Entrepreneur. Educator. Mentor. Filmmaker. Philanthropist. These are all terms used to describe James “Jimi” Petulla, who has established himself over the past three decades as a mover and shaker in the entertainment industry. From his early days as a radio DJ, to writing and starring in the independent film Reversal (2001), to the founding of the Recording, Radio and Film Connection in the mid-1980s, and most recently with his role in the reality TV show The Connectors, Jimi has been redefining the parameters by which careers in entertainment are shaped—not only in the forming of his own career, but in mentoring others in the pursuit of their dreams.
Over the years, Jimi’s consistent passion, work ethic and no-nonsense approach to the industry have earned the respect of some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, particularly when it comes to his approach to mentoring and education. People like producers Tim Palmer and Warren Huart, film composer John Altman, and filmmakers Sherwood Jones and Matthew Pellowski (among others) have heartily endorsed the mentor-apprentice approach espoused by the Recording, Radio and Film Connection for training up new talent in the entertainment industry.
Recently, Jimi (along with colleague Brian Kraft) launched a new phase of his journey with The Connectors, a reality show in which Jimi and Brian search for deserving job mentoring candidates and scholarship them for 6 months of one-on-one instruction in the career field of their choice. The Connectors is a natural next step for Jimi as he and Brian move into a more active role of enabling people in the pursuit of their career dreams.
Beyond simply establishing his own career within the field of entertainment, Jimi has made a career out of helping others to get established in their own careers. Over the years, his work has helped launch literally hundreds of new filmmakers, audio engineers, music producers, screenwriters and radio broadcasters. His innovative methods have enabled many people to reach their dreams, and are destined to help many more in days to come.
That’s Jimi Petulla.