The Latics manager had to fight tooth and nail to bring new signings to the club over the summer, and by his own admission, missed out on a number of targets.
He was continually fighting against the perception that Wigan were odds-on to go straight back down when trying to attract players to the JJB Stadium.
But with a healthy 13 points already on the board and Latics currently sitting eighth in the Premiership, the tide might be turning in their favour.
Jewell told the Evening Post: "The profile of the club has been raised this season and that is very important.
"The only way to change people's perceptions of Wigan is by winning matches and we have started to do that.
"Henri Camara admitted last week that some of his friends thought he was mad to come here in the summer.
"It's a hurdle we have to get over because a lot of established Premiership players didn't want to come here because they thought we would go straight back down.
"But we're not sat here with 13 points thinking we are going to do this or do that – we're remaining focused on the 31 league games ahead. The more of those we win, the better chance players will want to join us, and if we can we will try and improve the squad further in January."
The recent good run of four wins and a draw in five games hasn't seen Jewell popping the champagne corks, with him insisting that avoiding relegation remains their one and only target.
"Of course 13 points after seven games is very pleasing, and I'm sure most teams in the league outside of Chelsea might have taken that," he said.
"Two points a game over the season wins you the title, but I'm not saying we're going to do that!
"After taking no points from the first six on offer, to bounce back as we have done shows great character.
"But I want to be judged and the players need to be judged at the end of the season, not just after seven games.
"If we stay up it will be a major achievement and that has been our objective from day one – it still is.
"Were someone to tell me now we'd get 40 points, I'd go away golfing and take my chance because I think that will be good enough.
"But we're not setting 40 point targets or anything like that, our only target at the moment is the three points on offer when Newcastle play here a week on Saturday."
On the international front, Jewell has said he won't interfere in the decision on whether Lee McCulloch is fit to play for Scotland against Belarus this weekend.
The midfielder continues to be bothered by a medial ligament injury which requires pain-killing injections before games. But Jewell was happy enough to release McCulloch to join the Scottish party earlier in the week and leave the decision up to Scotland coach Walter Smith and his medical team.
He's spoken with Smith on the subject and it's believed the club are content for him to play with the aid of an injection.
Six other players are away with their countries at the moment, Graham Kavanagh and David Connolly looking forward to the Republic of Ireland's World Cup qualifiers against Cyprus and Switzerland.
Both are in contention for a starting role.
Kavanagh is a possible replacement for the injured Roy Keane, while Connolly is an option up front with Clinton Morrison suspended.
He was continually fighting against the perception that Wigan were odds-on to go straight back down when trying to attract players to the JJB Stadium.
But with a healthy 13 points already on the board and Latics currently sitting eighth in the Premiership, the tide might be turning in their favour.
Jewell told the Evening Post: "The profile of the club has been raised this season and that is very important.
"The only way to change people's perceptions of Wigan is by winning matches and we have started to do that.
"Henri Camara admitted last week that some of his friends thought he was mad to come here in the summer.
"It's a hurdle we have to get over because a lot of established Premiership players didn't want to come here because they thought we would go straight back down.
"But we're not sat here with 13 points thinking we are going to do this or do that – we're remaining focused on the 31 league games ahead. The more of those we win, the better chance players will want to join us, and if we can we will try and improve the squad further in January."
The recent good run of four wins and a draw in five games hasn't seen Jewell popping the champagne corks, with him insisting that avoiding relegation remains their one and only target.
"Of course 13 points after seven games is very pleasing, and I'm sure most teams in the league outside of Chelsea might have taken that," he said.
"Two points a game over the season wins you the title, but I'm not saying we're going to do that!
"After taking no points from the first six on offer, to bounce back as we have done shows great character.
"But I want to be judged and the players need to be judged at the end of the season, not just after seven games.
"If we stay up it will be a major achievement and that has been our objective from day one – it still is.
"Were someone to tell me now we'd get 40 points, I'd go away golfing and take my chance because I think that will be good enough.
"But we're not setting 40 point targets or anything like that, our only target at the moment is the three points on offer when Newcastle play here a week on Saturday."
On the international front, Jewell has said he won't interfere in the decision on whether Lee McCulloch is fit to play for Scotland against Belarus this weekend.
The midfielder continues to be bothered by a medial ligament injury which requires pain-killing injections before games. But Jewell was happy enough to release McCulloch to join the Scottish party earlier in the week and leave the decision up to Scotland coach Walter Smith and his medical team.
He's spoken with Smith on the subject and it's believed the club are content for him to play with the aid of an injection.
Six other players are away with their countries at the moment, Graham Kavanagh and David Connolly looking forward to the Republic of Ireland's World Cup qualifiers against Cyprus and Switzerland.
Both are in contention for a starting role.
Kavanagh is a possible replacement for the injured Roy Keane, while Connolly is an option up front with Clinton Morrison suspended.