The Power of Partnership:
Phil Jones’ Living Visual Storytelling Library
“We’ve never, ever needed to use a stock image.”
That one sentence says it all.
Stock photos are easy—but they’re also the fastest way to cheapen your brand. And when you’re building a legacy-level personal brand, ease isn’t the goal.
Relevance, credibility, and visual proof are.
That’s the promise—and the value—of the Visual Storytelling Partnership.
Unlike one-off shoots that check a box, this long-term engagement model allows high-performing experts to:
Capture the full scope of what they do—on and off stage, behind the curtain, and deep inside their process
Build an ever-evolving image library that reflects growth, transformation, and nuance
Curate an archive of “on-purpose” images that reflect all aspects of the business
Have an embedded strategist and creative partner thinking ahead—constantly imagining how new moments can fuel future brand needs
Which is exactly what international bestselling author, sales expert, and keynote speaker Phil M Jones needed when we first began our collaboration.
Building a System, Not Just a Shoot
From the beginning, Phil and I wanted to create an ongoing visual documentation system—something that could grow with his business and evolve with every new offer, launch, and opportunity.
“Every single year since I started this business in 2008, we’ve been on a process of reinvention… And working alongside John, we’ve had the ability to capture countless magic moments inside my business.”
Through a steady stream of strategic calls with Phil and his marketing division over the years, we've kept in line with the ever-evolving, core pillars of his brand:
Live keynotes and workshops
EWTS Certified Guides Program
Mastermind sessions, breakouts, and behind-the-scenes teaching moments
High-level consulting and internal team development
High-profile media opportunities
The assets that fuel his personal brand: books, role-play cards, notebooks, branded swag, and more
Then we established the long-game vision: To build a deep, searchable image library full of constantly updated core assets, magic moments and hidden details so robust and personalized, it would make stock photography completely obsolete.
“In any given moment that we need a photograph… a new landing page, a brochure, a slide deck, a social post… we never, ever, ever need to use a stock image.”
The Challenge: Depth, Detail, and Never Getting Lazy
The challenge wasn’t volume—it was intentionality.
Phil’s business is multi-layered, detail-obsessed, and constantly evolving. That meant my job wasn’t just to keep up. It was to stay ahead.
In addition to capturing the basics, I'm constantly challenged to go deeper.
That included:
Capturing the hidden details that help inject new life into his visual storytelling
Zooming in on micro-moments—pens, notepads, audience notes, mugs, reactions, table setups
Capturing emotional responses and intellectual takeaways, even through someone else’s lens—like snapping over-the-shoulder photos of attendees mid-note
“I’m obsessed about details in my business—and what John’s allowed us to do is showcase those hidden details to other people before they decide to do business with us.”
And in the process of capturing those moments, new stories began to surface—ones even Phil hadn’t thought to tell.
“The surprise and delight that’s come from chasing so many hidden details is what I’ve learned about what truly resonates with the audience… When John captures photos of someone’s notes, I get to see their biggest takeaways. That’s powerful.”
The Solution: Strategic Photography, Embedded Mindset
The power of the partnership wasn’t just the photo sessions themselves.
It was having someone in Phil’s corner who could think creatively, strategically, and proactively about how to use those visuals to move the business forward.
“John’s forever thinking about how this can be used. He helps us find new ways of telling the same story—on repeat.”
We developed:
A visual asset system that supports every part of the brand machine
A consistent style that reinforces the brand’s tone, energy, and point of view
A collaborative rhythm where I operate as an embedded team member—not just a vendor or shooter
“John’s become an essential part of our team—delivering appreciated value not just to me, but to our entire marketing division.”
And through our work together, Phil’s business now runs on visuals that are specific, story-driven, intentional, and deeply aligned with his brand values.
The Results: No Stock, No Guesswork, No Missed Moments
The output of our partnership is a constantly evolving, ready-to-use image archive that gives Phil and his team:
Total freedom to create new campaigns, courses, external and internal documents and launches
Strategic alignment between every visual and every message
A record of growth, reinvention, and innovation that audiences can feel
“If it wasn’t for the fact that we could actually narrate and share the diversity of work that exists in my personal brand, people would just see me as a speaker and an author—and miss everything in the middle.”
Instead, Phil now shows the full story—everywhere he shows up.
Want to move faster, look better, and never rely on stock again?
Let’s build a visual partnership that evolves as you do—one that captures what you do and how you do it, so every image you share proves what you say is true.
“It’s a game changer.”