Guest Josh Scott, Founder of JHS Pedals, discusses guitar media, following passions, marketing, work/life balance. They delve into JHS's origins, YouTube show, guitar media trends, social media impact, and marketing advice. Also touch on participation in cycling events, Midwest community spirit, creative pursuits, and deep work ethic.
Josh Scott started JHS Pedals with a passion for pedal design and storytelling, leading to unique product creations.
YouTube is a powerful platform for guitar media in 2024, emphasizing storytelling and historical context for engagement.
Facebook groups amplify JHS Pedals content through organic sharing, showcasing the platform's strength in fostering passionate communities.
Deep dives
The Evolution of JHS Pedals: From Founding to Success
Josh Scott, the founder of JHS pedals, discusses the journey of starting his pedal company back in 2007 with a simple pedal fix that sparked his passion for pedal design. Over the years, he delved into modifying pedals, selling them, and eventually creating unique products like the color box and the muffleda. The growth of JHS pedals and the team behind it allowed Josh to focus on his creative storytelling and product development while empowering his team to manage the day-to-day operations.
YouTube and Guitar Media in 2024: A Changing Landscape
Josh reflects on the shifting landscape of guitar media in 2024, highlighting the impact of YouTube as a powerful platform for sharing guitar history and stories. While noting the decline of traditional guitar magazines and their relevance, he emphasizes the importance of storytelling and historical context in engaging viewers. Josh's YouTube channel, which initially avoided self-promotion, evolved into a platform for educating and entertaining viewers about guitar pedals and history.
Navigating Social Media: The Role of Facebook Groups
Despite initial reluctance towards Facebook, Josh acknowledges the platform's strength in fostering viral communities and organic sharing through groups. He recognizes the power of Facebook groups in amplifying JHS Pedals content, leveraging the passionate fan base to spread the word. While grappling with the ever-changing dynamics of social media algorithms, Facebook emerges as a pivotal space for genuine engagement and broadening the reach of JHS Pedals.
Building Communities and Nurturing Authentic Connections
Building tight-knit communities around shared interests like vintage amps and pedal collecting fosters a sense of belonging and camaraderie. The speaker highlights the importance of authentic conversations within these communities, emphasizing the value of choosing to engage with like-minded individuals who share a passion for specific topics like JHS or Leica M.
Embracing Creativity and Prioritizing Fulfillment in Work
The podcast delves into the speaker's journey of balancing creativity and work commitments. Emphasizing the significance of pursuing projects that bring personal fulfillment, the speaker shares insights on writing, documenting events, and exploring the intersection of passions like music and photography. Through anecdotes on purposeful work and the importance of dedicating uninterrupted time for creative endeavors, the speaker advocates for staying true to one's creative vision despite external pressures or trends.
This week, JHS founder Josh Scott joins Jason to talk about guitar media, following your passion, marketing, work/life balance and so much more.
We talk about how JHS was founded, the JHS Show on YouTube (and the work that goes into it), guitar media, printed matter in 2024, events, social media, the enduring power of Facebook (and paper books!), marketing advice, and more.
We also talk about JHS's participation in the Mid South gravel bike festival. (Rumor has it, we'll be teaming up with JHS and Mid South for a fun bike ride at the 2024 Chicago Fretboard Summit 2024. Inquire within.)
Love the podcast and want to support it? We have a Patreon page just for Fretboard Journal fans and loaded with bonus content. https://www.patreon.com/Fretboard_Journal
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