Eight Months Pregnant with a Business About to be Born

Here’s me back in 1992. I was eight months pregnant, and in the process of giving birth to a brand-new business.

(Yes, that belly grew even bigger. No, I wasn’t pregnant with twins. 9 pounds, 2 ounces. A boy!)

A Brand New Business, and No Brand

Life was beginning in more ways than one. Up until that point in my career I worked in a design studio. Right around the time this photo was taken, I decided to start my own business so I could work from my home and be active in the day-to-day life of my child. When my daughter was born two years later, I knew I’d made the right decision.

I had no brand in those early days. I designed a logo for myself, and went about promoting my services in the local community. My business grew, slowly but surely.

Figuring It Out as You Go

It wasn’t easy. You see, I went to art school, but I didn’t study design. I majored in illustration. As my senior year of college approached, it began to dawn on me that I wouldn’t be able to make a living as a professional illustrator. The work wasn’t steady, and it was extremely difficult to break into the competitive field and find success.

I always liked graphic design, so I rearranged my schedule and fit two design courses in before I graduated. Everything I have learned since then has been through studying on my own, and applying what I’ve learned to real-life marketing challenges.

I Learned It, and So Can You

I relocated to Miami, Florida, and after meeting with 16 different people for interviews, I managed to convince the owner of a small design studio that a young illustration student with a portfolio that was heavy on drawings and light on design was the perfect person to come in as a junior designer on her staff. She saw potential, and gave me a chance to learn on the job.

Five years passed. I learned a tremendous amount at that first job. I absorbed knowledge from the more experienced design and marketing experts I worked with. I read obsessively, always afraid that someone would figure out I wasn’t “really” a designer.

It Paid Off

Personal insecurities about my ability led me to read and absorb as much design and marketing knowledge as I could get my hands on. That habit has continued through the years, and my clients have benefited from everything I’ve learned. I’ve applied my knowledge to real projects on the web and in print, and I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t.

My work has won awards, and I have no problem getting design and marketing projects now. Most importantly, my design work and marketing materials have helped to sell events, products and services. My designs have caused theaters to be filled, event tickets to get sold out, products to fly off shelves and people to request information online. I love to see my marketing make people take action.

I Figured It Out, and I Want to Teach You

All that obsessive studying made me good at what I do. I taught myself, and now I’d like to teach you the things that really matter when designing effective marketing materials. I’ll teach you the secrets to doing things the easy way (that I had to learn the hard way!)

Once you know the basics of good design and marketing, you can apply that knowledge to your own business. You can make marketing materials that look great, and work well, and the Big Brand System online course will show you how.

If you want to be sure to get in when enrollment starts, please be sure to get your name on the Early Notification List. You’ll find out first when the course is open, and you’ll get a healthy discount. Everyone who joins the course now will become a Charter Member, and will get ongoing access to the course materials, forum and templates.

The Early Notification List will close tomorrow, July 16, so sign up today.

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