Today we’d like to introduce you to Erica Jennings.
Erica, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve been in the design industry since 2003, mostly working in publishing. After working for a trade publication for a few years I was ready for something new, so I took on a production coordinator job for SUCCESS Magazine in 2008. This required me to listen to personal development audio and video, and to set up interviews with leading personal development experts for our publisher. So I was exposed to the likes of Jim Rohn, Napoleon Hill, Tony Robbins, Seth Godin, Dr. Oz, Tom Peters, Stephen Covey, day in and day out. As I started listening to these experts going into 2009, there was a lot of talk of the recession being the best time to start a business. I remember listening to an older clip of Jim Rohn, where he says, “Why not you? Why not now?” And that was it! I was doing freelance graphic design on the side at the time and I had one client to my name. I turned in my notice in February of 2009. It’s something I look back at now and think, “Wow, that was probably really stupid,” but at the same time, I never had any thought that I could fail. I knew what I had to do, and I knew I was capable of it. I also knew that if I could make it through the first few years of a struggling economy with only one client, I could make it through anything. And sure enough, about 3 or 4 years ago, things really took off. I work from my home with businesses of all sizes creating marketing materials and websites. Every day is different and I love it!
Has it been a smooth road?
Oh, I remember a lot of crying in the early years. The biggest struggle for me was the constant fear of not getting paid. A check getting lost in the mail could mean putting all our bills on credit cards while waiting for it to show up. Now my business is big enough that I can be a little more relaxed about it. A big shift for me was when I started accepting credit cards and PayPal a couple of years ago. It has taken so much stress off of me, and I’m sure my clients appreciate the convenience as well.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Jennings Design story. Tell us more about the business.
Jennings Design is a provider of graphic and web design services. I’ve been in the publishing world since 2003, so my specialty is any kind of multi-page document. I used to do a lot of books and worked with authors who were self-publishing, but recently closed down that side of my business to focus on what I really love: WordPress websites. I still do smaller booklets and other marketing materials, but I love building websites. Every website is different, not just how it looks, but in terms of what the client needs it to do, so I always end up learning something new.
I’m really proud of my relationships with my clients. I think they all know I will go above and beyond for them, even if it’s something that’s not strictly related to whatever I’m working on at the time. I’ve constructed Excel formulas, set up email accounts, Googled tech support issues, whatever they need. My clients know that they can ask for anything and I will work with them to find a solution, even if means referring them to someone else.
As far as what sets me apart from other designers: I’m not a flake. Most of us have had to deal with contractors at some point, and I think just about everyone has a story about a contractor not showing up on time, if they show up at all. I hit my deadlines and I do what I say I will do, and I think my reliability and availability is a huge benefit to my clients.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
It’s so exciting to me that my job is probably going to look really different in 5-10 years. It wasn’t that long ago that graphic designers were cutting and gluing and hand-drawing illustrations. It’s a little scary to not be able to count on the technical skills I have today as being useful in the future, but at the same time, I know I’ll never be bored when there is always something new to learn! And the tenets of good design aren’t going anywhere, it’s only the execution that will change. People will always need thoughtful graphic design, whether they are navigating a book, website or app… or whatever is next!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jenningsdesignonline.com
- Phone: 214-226-5255
- Email: erica@jenningsdesignonline.com
Image Credit:
Headshot: JenXPhotography / www.jenxphotography.com
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