Member Spotlight: Mills James

Member Spotlight by [Mills James]

Provide us with a brief summary of your business’ services

For four decades, Mills James has helped some of the country’s most respected brands conceive and produce the videos, events, and creative that have driven their growth. We serve Fortune 500 companies, startups, and nonprofits alike. Our expertise and breadth of services are rare in the industry: broadcast television, video production, live and virtual event production, and hospitality audiovisual services under one roof. Our clients see us as the ultimate Easy Button.

• Event Production: Our event team produces events for some of the country’s leading brands. Our services include strategic planning, theme development, set design, presentation development, speech coaching and full staging support.
• Video Production: Our video team produces hundreds of projects each year including spots, social media campaigns, broadcast TV programs, event videos, executive communications, training efforts and more.
• AV: Our audiovisual team manages on-site audiovisual services for Fortune 500 corporations, conference centers and hotels. We are the in-house production company for the Greater Columbus Convention Center, among others.

Tell us about your company’s mission and values

We are 350+ employees aligned around a company mission to craft and deliver experiences that deepen human connections and inspire people to care and act. Put another way, our mission is to become better storytellers.

Our values:

• Listen
• Make it easy
• Respond
• Pay attention to details
• Treat everyone with courtesy and respect
• Solve problems

What are the services you use the most (or are looking forward to using) from the Columbus Chamber?

As an extrovert and lifelong learner, I thoroughly enjoy meeting new people at networking events. The Clambake is a Columbus staple, and I haven’t missed one for the past several years. My role with Mills James allows me to tell the unique stories of growing businesses and nonprofits. This storytelling effort takes many shapes, from brand videos to meetings and events. Some of my proudest career moments come from connecting with new people and helping them along their journey. I look forward to continued networking with the Chamber, which lets me do just that.

How do you stay engaged with trends that you see in your industry?

At Mills James, staying ahead of trends isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. As a creative production company, we have to invest heavily in technology exploration, continuous learning, and strategic innovation partnerships to remain relevant. Our teams regularly attend industry conferences to stay immersed in the latest in content production, event design, and experiential marketing. Internally, we host “Innovation Labs”—cross-functional sessions that assess and refine emerging technologies such as virtual production, AI-enhanced workflows, and immersive experiences.  

With our clients, we hold “Megatrends” dinners to discuss their latest challenges, giving us a real-time pulse on evolving expectations. This feedback loop combined with our R&D investments and a company-wide culture of curiosity ensures we not only respond to trends but help lead those that are ready for primetime.

What is your company culture like?

Ownership thinking and caring collaboration are deeply woven into our DNA. Success in our industry requires high morale, extraordinary teamwork among specialists, and quick action. Our teams are empowered and expected to take total ownership of client needs without layers of and treat colleagues with complete respect every step of the way. Our founders’ best advice guides us today: the only way to create long-term relationships is to do great work and be enjoyable to work with on the journey. In turn, we celebrate our people for their efforts and loyalty. It’s common to find project leads who have been with Mills James for 10, 15, even 25+ years.

What does it take to be a successful employee at your company?

At Mills James, a successful employee is equal parts creative, collaborative, and client focused. We look for individuals who are naturally curious, thrive in fast-paced environments, and embrace both artistry and accountability. Whether you’re producing a broadcast spot, engineering a live event, or managing a client relationship, success here comes from owning your craft while understanding the bigger picture—how your work impacts the audience, the client, and the team. We value proactive problem-solvers who communicate well, take initiative, and adapt quickly to change. Just as important is a passion for storytelling and an instinct to elevate the work, not just meet expectations, but exceed them. Culturally, our best employees embody humility and hustle. They’re the ones who say “yes”, and raise their hands for new challenges, and believe that innovation happens when collaboration meets creativity.

What makes Columbus such a great place to do business?

Columbus, Ohio is more than a great place to do business, it’s a hotbed for growth, innovation, and most of all, collaboration (aka The Columbus Way), which is so important to our own company culture. As one of the fastest-growing cities in the Midwest, Columbus offers a rare blend of affordability, talent, and connectivity. The city’s diverse economic, government, nonprofit, and higher education base has given birth to a breakthrough collaborative ecosystem where private sector and public sector ideas are forged by Midwestern values.

For Mills James, Columbus provides the perfect launchpad to serve regional and national clients. It’s a city where creativity thrives, relationships matter, and businesses like ours build for the future.

Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/millsjamesproductions/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mills-james-productions/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/millsjames_/
Website: https://www.millsjames.com/