. I learned early on that many individuals just need someone to believe in them and have the opportunities to show what they are capable of. With that, I always look to find ways to put others in positions where they can succeed.
The adopted motto for this business is “Create to Motivate”. This can be translated for all the services provided under the umbrella. Currently, the services provided by this business include projects involved with graphic design, videography, photography, web design, and more with special requests. To view my website, please visit www.reggierossvisuals.com. My team is building/growing as we continue to develop
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
From start to finish the road has been as smooth as the roads in Michigan. For those that do not know, the roads in Michigan are not known for being very smooth. That being said, there have been many bumps along the way that I have overcome.
Along the way, each struggle taught me a lesson or provided me with another opportunity that I was able to explore. For example, many other businesses have experienced some sort of setback created by the pandemic. For some of the services I was able to provide, fewer requests were made as well as an increase in protocols was established for the safety of all involved. After being presented with this challenge, my team and I were able to explore other opportunities and workarounds which turned out to be very beneficial overall.
Another key struggle throughout this entire process involved time management with all of my other responsibilities in my professional life. As I mentioned earlier, this is something I did in my free time prior to developing it all into a business. Outside of my business, I am currently a Global IT Analyst for 3M where I work remotely. On top of that, my team which to date consists of my girlfriend Kelsey and best friend Max is in the process of establishing 3-4 other businesses. Having all of these things on our plates contributes to the struggle of time management. Managing our time in order to fulfill all of our obligations has been a struggle that we continue to treat as a challenge.
After being established for roughly a year now, we have a better understanding of how to operate efficiently and effectively while completing projects. Understanding how to run a business and all that comes with it along with managing projects presented another challenge to overcome. The learning curve was a lot steeper in the beginning but now we are able to accomplish everything we need to remain successful and continue to have a bigger impact.
All of these challenges/struggles helped get me the most prepared for what is still to come. Adapting to all of the uncontrolled factors that appear daily has become a tool I will continue to utilize moving forward. Outside of those struggles, the road has been promising and confirms we are on the right track.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
There is no easy way to group what I do into one category because I specialize in multiple areas that I can combine under one creative umbrella. Graphic design has been one of my favorite areas to study, which is now something I am now able to perform on a wide range of projects. Creating graphics and motion graphics primarily on social media for athletes, entertainers, musicians, you name it. Videography is another area I’ve studied and performed in for 15+ years now which is a huge part of what I do.
Developing highlight tapes for athletes is how I first decided to get behind the camera and learn how to edit which allowed me to post on every platform. Making a highlight tape for my brother has to be one of my most proud projects. This is something that I decided to do on a larger scale and now I can create those same videos for any athlete to use to gain exposure for their hard work and talents. After realizing that this skill could be used in many areas I began to branch out to other opportunities. I began taking on projects that incorporate videography to help capture moments for any event ranging from recording live events/performances to recording engagement proposals.
Understanding how to edit allowed me to manage the entire process of recording and editing to provide a custom experience. This is where creativity comes into play with how I am able to create a story behind every experience. Videography opened the door to photography, which allowed me to now have the ability to do photoshoots and things of that nature. I can also perform street, professional, studio, landscape, and group photography.
I believe what sets me apart from others that are on a similar path as me, is my ability to personalize each and every one of my projects so that all of my clients walk away feeling like the work they receive from me is unique and special to them.
What does success mean to you?
Success to me is accomplishing the tasks/goals you set out to achieve and being able to do that without end. To experience true success, I believe you have to experience some failure to revalidate true success. Having an expectation of a certain outcome and meeting that expectation defines the level of success as the result.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.reggierossvisuals.com
- Instagram: @reggie_ross_visuals
- Facebook: Reggie Ross Visuals
- Twitter: @Reggie_Ross_
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK1CUCiJn4KbFHkcFNz4HnQ
Image Credits
Reggie Ross Visuals LLC
