Meet Billy Joseph, Jr.

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Billy Joseph, Jr.. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Billy, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

I grew up in rural South Carolina during a time when there was an economical transition from agriculture and textiles to more modern industries. This often made it a challenge as families like ours tried to navigate that transition from essentially farm life to working in factories, retail, or service industries. My parents were very young but I don’t recall a time when they did not work to provide for our family. As difficult as some days were, I look back with admiration at how we started in a single-wide mobile home, then a small single family home, and eventually a beautiful cape cod in the country.

I can recall my mom taking me to school in a Chevy Chevette with a rusted out floorboard. I would sit in the passenger seat crisscross applesauce and watch the road go by below us. She would head off to work in any number of jobs, from delivering newspapers at 4:00am to grocery store cashier and embroidery. Meanwhile, daddy worked in a local roller bearing plant nights and days, then would come home to cut firewood and tend the animals and garden. You would think they would never have had time to spend with my brother and I, but somehow daddy always found time to play with us and mom always had us being creative.

Their work ethic has continued throughout my life, as I have watched them change jobs, overcome obstacles, and continue to be loving and supportive parents and now grandparents. My parent’s work ethic has clearly impacted me. As a child we always had chores to do and when I turned 14 I got my first job. Since then I have either worked and went to school or worked two or more jobs.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

When I was in college I did a little modeling and acting. Through the years I participated in more theatrical and living history type productions. While I have worked any number of jobs, I have always gravitated towards more artistic career choices, from teaching to exhibit development as a museum curator. Once my own kids started driving I had more time to once again pursue modeling and acting. It is very exciting for me to get back into the industry and be a part of telling a story through photographs and film with a number of projects being released soon, including lead and supporting roles in multiple films.

As someone who would act out films with my cousins and neighbors in our yards growing up, it is special to me to see this dream become a reality in my own life. In addition, I love to write and I hope to work more on my writing projects, possibly converting them into screenplays and seeing my own stories come to life on the big screen.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

To anyone considering or just getting started in modeling and/or acting know that you have to put in the work. This is not an easy industry and no one really just “gets discovered.” Personally, I know that all my previous experiences helped me to prepare for the intensity it demands, but there are still some extremely physically and mentally challenging days. Do the work of taking classes, learning the lingo, networking with other professionals, and most of all remember to be considerate and sincere with all the people you come in contact with. People in this industry are serious about their art. You must be as well.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

While my parents are the most generous people, they never really just gave us anything. My brother and I had chores to do, we had to help around the house, if we wanted to be warm, we had to haul firewood and know how to build a fire in our woodstove. We had to wash dishes, sweep floors, mow the lawn, prepare food, work the garden, the list goes on and on. Much of this was out of necessity, but it taught me to be self-sufficient. It taught me discipline. I never felt as if I would be handed anything in this world if I did not work for it and earn and that is one of the most impactful things that my parent did for me.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Samantha Sharpe
Sarah Madwell
#RalphyC

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