I got my first graphic design job in 1998, the summer after my junior year of high school. I went on to be a yearbook editor, major in media art, design for ad agencies and creative direct for a print house. But a few years ago, I started to question whether design was really for me.
I just wasn’t all that happy doing the work. So when I started my own business, I forced myself out of being a graphic designer…
I changed my LinkedIn profile.
I took all the design offerings out of my programs.
I sent out an email to everyone I know announcing my new biz.
I was so happy to tell the whole world what I was up to. I announced it all over the place – on Facebook, Twitter, in workshop forums. I had new programs that were 100% coaching. It felt amazing. I felt free! I didn’t have to do this thing that felt draining.
Since I had decided to ditch what I had been doing for the last 14 years of my life, I embarked on a “find my purpose and passion journey.” Much to my frustration, design kept popping back up for me…
In journalling for workshops I was doing.
In my obsession with pretty things.
All over the life story I wrote out to see what skills, interestes, and experience I had to draw from.
In client and friend reactions to my ditching design – “Congrats! Awe, are you sure? You’re so good at it!”
I tried my hardest to push it all away, but it was a part of me. So I took a look at what had really been making me unhappy. And I realized, it wasn’t the design! It was that my work wasn’t always helping people.
I saw the jobs I enjoyed most were for the clients who used nicely designed materials as well thought out tools to further their message. The rest of the clients meant well but hadn’t fully hit on their message yet. Which also meant, they were kind of a nightmare to work with because they had no idea what they wanted and were never happy with the end result.
There it was:
The prettiest designs in the world can’t help us if we don’t know what we’re trying to do! And the best designer in the world can’t make us the thing that perfectly represents us if we don’t know what we’re trying to represent.
So, with my new understanding and renewed love for design, I’ve put together a program that combines getting super clear on what your biz is all about, the experience you want to create for your clients AND a kick-ass web suite to match.
Introducing Jumpstart! (Check it out!)
