Meet Gili Wolf of Bigbad Industries in Louisville

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gili Wolf.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Gili. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
This story dates pretty far back. My penchant for art reared its head early: according to my mother I first picked up a marker and started drawing at the age of two. At five, I announced that I would be an artist when I grew up. Then I decided that being an artist wasn’t practical, so, I then decided I would be a dancer…because somehow in my childhood head THAT was a solid career path. I went on to pursue dance with a pretty singular focus for 15 years, but it’s hard to say which was really my first love because art always lingered in the back of my mind.

I loved dance, but it always felt unrequited. I often felt I couldn’t keep up because no matter how much I did all the crazy things dancers do to achieve “perfection,” I never had the perfect “ballet body,” and I was often reminded of that. No matter how many hours a week I was in the studio, there things I would never be able to change. I started to burn out, and there came a point when I decided I didn’t want to be judged anymore on physical characteristics I couldn’t control. I wanted to be seen for what I could create, not for whether or not my bone structure was up to snuff. So I turned back to the thing that had been with me all along — art.

True to my original declaration at five, I did end up in art school. I studied art in college and continued on to receive an MFA. And because I’m (somewhat) practical, I became certified in graphic design and found that art and design were a good mix. Art school taught me to think and speak critically about my ideas. Design taught me to use them in the real world to help others communicate.

I have now worked as a graphic designer for nearly 20 years. I worked in-house for the early part of my career, and have been an independent designer for almost 12. Two years ago I joined forces with another designer, Heidi Yarger of Spitfiregirl Design, to start a second business called Your Digital Stylist. Together we’re offering a different model of services. At the same time, I’m pivoting my own business to integrate more of my own artistic vision into my work as a designer. The artist in me has been kicking and screaming for awhile now to show up, so I see this next phase of my career as integrating these parts of my experience and making work that reveals who I really am as a creative.

Has it been a smooth road?
I saw an old friend recently, sand in our catching up he said to me, “Self-employed. You’re living the dream!” My answer to that was, “That depends on how you define ‘the dream.'”

I went into self-employment without a clue about what I was doing. And maybe that’s a blessing, because if I did know, I might not have done it. I graduated with an MFA in 2000, and had a couple years of design experience under my belt, all ready to go out into the world and get an *awesome* design job. However, that was also the year of the dot com crash, and seemingly overnight, all of the design positions vanished. Companies were closing, laying people off and pairing down, and marketing departments were the first to go. It was a rocky start. I think a lot of Millenials could relate to entering the job market when the job market is down, and it was the same situation 20 years ago. It was challenging to find a design job at all, and when I did, it was far from ideal, and the pay wasn’t great. I hopped around for a few years until I landed in a good position at a non-profit where I stayed for a few years.

In 2007 I left my job to become a freelance designer, and then…another recession hit. I was trying to drum up business but was naive about what that actually required to be sustainable. It was challenging and at times very discouraging. But the circumstances led me to do some things I probably would never have thought to do otherwise: I went to sales training, I became an avid networker, I got a lot savvier about how to talk with potential clients, and through it all I learned a lot of valuable skills that continue to serve me.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I’ve focused on branding and marketing, which means logo development, marketing materials, packaging, trade show and vehicle graphics, books, infographics, etc. etc. If you can print it or post it, I’ve probably done it. I’ve worked with a lot of different industries, but the ones I know really really well are Jewish and non-profit organizations and wellness businesses — nutritionists, chiropractors, personal trainers, physical therapists, acupuncturists, and massage therapists. I’ve branded so many massage therapists! I’ve spent a lot of time dealing with my own health, so I’ve gotten to know that world and the practitioners, and I love them. Wellness professionals and non-profits are helpers, and I enjoy working with people who want to help others, it feels meaningful. With my other business, Your Digital Stylist, we focus on branding for wedding industry professionals, which means we get to look at and create a lot of pretty things.

As this point I’m trying to define and evangelize my own style more, so that when someone comes to me with a creative problem, they’re coming to ME specifically because they want what I do. I’m in the midst of building a new website and thinking about how to effectively blur the line between art and design while putting my own ethos and aesthetic front and center. As I integrate my art into my design more, I think that will define my work and set me apart.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I do. This is one of the fastest growing cities in the country and there’s a lot of opportunity here. There are a lot of start-ups and small businesses popping up, as well as some big companies. They all need creatives.The demographics of Denver and Boulder are also very young and well-educated, so there is a lot of innovation, energy and a willingness to try new things.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bigbadindustries.com
• Email: gili@bigbadindustries.com

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