We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jeff Corey a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jeff , so glad you were able to set aside some time for us today. We’ve always admired not just your journey and success, but also the seemingly high levels of self-discipline that you seem to have mastered and so maybe we can start by chatting about how you developed it or where it comes from?
My self-discipline comes from a couple of different places, and they are all blended.
The first is purpose. I found my purpose through trying various career paths and working with many different companies. It’s easier to stay disciplined when you get up in the morning with a purpose. That drive keeps me focused and motivated to continue down a path. Finding my true purpose led me to start Visual Soldiers in 2015.
The second source of my self-discipline is accountability. I’ve always held myself to high standards of accountability, whether in my career, health and wellness, sports, or really anything I do. Being accountable to myself and knowing that the companies I work with need me has always kept me moving forward in life and my career.
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?
My journey into the creative world has been anything but linear, and that’s precisely what makes it so thrilling. My partner Amanda van den Heuvel
and I run a digital agency called Visual Soldiers, where we focus on building memorable brand identities, crafting engaging digital experiences, and helping companies communicate their stories effectively through design and strategy. Our work is a dynamic blend of brand strategy, UX/UI design, and web development—a combination that allows us to shape how brands come to life online and in the real world.
What excites me most about my work is the impact we create for our clients. There’s nothing quite like seeing a brand evolve from just an idea into something that truly connects with people. I believe in the power of storytelling, and the design process lets us communicate in a way that resonates with audiences on an emotional level. The unique aspect of what we do is that it’s not just about delivering a product–it’s about crafting an experience. Sometimes, in the process, we re-spark the company to excel further with our creative efforts. We partner with clients to truly understand their needs, ambitions, and audiences, which makes every project uniquely rewarding.
Right now, I’m particularly excited about some new initiatives in the pipeline. We recently launched a design subscription model that makes creative services accessible in a more flexible, on-demand way for growing brands. I think it’s going to redefine how some of our clients approach design and marketing, giving them more freedom and agility. We continue making significant strides in web development, offering enterprise-level WordPress sites built for high-level marketing. We’ve been perfecting our modular admin system, and it’s been helping companies speed up processes on the web by 70%.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, I think there were three qualities that were most impactful in my journey: resilience, curiosity, and adaptability. Resilience helped me push through the inevitable challenges that come with building a creative business—it’s about not giving up, even when things get tough. Curiosity drove me to keep learning, experimenting, and exploring new ideas, which is crucial in an ever-evolving industry like ours. And adaptability allowed me to pivot when needed, whether it was changing strategies or embracing new technologies.
For those early in their journey, my advice is to nurture these qualities. Build resilience by embracing challenges as opportunities to grow. Stay curious—never stop learning, and seek out knowledge from diverse fields to fuel your creativity. And be adaptable; the creative world changes fast, and those who can adjust and thrive in new circumstances will always have the edge. Ultimately, the journey is about enjoying the process and continuously pushing your limits to create work that matters.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
Over the past 12 months, my biggest area of growth has been in leadership—particularly in finding the balance between being hands-on with creative work and empowering my team to take the reins. My partner Amanda is insanely talented, and I’ve learned to trust her and the incredible team we’re building more deeply, allowing them to bring their own vision and skills to our projects while I shift focus to help guide the broader strategy and vision for our agency. It’s been a challenging but immensely rewarding shift, and it’s helped us grow stronger as a team.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://visualsoldiers.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visualsoldiers/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/visual-soldiers/
Image Credits
Visual Soldiers
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
