By: Grace Maguire

Herb Palmer Jr. is a man that has worn many hats in his time. From author, vlogger, marketer, to producer, Palmer Jr. has created a name for himself in more ways than one. While the journey of becoming the man he is today was not set in stone, he couldn’t be more proud of what he has accomplished within himself and the state of New Jersey. 

Starting back in 2007, Palmer Jr. wrote the self-exploration book, The Lobster and The Chicken. The book was the first step in his journey of success as the book covered topics of one’s spiritual journey and pathway to becoming their best selves. One of the main characters, The Lobster, is based on himself and his ideas at the time, “I literally had the visual of myself being boiled in a lobster pot, I’m a lobster,” while the other characters were friends he met along the way. Writing this book encouraged Palmer Jr. to deep dive into the world of creation and marketing. To get the book off the ground, he needed to find a way to market it and get it in the eyes of his audience. That is where the idea of creating a YouTube channel for himself and his brand was born. 

Sticking with his brand of being The Lobster, Palmer Jr. made the YouTube Channel, Lobster Lab Media. His goal was to create a platform to raise awareness of his book and his goals while also helping other small businesses and entrepreneurs market their products. His page is full of educational videos about landmarks in New Jersey, marketing tips and tricks, and even read-throughs of his book. He has created videos showing off towns such as Montville, Morristown, Rockaway, and Parsippany. Palmer Jr. stated his motivation for such videos is “For educating people and letting them see the area,” He wants people from anywhere to see the beauty of New Jersey and its sites. 

Palmer Jr.’s newest video added another destination to his list, Cedar Lake. This video took place within a beautiful lake house on the market, where he talks about the area, the community, and the land. As he was recording, Palmer Jr. happened to stumble upon a locked briefcase on the trail around the home. While this wasn’t his first vision for the video, the story behind the briefcase is what stole the story. “I’m an optimist. Maybe it is full of dog poo, but maybe it is full of silver, or gold, or old comic books,” This simple briefcase opened up an array of inspiration that Palmer Jr. likes to spread to his audience. “Take the opportunities when they show up,” The creator added. In the end, the briefcase was filled with old shingles. However, Palmer Jr. liked to think that this was just another amazing opportunity to never pass up on your journey to success. He loves the chance to show off the state he loves and show people outside of it the wonders it can bring to them. 

Palmer Jr. hopes to create more videos, such as his new Cedar Lake video, to help continue showcasing New Jersey’s wonders. With these videos, he looks to connect with local businesses, realtors, and creators to help them grow in the field and become the best versions of themselves. He wants to touch on more places within Denville, such as Rainbow Lake and Main Street. He has many new ideas and doors to explore following his new video for Cedar Lake. 

Palmer Jr. has been on a 30-year personal journey, and each day is still another lesson to learn and another success to reach. “Success for me is when you get up in the morning and look back into the mirror and you really, at a core soul level, like the person looking back, you’re successful,” In the end, Palmer Jr. truly wants to see the people within his community and himself grow and succeed in the field. While on the road to success, “Do the inner soul work, do the hard work, do the stuff you don’t want to face,” Palmer Jr. preached. To find Palmer Jr.’s videos and book, he can be located at Lobster Lab Media on YouTube.