Today we’d like to introduce you to Zoey Sunshine Coley.
Zoey, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I survived a traumatic childhood that led me to express my emotions through art and writing – I feel like that is the fuel for most artists. I have been an artist all my life; I love to create out of whatever materials I have available; I once made a painting out of old makeup and sparkly nail polish to seal it. As a teenager, I started a mosaic made out of different colored candy wrappers until my dad ripped the art off my ceiling and walls, calling it “trash”. He just couldn’t see my vision, nor did he ask. I was discouraged from doing art as a career because of the struggles artists go through to achieve success. For many years, I have fit the stereotype of a starving artist, scraping by to make ends meet however I could. I started my entrepreneurial journey when I was fourteen years old making crochet accessories and homemade candles and jewelry. I learned HTML in five minutes with just a few lines of code at the age of eleven, coding just makes sense to my brain. I have been expanding my business concepts and skillset every moment of my life, trying to find my fit in the world. I could not decide on just one job, so I chose them all; whatever my heart wants to do, I do. I take every opportunity to release pent-up energy through some form of art. I am a hobby farmer living on less than two acres. I have seven children and the wonderful husband of my literal dreams. I sing, I dance, I play instruments, I write poetry, I am obsessed with making very in-depth, meaningful collages as a form of therapy for myself and others. I have seen so many lifelong goals come to fruition and have many dreams up ahead. I was told many times that “artists only make money and become famous when they are dead” and that it was a great hobby, but I needed to pick a “real job.” I went to Full Sail for a BFA in Graphic Design and Print Marketing and continue to self-educate daily to keep up with the times.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The voices of the past, discouraging my path, echo through my mind. Building your own business definitely has its challenges and obstacles that you either adapt and learn how to push through or you flop. It’s not for the weak of heart. My publishing firm was birthed from many shut doors when I was searching for an illustration opening for my husband. I decided I would not let that set us back and started a new division of Illumined Marketing, Illumined Publishing. It’s a big struggle to stand out as different from the rest. We aim to stay a small, mom-n-pop-one-stop-shop. We have little overhead, which means we can put all of our energy into what our team creates. I am proud of what we have accomplished. I have children’s books that are award-winning, and I am looking to reach best-seller status. It has been a lot of trial and error, but I have finally come to a point that I want to focus more heavily on publishing children’s books. Thankfully, the internet age has made a way for people like me to flourish and continue learning.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I think it might be easier to tell you what I don’t or won’t do. I dabble in many forms of art, from tactile art like making dreamcatchers and collages to digital art, writing, music, and dance. I specialize in helping others bring their dreams to life through children’s books through creating company branding and mascots. We grow alongside our clients, so their success is our success. Our motto at Illumined Marketing & Publishing is “All up in your business” because we want our clients to know that they have us in their back pocket anytime they need us. I pray for our clients and their businesses daily; we become like a family partnering with them to help their business stand out. Our integrity and dedication is what sets us apart from others, and my quick turn-around on all projects big and small. I strive to have happy customers that often-become lifelong friends.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Being an artist requires a full-hearted approach; you have to love your work, or it won’t work for you. I am all in. I love helping clients develop their business through marketing materials. I have also learned how to navigate the land of art to make a little go a long way. To avoid being a starving artist, I pay several months of bills with larger projects because we cannot see what is up ahead. I have learned to schedule myself out to avoid wasting time, which is my most valuable asset – my time, so I invest wisely.
Pricing:
- Websites starting at $1200
- Logos starting at $300
- Marketing packages starting at $2000
- Custom Character Design starting at $150
- Illustrations starting at $100
Contact Info:
- Website: http://bit.ly/zoeysunshine
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/zoeysunshine
- Other: http://bit.ly/IlluminedMarketing
