Could you tell us about yourself? Where are you from, what do you do, etc.?
I from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. I teach at a local private school and also coach the varsity basketball teams. My wife and I are expecting our second son in late November this year and couldn’t be more excited. Nothing in life compares to parenthood!
How did your design journey begin?
I had never seen myself as a “creative” before, but in 2011 my life took a direction I never anticipated. I had just finished college with my BA in Church Ministry when I was offered a job as a youth pastor. It was there in that little church I found a huge need for quality design. The organization was “lacking” to say the least. I thought to myself I could do better than this using Microsoft Paint. And so I did just that! And over the course of the next 6 years I taught myself how to use the entire Adobe Suite Package and started my own side-hustle as a freelance designer. The biggest need I saw as a new found “creative” was the need for more design tools, and that’s what’s led me to create fonts.
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Where do you usually find your inspiration?
Inspiration can be your greatest asset as a designer, or lack-thereof your greatest nemesis. I find myself being inspired most when I’m not looking for inspiration – at a restaurant reading a menu, looking at the toy aisle with my son, scrolling through social media. It’s when I sit down behind my computer with a blank canvas in front of me that I struggle. Life should be our inspiration. Instead of fabricating it just let it come naturally to you.
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Any favorite design references that you can share that might be helpful for other designers as well?
A huge tool in getting me started was the app “Over.” I still used it regularly for a quick and flashy design for social media. Also the website Unsplash.com has incredible free stock images. I also love finding social media groups to chat with or draw inspiration from (ie. @CRTVCHURCH, @SundaySocial.tv, @Socality).
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What are the most common design problems that you face?
Managing time as a designer has always been a huge struggle for me. The design world is so far and wide that you can get lost in its vastness. I have to be diligent to not rabbit-trail too much when designing. One YouTube video turns into thirty very quickly.
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Final question, do you have any advice or tips for anyone starting to sell their designs?
The best advice I could give a new seller is don’t be disheartened by lack-of-sales. Just determine to be consistent. Set a timeline for how often you offer a new product and don’t waver. This will keep you in practice and purchasers will see you have an ever-expanding portfolio of products. Don’t focus on sales; focus on consistency. It’ll keep you motivated, and motivated designers move the world.
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