What clients/projects are you currently working on?

    My main project right now is a website redesign for Kenbrook. They are a camp and retreat center in central PA. I designed a site for their summer camp last year, which they were please with, so they brought me back to work on their main site. I'm doing alot of the front end design; all the graphics, site layout and information architecture. I'm having alot of fun with this project. I'm working with their web developer who will build the actual site, so I'm free to focus on the aestheics and user experience. We hope to go live with the redesign by June 1st, but that is a flexible date.
    Other than that I'm also working on a branding project for a non-profit ministry that I'm very close with, Hope Minsitries International. I've also got a few projects going for pitch-work, which I like to do with local businesses. Then there's plenty of personal projects, too. I try not to take on too many tasks, but I always seem to stretch myself.

Does your faith have a big influence on your work, if so, why?

    Absolutely. Well for one my whole philosophy on creativity is based in my faith. My opinion is that God has given me (each person) talents and abilities to be used for His honor, not just for selfish motives or wasted. So that always motivates me to do my very best at whatever I do. Also I have a conviction about doing work for certain clients and having certain components appear in my work or not appear. Industries I don't support, such as alcohol or tobacco, I would not take those businesses for client work. Likewise, you won't see alot of elements in my work that reflect things like sex and drugs.
    One other way my faith has influenced my business is through the work I've gotten from organizations that I believe in, such as Christian camps and other non-profits. I enjoy building working relationships especially with clients when I really believe in what they're doing. It makes the project feel alot more meaninful, ya know?

What do you enjoy most about your career?

    Well I'm very passionate about how my work can add value to my clients. I love seeing clients who are satisfied with a project and knowing that their business really benefited from what they hired me to do. I'm also really enjoying being self-employed. There's alot of freedom with that. Even though there are plenty of challenges, too. You have to have alot of confidence and guts to try to make a living via freelance. Not saying that I have that all the time but it sure does stretch me knowing that my business is going to succeed directly propotionate to the amount of effort that I put into it. My faith comes into play there alot too, because I believe being stretched is always positive, so long as you respond positively.

What would you like to contribute to your field?

    I'm very interested in pushing the level of design forward and inspiring others to progress. I see so many designers who are incredibly advanced in their skills, and I'm deeply inspired by how they approach their art. That motivates me to push the envelope everyday and develop my own skill level further. I hope to contribute the same thing to others in the design industry.

Has the state of the economy affected you?

    It is obviously affecting everyone. I don't think I can fully appreciate it's impact, though, since my business is relatively young and I still have to really work to find new clients and keep business coming in. But I have noticed my clients having tighter budgets and beginning to negotiate on terms, things I don't think some of them really needed to do until now.
    Also, I'm trying to respond to it positively by being proactive about how it affects my business. What I mean is, instead of say, just being hurt for business because of the economy, I'm trying to allow this to be a continuous reminder of how much I really need to push myself to be marketing all the time and networking. Hopefully that way I can make this an opportunity for growth rather than just an economic depression for my business. Also it has touched me in that I realize what my clients and even prospective clients are facing. They can't just throw money away and every purchase they make has to give them alot of assurance of ROI. That in mind it helps me to be more flexible to meet their needs, whether it be with flexing on payment terms or something else.

Where will you be hopefully in 5 years?

    I have alot of goals. Hopefully doing the best work of my career, maybe not getting rich but at least building a business that can support my family and stand the test of time. I have a lot of personal goals too, but I'll spare you. But seriously the one place that I want to be in 5 years is right in the center of God's will for my life. Like I said I have alot of goals, many even written down, but God may have a different plan for me than I do. And that's OK, because I trust His ability to guide me through the future alot more than my ability to forsee it!

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