Welcome to "Morgan Entrepreneur Spotlight," our monthly-ish showcase where we shine a light on Northeast Ohio's entrepreneurial superstars. Each feature delves into the journeys of individuals who have participated in our programs and are harnessing their learnings to fuel impressive growth and innovation.
Jason Loveless is the President of J. Patrick Audio + Video. Jason is a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) Cleveland. Jason also participated in the Burton D. Morgan Foundation-sponsored leadership retreat at Big Rock Valley in Cassopolis, Michigan, offered free of charge to qualified second stage entrepreneurs through Morgan’s partnership with the Edward Lowe Foundation.
About Your Business
Please tell us a little about your business.
“J.Patrick Audio + Video provides residential and commercial audio, video, data, security, lighting control, networking, automation, conference room, digital signage, and home theater solutions. I started the company in 2008 with a primary focus on residential audio and video, and we have since expanded considerably into commercial spaces. What makes us unique is our one-stop-shop approach. Instead of requiring customers to coordinate separate companies for audio, televisions, networks, security, and control, our team can design, install, and support the entire system. Very few companies in our region offer the full range of services we provide.”
How have the growth programs you’ve participated in influenced your business or leadership approach? What were your key takeaways?
“I returned from the retreat at Big Rock Valley reinvigorated and ready to step outside our comfort zone, pursue new opportunities, and focus more intentionally on J.Patrick's growth. The facilitators' entrepreneurial journeys were inspiring, and I immediately began putting several ideas into action. EO has also had a major impact on both my business and personal life. Being in a true peer-to-peer environment with business owners from different backgrounds has shown me that these programs do not simply grow a business — they grow the entrepreneur, who can then lead the business more effectively. My biggest takeaways were the importance of trusted relationships, candid conversations, time away from daily operations, and continued personal growth.”
Tell us about any growth, milestones, or key wins you’ve experienced since participating in a Foundation-supported program.
“The Foundation-supported retreat was only about a month ago, so the long-term results are still developing. The early wins have been renewed energy, several new ideas already being implemented, and our strongest proposal pipeline in roughly six months. Over the broader period of my involvement with EO, one of our most important investments was hiring Hayley as my executive assistant. Her support has added structure, accountability, and capacity to the business. The relationships and experiences gained through EO have also helped me grow as a leader and approach the company with a wider perspective.”
What has been your biggest challenge in growing your business, and how did you navigate it?
“The biggest challenge has always been finding the right people. This work cannot be done alone, but simply adding more employees is not the answer. I would rather operate a purposefully small, profitable company than add bodies just to fill openings. I have navigated the challenge by being patient and selective, investing in the people who fit our standards and culture, and continuing to clarify roles, expectations, and accountability. We may still need two or three additional people, but finding the right people is more important than hiring quickly.”
What are one to three goals you hope to achieve in the next twelve months?
“My goals over the next year are to:
1. Build stronger partnerships with builders, vendors, and customers that can create new project opportunities.
2. Expand our customer base beyond referrals from existing clients and develop a more consistent path for new business.
3. Continue growing J.Patrick while developing and testing a separate, scalable business concept that could eventually be built to sell.”
Insights & Impact
How do you define success — for yourself or your business?
“I define success in several ways. Financially, it means being able to care for my family, give our children the tools they need, and create meaningful experiences together. As an employer, success means leaving the people who work with me better off than when they arrived. I want our employees to feel supported, enjoy coming to work, and do their jobs because they take pride in them—not because they are operating from fear. If my family is secure, our customers are well served, and our team is growing personally and professionally, that is success.
What motivates you to keep going when things get tough?
“I am naturally a problem solver. I enjoy being told that something cannot be done or that there is a difficult problem, because I believe there is almost always a solution. I try to teach our team not to bring a problem without first thinking through a possible answer: tell me what happened, then tell me how you plan to fix it. When mistakes happen, I focus on taking responsibility, protecting the customer relationship, and moving quickly toward a solution rather than spending energy blaming people. Solving hard problems and helping others develop that same mindset keeps me motivated.”
Who has been an important mentor, partner, or supporter in your journey?
“My wife, Melanie, has been my most consistent supporter and has given me the freedom and encouragement to pursue opportunities. I have also been fortunate to learn from customers and mentors such as John Morikis and Ralph Razinger. John, in particular, has offered thoughtful perspective over many years—not by telling me what to do, but by asking questions, sharing insight, and checking in on both the business and my family. More broadly, I try to surround myself with people I respect, learn as much as I can from them, and pass those lessons on to others.”
How does your business contribute to your community or industry?
“I believe our most meaningful community impact begins with how we treat the people around us every day. When our employees have a positive workplace, meaningful opportunities, and support from the company, that impact follows them home and into their own communities. We have helped team members participate in mission trips by giving them the time and financial support to go, allowing one person's opportunity to positively affect hundreds of others. We also contribute by doing dependable work, standing behind it, and creating long-term relationships with customers and partners. To me, that daily ripple effect matters more than a one-time sponsorship done simply for recognition.”
What advice would you offer to entrepreneurs just getting started?
“Understand that growth will take longer than you expect and that you probably will not make the money you imagine at the beginning. Choose something you genuinely enjoy, because you will work extremely hard and the commitment will be easier to sustain if the work matters to you. Go into it fully committed, be prepared for the possibility of failure, and reinvest in the business instead of pulling out too much too soon. You should be careful not to sacrifice everything, but you also have to want it, remain patient, and keep showing up long after the excitement of starting has worn off.”
Personal Reflections
What role does innovation or creativity play in your business?
“Creativity drives our business more than traditional innovation. We are not inventing the technology itself; we are finding better ways to design, execute, and support it. Every home or business presents different goals, constraints, and problems, so we have to listen carefully and creatively combine existing technologies into a solution that works for that customer. Our creativity shows up in the way we solve problems, improve the customer experience, and operate more effectively.”
What book, quote, or resource has most inspired you?
“One of my favorite books is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Its message about personal journeys and the different ways we measure success stayed with me. A quote I also return to is, “The loudest one in the room is the weakest one in the room.” It reminds me that real confidence does not need to be flashy and that staying humble is incredibly important, regardless of how much success you achieve.”
What legacy or long-term impact do you hope to build through your entrepreneurial work?
“I would eventually like to speak with young people—especially in the community where I grew up—about the choices available to them and what entrepreneurship can look like. I dropped out of high school and took a nontraditional path, but I had an entrepreneurial instinct from an early age. I hope sharing that path can help someone see more possibilities for their own life. Personally, I want my children and wife to be secure, and I want the people who have worked with me to be better off because of our time together. If I can accomplish those things and then use my experience to help the next generation, that would be a legacy I am proud of.”
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
“EO has often felt like a true support group for entrepreneurs—a place where people can be honest about pressures that even their families may not fully understand. The Edward Lowe Foundation and Burton D. Morgan Foundation create that same kind of valuable space. Entrepreneurs should take advantage of these resources and relationships whenever they can. They may not directly hand you business growth, but they can help you grow as a person and leader, which ultimately helps the business grow.”
To learn more about Morgan Foundation sponsored programs and opportunities for second stage ventures, contact Michal Marcus.
If you have participated in Morgan Foundation sponsored programs and are interested in being featured in the Spotlight, contact Gina Dotson.