The beginning
I struggled to nail down a major that would satisfy both the creative and the business, analytic sides of my brain; until I found graphic design. My art teacher in high school told my about a career where I could use computers to create logos, fliers, billboards, and packaging. And I was hooked. I took every PhotoShop class my school offered and then got accepted into the art program at Grand Valley State University. Once accepted, I went through rigorous "foundation year" where we were expected to become proficient in drawing, painting, color-theory, and 3-D design. At the end of the year we could then apply to our focus which was an intense review process; only 18 were to be accepted each year for the graphic design emphasis. One review down, I would then have two more reviews, where at any point we could be ejected from the program or be forced to re-take classes. With a huge sigh of relief, I was able to not only graduate from the design program, but the Frederick Meijer Honors College as well. (Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking) While I had side clients here and there throughout college, it was now time to jump into the real world.
Playing in the big leagues
Once I graduated college, I worked as an in-house designer for a medical manufacturer. I'd later move on to agency life. Then corporate life, where I felt like one could gain a decade worth of experience in 2 years. Trade show booths, billboards, email marketing, social media, mailers: these were all my responsibility. And while I love the thrill of playing in the big leagues, my heart always belonged to the local, small businesses. I grew up watching my parents run their business, and knew those were the types of people I wanted to help. The "little" guy whose work has the scale and detail of a crew twice the size. The basement businesses whose products and services look like they come from corporate skyscrapers. Shouldn't their branding and design match the heart, soul, and blood that is poured into their ventures? Shouldn't the level of detail of the carefully crafted product be the same in the visual representation? My goal became taking the skills and experience of working at the corporate level and provide it to the heart and soul of our economy: small business owners.
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