Owner & Lead Photographer at Juan Zambrano Photography LLC (2015-06 – Present)
Full-service photography business serving corporate clients, brands, nonprofits, and individuals across the Charlotte/Lake Norman region.
- Plan and execute professional photography productions for corporate events, brand marketing campaigns, business openings, nonprofit galas, weddings, senior portraits, and milestone events, managing all logistics from pre-shoot planning through final delivery.
- Direct on-location and studio shoots, selecting and operating professional camera systems, lighting setups, and backdrops to produce images that meet brand standards and client objectives.
- Deliver polished final images using Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, applying advanced retouching, color grading, and compositing techniques.
- Grew the business organically by building and maintaining a professional website, implementing SEO strategies, and developing a multi-platform social media presence that consistently generates new inquiries and retains repeat clients.
- Track campaign performance using analytics tools to measure engagement, audience growth, and conversion, using data to refine content strategy and digital outreach.
- Manage all business operations independently: client communications, contract negotiation, scheduling, invoicing, and equipment maintenance.
Owner & Video Producer at JZ Digital Productions (2024-06 – Present)
End-to-end video production company specializing in corporate content, brand films, event coverage, and social media campaigns.
- Lead all phases of video production, from concept development, scripting, and storyboarding through filming, directing, editing, color grading, and final post-production delivery.
- Own end-to-end production logistics for photography projects, coordinating planning, shoot execution, and final delivery across corporate, brand, nonprofit, and event work.
- Produce high-quality corporate videos, brand films, promotional content, training videos, and event highlight reels that align with each client's vision, voice, and marketing objectives.
- Create platform-optimized social media video content for Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn, applying current best practices for format, length, captioning, and engagement hooks.
- Research and apply industry-relevant keywords, hashtags, and posting schedules to maximize organic reach and audience engagement for client content.
- Manage production timelines, budgets, and vendor coordination to deliver projects on time and within scope, maintaining consistent quality across all deliverables.
- Advise clients on content strategy, helping them identify storytelling opportunities that strengthen brand recognition and drive audience action.
- Run day-to-day business operations independently, including client communication, contract handling, scheduling, invoicing, and equipment upkeep.
AutoCAD Technician Assistant at Survey & Mapping Control (2019-02 – 2024-04)
- Created, edited, and reviewed detailed 2D technical drawings and survey plats used by city engineers for infrastructure improvements to drainage and sewer systems.
- Collaborated with field crews and engineering teams to ensure accuracy and timely completion of project deliverables; conducted thorough quality reviews before all client submissions.
Sr. Operations / Department Manager at International Paper (2014-04 – 2015-05)
High-volume corrugated packaging plant with ~110 associates across two production shifts.
- Directed day-to-day production operations across multiple converting lines, coordinating machine operators, assistant operators, and support staff to meet demanding output schedules while maintaining quality standards.
- Develop and mentor production teams across multiple shifts, sustaining zero department turnover through coaching, recognition, and accountability.
- Drove continuous process improvement initiatives that increased line throughput; including optimizing machine settings to raise production speeds from 550 ft/min to 650 ft/min.
- Reported equipment malfunctions promptly and coordinated maintenance response to minimize unplanned downtime and protect production throughput.
- Maintained all required production documentation; reports, downtime logs, quality records, with accuracy and on schedule.
- Participated in annual ISO 9001 Audit, General Management, safety, and environmental audits, contributing to sustained certification and compliance.
- Built strong cross-functional relationships with maintenance, quality control, and logistics teams to resolve issues quickly and keep operations aligned.
Sr. Operations / Department Manager at International Paper (2002-05 – 2014-04)
Supervised corrugated converting operations for 12 years, leading diverse teams through all production processes and consistently delivering on quality, efficiency, and safety targets.
- Launch Kaizen and 5S initiatives that reduced changeover time by 40–50 minutes per shift and generated tens of thousands of dollars in annual savings.
- Identified and resolved a critical equipment failure that saved the company $40,000; restructured product mix strategy to reduce monthly waste costs by $15,000–$20,000.
- Managed all aspects of department personnel: recruiting, onboarding, scheduling, performance evaluations, coaching, conflict resolution, and corrective action.
- Oversaw adherence to production schedules; monitored daily workflow and reallocated resources proactively to eliminate bottlenecks and ensure on-time order completion.
- Led monthly training and safety compliance programs for all production staff; enforced lockout/tagout, machine guarding, and OSHA-aligned safety protocols.
- Confirmed material availability and readiness for each production order; managed inbound trailer flow to receiving docks to prevent supply disruptions to the production floor.
- Managed department budgets, inventory, raw materials ordering, and work scheduling using SAP; consistently met financial targets through disciplined expense control.
- Completed accident and injury investigations, prepared reports, and implemented corrective actions to continuously improve the plant's safety record.
- Contributed to ISO 9001 certification by maintaining production quality documentation and participating in annual operational and environmental audits.
Technical Support Specialist at Microsoft (2001 – 2002)
- Provided technical assistance to end-users with issues pertaining to e-mail settings and internet connectivity.
- Assisted with new hire training.
- Consistently received high scores on quality assurance reviews.
- Served as back-up for supervisors.
Technical Support Engineer at Convergys Corporation (2000 – 2001)
- Provided technical assistance and resolved problems with high-speed data, which involved local distribution network issues, basic modem troubleshooting, and software configuration.
Electronics Technician at Manufacturer's Services Inc. (2000 – 2001)
- Repaired modems and Palm Pilots for quality assurance testing when they were rejected from the assembly line.
- Kept records of devices repaired as well as total losses and malfunctioning components to identify patterns and possible problems in the assembly process.
