The interview for this article of The Dog Journal is with Joe Miller, CEO and founder of his company Summit Professional Services.
Collaboration of: Joe Miller & The Dog Journal
TDJ: Joe, it’s great to have you. Can you start by telling me a bit more about yourself personally, and also how Summit Professional Services got started?
JM: Sure. I grew up in northern Indiana and began taking pictures in the early 2000’s as a hobby. At that time, there weren’t many equine photographers in our area, so I was pretty busy. I continued taking pictures until the latter part of 2015, focusing mainly on the local area of Shipshewana, Middlebury, and the surrounding communities. At that time, I also worked a full-time job at a trailer factory and spent most of my afternoons and evenings taking pictures and videos of horses.
Towards the end of 2015, I met my wife, fell in love, and we got married a year later. During our first year of marriage, we traveled to Jamaica, where she had previously served in missions as a nanny. I fell in love with the place, and a short time later, we were asked to return as Outreach Directors for the missions organization. We accepted their invite and moved our family to Montego Bay, Jamaica for several years.
In March 2020, we returned home, and on the flight back, I told my wife that I didn’t really want to go back to the RV industry and wanted to start something of my own. Besides the RV industry, photography and video was the only other thing I knew that I was decent at. I hadn’t done much design work as I didn’t feel I really had a knack for it.
Back while we were still in Jamaica, Brian Yoder from Shipshewana had started taking pictures and became very busy. He also enjoyed graphic design and he was very good at it. Once we returned to the States, I met with Brian to discuss starting a business together, and that’s how Summit Professional Services was born. We mutually agreed that Brian would handle the design work, and I would focus more on photography and the bookwork, then, if he needed a break from staring at the computer, he could also go out and take pictures. Haha
By 2021, the equine industry was booming, and Summit was growing quite rapidly. We were very overwhelmed with work, just trying to keep up. Many weeks in those first two years Brian and I worked well over 100+ hours/week, barely finding time to sleep. It was a crazy time, especially with me having a family to take care of yet.
TDJ: Wow, that sounds intense but very typical for a startup! Let’s talk about your services— what all do you do?
JM: Oh my! Well, initially, we were focused on the horse industry, as that was what we knew and were used to; offering design work, photography, video, ad design, logo design, and various print materials like brochures, business cards, signage and banners. Over the past few years, we’ve also expanded our services into the canine world and multiple other industries like woodworking, real estate, etc. Our design expertise has naturally led us to work with various industries, although we don’t actively pursue them; they tend to find us and come to us.
When we get asked what all we do, we joke at the office that “if your mind can conceive it, we’ll do our best to achieve it.” We handle all aspects of photography, video, and design work. This Unraveled includes anything from putting together product catalogs, sale catalogs, magazines, to all types of videography, including promo videos, TV commercials, and farm ads. Whatever you need, we’ll do our best to put it together for you.
TDJ: Do you only do business locally, or do you serve clients across the country and beyond?
JM: We started with local work when we first started, but by mid-2022, we had to hire more graphic designers and ended up expanding our services and our reach. Now, we serve clients all over the US, Canada, and even some internationally. We’ve done quite a bit of work for clients outside the country.
TDJ: In my experience, every designer has their own unique touch. Do you promote consistency across your staff, or do you encourage individuality?
JM: I encourage everyone to excel in their own unique way. While our designers may have many similarities, each designer has their own unique touch. When hiring, I try to make sure they will represent our company well and meet our standards. I then encourage them to grow in their unique style as long as it meets and exceeds the professionalism our customers are looking for. Currently, we have four full-time and seven part-time employees.
TDJ: With the rise of DIY design tools, has that impacted your business negatively?
JM: I don’t like to look at it as necessarily having a negative impact. I mean, we’re in the tech business, and technology is always evolving – always.
By the time new technology becomes mainstream, someone is already working on something newer and better. DIY design tools always encourages us to stay on our toes and makes us continue to strive for excellence to maintain our professionalism. If we don’t evolve and grow with the industry, clients will tend to look elsewhere to get their work done. With the industry we are in, it’s about staying ahead of the curve and continuing to satisfy our customers’ needs.
TDJ: What advice would you give to someone attempting DIY design?
JM: Find what you’re good at and what sets you apart, then pour your heart into it. Understand that not everyone will automatically approve of your methods or ways of doing things. Expect some criticism along the way. Constructive criticism is a good thing and helps a person grow. It may not always be easy to hear, or fun to hear, but it’s part of business, learn to receive it well. (I’m still working on this)
TDJ: How has the rise of artificial intelligence affected your industry and business?
JM: AI is still evolving, and while it can be a useful tool, it definitely has its issues and limitations. We use it occasionally here and there, but we don’t rely on it very heavily. It’s helpful, but it’s not a major part of our company workflow.
TDJ: Interesting! Are there any new trends in designing and marketing that you’re seeing lately?
JM: Since I started in the early 2000’s, the biggest trend I’ve noticed has been the shift to digital advertising. Digital advertising offers so much more reach and tends to be a bit more cost-effective. Print definitely still has its place, but digital advertising allows for almost endless possibilities. You can create something and share it all across the world in an instant. If you have products or services for people beyond your local area, digital can become very valuable to your business.
TDJ: Have you ever faced an obstacle so big you felt like quitting?
JM: Oh wow. Yes, absolutely. There have been a few times when I felt stretched way beyond my limits, facing significant challenges. I’m most definitely not the same person I was when we first started, that’s for sure! I’m sure that Brian would tell you the same thing! But in all reality, success often comes from a person overcoming obstacles, its how we grow in life as a person.
As much as we try to avoid obstacles, they are sometimes the exact thing we need to overcome in order for us to grow into who we need to be as a person. It may not have been pleasant at DOG DOG Journal Journal JUNE / JULY 2024 JUNE / JULY 2024 95 94 the time, but looking back, it’s amazing how God has allowed me to grow in so many different areas of my life! I’ve always told myself, I never want to step on others to get to where I want to go; if I would, it would definitely be a lonely place once I got there.
TDJ: What’s your favorite part of your job and your role in the company?
JM: It has changed over time. Initially, as the owner of the company, I loved capturing that perfect picture, because that in a sense, represented us well. Now, I still enjoy getting that perfect shot, but I’ve grown to also enjoy helping others, especially helping our staff and designers grow their skills and passions. Seeing others succeed in doing what they love doing gets me very excited, no matter who they are.
TDJ: Joe, thank you so much for your time. I really enjoyed this, and I’m sure our readers will too. Best of luck with your business and future business ventures!
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