Starring Joelle turns 5

This month, Starring Joelle turns 5! It still feels a bit surreal that I’ve been working on my dreams for this long. What an incredible milestone. This milestone really got me thinking: what do I want for the next five years? What will stay the same, and what will change?

5 years ago

Five years ago, I walked into the Chamber of Commerce to make it official. I wanted to start my own business: Starring Joelle! A great name for a self-employed entrepreneur.

I chose the name Starring Joelle back then for several reasons:

1. It had a nice ring to it;

2. It included my first name (which won’t change, even if I get married);

3. It had a cinematic feel to it;

4. And I think stars are one of the most beautiful parts of God’s creation.

I even had a few projects lined up already—shout-out to Huis van Belle and Talevision! And in the past five years, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with even more amazing companies.

the present

And now? Over the past year, I really ran into myself—what did I truly want with Starring Joelle?

You only need to talk to me once in real life to know I have a huge passion for stories. I love coming up with them, writing them, and bringing them to life. Not just for (comic) books—like “Mama, ik wil naar de Sterren”—but also for films, games, theater, and music.

All of these elements are part of a bigger vision I have for my company. And not just any stories—I want to tell stories that lead people to God. People who don’t know Him yet, and who feel stuck where they are.

And what am I doing right now? At the moment, I’m more of a freelancer. I work hard to find commissions, and while I do love working on new collaborations, my heart isn’t fully in it. So why am I moving in this direction? Because publishing your own stories—under your own name—costs money.

Another issue I kept bumping into was my business name: Starring Joelle. As an artist name or freelancer, it works perfectly. But it doesn’t quite fit if I want to follow my deeper mission and vision.

the name "Starring Joelle"

If I want to proclaim Jesus to people who don’t know Him, is it wise to put my name in the spotlight? Opinions on this will differ, but for me, it didn’t feel right. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with putting my name on something to show I created/wrote it (after all, none of the books in the Bible are titled “Jesus” or “God”).

Besides, I can still create a book on my own—but films, games, theater, music? I can’t make those alone. And I don’t want it to be all about me and my contribution when I collaborate with others.

The future

So, does that mean Starring Joelle will come to an end? Once again, no—but I have added an extra trade name! I’m excited to introduce:

From Starring Studios, I want to publish all future original media, build a team, and grow.

Because what I REALLY want is this:

🌈 I want to inspire and challenge people to take steps toward positive change—to follow their dreams, reach their goals, and go on an adventure.

✍🏽✝️ I want to do this by sharing stories that reflect Jesus Christ and Biblical principles, aimed at people who don’t know Him yet and feel stuck in their current situation.

🎶🎥📖 This will take shape through various art forms, with imperfect characters at the center—think (comic) books, film, music, theater, and games.

Why stories? In His time, Jesus was surrounded by people eager to hear what He had to say. And to share His message, He told stories. A powerful story moves people—it makes them think. That’s exactly what those who don’t know Him yet need.

You can read more about this in Mark 4:10–12. And while you’re at it, go ahead and read the whole chapter 😉.

What will happen to Starring Joelle?

Starring Joelle will continue to be my freelance name. Although even there, I’ll be focusing more on stories and custom illustration projects. There’s a fresh update on my website where I explain everything in more detail and have refined my services. Be sure to check out the “Commissions” page for more information.

I’m really looking forward to what’s ahead—there’s a lot more in the works! I’ll be sharing more about that soon.

But for now, to celebrate Starring Joelle ’s 5-year anniversary, I’m offering 10% off all prints in my webshop this month! So feel free to take a look. Starting in July, I’ll be launching a new collection, and current prices will be going up.

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Are you interested in collaborating with Starring Joelle? Get in contact by mailing me: info@starringjoelle.com or fill in the contactform.