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8 Jun 2013

Interview with AJ Media

Welcome to the second of the interviews, in my series of introducing creative businesses supported by The Prince Trust.

My next interview victim, is AJ Media, whom I happen to actually know in real life, as we did part of the Enterprise Programme together. It has been really cool to see how his business has developed over the past year or so. Anthony had a much more developed idea, than I did, when he approached The Prince's Trust for help, so it has been interesting to see how the enterprise programme adapts and caters for everybody in a different way.

Without further ado........................... AJ Media



Who are you?

My name is Anthony Jones and I run AJ Media, Its just me myself and I!

What are you?
AJ Media is a video production business, I make everything from corporate and health and safety videos, to live shows and motion graphics.


Where are you? 
I am based in Widnes and I operate at home, I am currently looking to get my own premise to expand the business. At the moment I mostly operate from my website AJ Media Productions



Best thing about working with the Prince’s Trust?
Really, if it wasn't for The Prince's Trust there would be no AJ Media. All I had was the idea to go self employed. I had gone to the job centre, and they told me I had to apply for the head of Administration at Liverpool Hope University, based on the fact that I had done some admin for a few months. That was the moment that I realised that as much as the job Centre is there to help you, they are really just trying to hit targets rather than get a job because there was no way on earth that I could do that job. After that it spurred me on to look into self employment, I knew I could do this as a profession, most people will volunteer hoping to get a job, but looking at the companies out there I knew that job would never appear so it was best to try and make a living from it. The self employment course was fantastic, it helped me look at my skills more as a business and how I could really make a go of this. It also helped with networking skills and having a business mentor was great to help start the business, I needed guidance and I got it, plain and simple! With that I have been able to turn what was a passion into a living, this year so far has been my best to date, in fact May was the best month I have ever recorded as a business and June is looking good too!

Any advice for budding entrepreneurs?
I think if you have an idea, and you believe in it, then my advice is to go for it! You never know what could happen. I think rather than me just say the generic things, the best advice would be two quotes from Jim Valvano, who was an American Basketball Coach, until he sadly passed away, after a fight with cancer many years ago. This first quote I think sums up the feelings when starting up:
 'No matter what business you're in, you can't run in place or someone will pass you by. It doesn't matter how many games you've won.'
The second, sums up the mentality you have to have:
 'Don't give up. Don't ever give up.'


 (Check out Widnes Food bank on Facebook and their website)  


Thanks ever so much for playing along Anthony!

Social Media Hangouts for AJ Media:
Facebook: AJ Media 
Twitter: @AJmediaTV
Youtube: Anthony Jones
Website: AJ Media 

Check out previous interview with another business supported by The Prince's Trust: An interview with Tile Fire

Hopefully you are enjoying this interview series? Which happily coincides with The Prince's Trust celebrating thirty years of the Enterprise Programme

If there is anything specific that you would like to ask myself or the other businesses featured, then drop me a comment and I will see what I can do.

I wonder who I will be interviewing next?

3 comments:

  1. This post did have lots of lovely comments, BUT I was using G+ and it was very very naughty.

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  2. Nooo the comments vanished!! Rudness. Here's mine again :)

    Ah AJ got "interrogated"!! hehe :D Thanks for sharing this! It's so awesome to see how you grew in a year time and how you just went for what you wanted! Even though it's hard work, it truly is the best thing to work for yourself.

    "Don't give up"...so true. It's difficult sometimes, but it's the only thing you have to keep in mind when you know you're on the right track.

    Oops! I thought I followed him everywhere already!! subscribes to YT channel

    These interviews are fun, Claire. I am staying tuned for the next one!!

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    Replies
    1. Oh thanks for taking the time to leave a comment again! Much appreciated! Really wanted the G+ comment thing to work, but alas no!

      I have really enjoyed doing these interviews, although the interviewees provide most of the information. It has been really cool to see how they all develop their businesses in different ways.

      Glad you like the series!

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