Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Stillman.
Dana, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Yes, hello! I’m a graphic designer and passionate about anything that’s well designed. I’m fascinated by how design can tell a story, impact emotion, or motivate action. I find a lot of beauty in life’s details.
In 1999, I had just returned to the U.S. after teaching English in Seoul, Korea and traveling throughout South East Asia. I started working in the marketing department of an architecture firm, where I developed a solid knowledge of design software, layout and design expertise, and an understanding of website development/coding.
I had gained some experience with freelance design work and considered moving to a freelance design career. But making the leap from employed to self-employed is daunting!
When the recession hit in 2008, the architecture firm began to downsize. I was pregnant with my second child at the time, and knowing my job was in jeopardy, it was time to make a change.
I eventually left the company but continued to work with them on a contract basis. I sought out people who were, at the time, starting their own businesses and needing identity – logos, websites, business cards, etc. By mid-2009, my freelance design career was well underway. And by the end of the year, I thought to myself, “Why don’t I take this freelance work to the next level and create an identity for myself?” So in January of 2010, I did just that. I created an identity package and launched Inspire Graphic Design.
Over the past 9+ years, I’ve been fortunate to partner with some amazing professionals in Boulder County and help a variety of small and mid-size businesses tell their story through design. It is incredibly rewarding to help people find an identity and voice that generates confidence in how they talk about what they have to offer.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I will say I’ve been VERY fortunate in my business to have always had a fairly consistent stream of work. But starting a business with very little business experience, eventually became limiting. After the first few years of feeling successful just because I actually had work, I started to yearn for more. I was frustrated with the “feast or famine” cycle. I would either have way more work than I could handle – which completely stressed me out, or not enough work to keep me at capacity – also stressing me out. Income growth felt stagnant.
It was then that I sought out some formal business training that really helped pull things together. I’ve always described starting my business as similar to taking a bag of marbles and dropping them onto your dining room table – the marbles eventually roll off the table, hit the floor, and settle into all corners of the room. With just a bit of business training and perspective, I was able to regain control and put all of those marbles back into their bag.
But really, owning and running a business is never really “smooth.” There are always bumps in the road or “opportunities for growth” as I like to say, and new problems to solve every day. It’s all part of the fun!
Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
The quick version: I design stuff that looks cool! But there is so much more that goes into it than that. I think that what I really do is to tell people’s stories through design.
As I have crafted on my website: Inspire Graphic Design specializes in brand identity design and development. Whether this is creating a new brand or maintaining an original brand, I work with small- to mid-sized businesses and organizations to create effective visual tools that not only represent who they are but also engage their audience. And the way I see it, creating this connection is really rooted in sharing their story – why they are passionate about what they do and how they solve people’s problems.
The nuts and bolts of what I do include logo, print, website, digital marketing, and even packaging design. I love to partner with high-level website developers, marketers, copywriters, and other professionals to make that story even more targeted and impactful.
As for what I’m known for, I would say I am known for my elegant design aesthetic as well as the intention I put behind my design work. I seek to capture the essence of my client’s expertise along with setting them apart from their competition. I incorporate marketing strategy principles in my design work to achieve a very intentional and effective end result. I think I am most proud of the results of the work I provide for a very diverse client base.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Aside from being good at what you do, I think in order to be successful you need to be adaptable, willing to learn from mistakes, easy to work with, and a problem solver. I truly believe my success comes from these four building blocks. But I have to admit, a little bit of luck and possibly good timing never hurts!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://inspiregraphicdesign.com
- Phone: 303.579.8971
- Email: [email protected]
tasty ripe green isolated pear
Image Credit:
Chloe Gordon
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