A Special Feature

Interview with Karen Adair, Owner of DG Creative Branding

By Marc Carson · Friday February 7, 2014

Karen Adair is the owner of DG Creative Branding, and a longtime client, colleague, and friend. I look up to Karen as a courageous designer with an extremely keen eye for subtle details, and a model parent of three terrific sons.

Karen was kind enough to answer a bunch of questions about her career background, how she got started, and advice for newcomers to freelancing and design as a business.

Could you describe what you do and share a little bit about your business?
Sure!
I’m a graphic designer. My specialty is in brand development and marketing support. We make logos, wine labels, websites, ads, radio ads, videos and almost every form of print collateral–from business cards to billboards. Our focus is on successfully executing our clients’ marketing strategies. Justin Briggs and Nichole Phillips came on board over two years ago. Their talents and expertise are key to how we can produce almost everything in-house. Except programming websites. You’re the superior choice for that. [Ahem…thank you!]

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On Designer Portfolios

“The local ad agencies liked my portfolio but it was filled with college projects. They wanted to see real ones.”

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Your portfolio of work is really impressive to me—I heard someone say once that they were impressed that your work doesn’t look the same for every client. How do you get inside your clients’ heads and create something appropriate for their needs?
I keep my focus on them, and I listen. Every business has its own unique personality, and so do their products—and services. To me, good design expresses that–is a messenger of that. After 30 years I’ve learned the right questions to ask to find what is unique about them–and I’ve learned listen to their responses. That’s where the designs come from.

As a freelance graphic designer, how did you get your first breaks? How long did it take you to feel like you could make it work as a livelihood?
I don’t think I ever got a first break, really. I started at the very bottom doing typesetting and paste-up for printers, freelance. The local ad agencies liked my portfolio but it was filled with college projects. They wanted to see real ones. So I did everything I could to get real work that would build the portfolio that would get me hired by an agency. By the time my portfolio was ready I had a modest, self-sustaining business so I never went back. I’d guess it took a few years.

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Starting Out On Your Own

“You never know until you try. I had many people—including my parents—tell me I’d never make it.”

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You recently moved away from a city where you had a lot of clients, to another city where (I think) you didn’t have an established client base. How did you convince yourself to make the move? Has it worked out OK?
I moved to Southern Oregon, just outside of Grants Pass this last June. I think I’m still convincing myself to make the move! It has worked out well. I have a great studio now–that’s not in the house–and good internet, which makes it very easy to continue our work with our clients. Many of them were not in the area before I moved, so there was little impact on the business. I do miss seeing them as often as I did.

You have three really amazing sons who I imagine you’re very proud of. Do you have any advice about raising a family while being self-employed?
Oh, thank you. I am! Advice? I’d say that being self-employed often demands much more than a 40-hr. week, so the time you’re not working is precious time to spend with them–doing anything. It’s the time you spend together that builds your connection with them and theirs with you. I moved my business into my home when my first son was born, and worked there until my youngest went to college (23 years). It wasn’t very easy, but I think it made a difference being there.

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Being A Graphic Designer

“It’s very different from fine art. It’s not about you, it’s all about the client. Focus on them and their needs. Honor their preferences, their deadlines and their budgets.”

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What advice would you give to up-and-coming designer freelancers?
I would advise them to be very clear about what graphic design is and what a graphic designer does. It’s very different from fine art. It’s not about you, it’s all about the client. Focus on them and their needs. Honor their preferences, their deadlines and their budgets. Do your best for them, efficiently and reliably. Oh! and look up John McWade. He’s the founder of Before & After, a resource I’ve used since the 1990’s. He has excellent advice and guidance for graphic designers, old and new.

Are there any tips you can give for dealing with difficult projects at work?
Probably one. Don’t give up. Wait no, there’s more. Give yourself the grace to not know, have faith that you can figure it out and don’t hesitate to get help if you can’t figure it out on your own.

What do you do to get your mood up when you are pulling your hair out at work?
I go for a walk. It helps me clear my head, put things in perspective, work things out.

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“…if I wasn’t going to succeed I wanted it to be because I tried my best and failed, not because someone told me I’d fail.”

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Any advice for creatives who are doubting their ability to make it as a freelancer?
You never know until you try. I had many people–including my parents–tell me I’d never make it. Too hard to build clientele. Too hard to make a living at it. Too much competition. I really wasn’t a very good designer then, either. But I figured if I wasn’t going to succeed I wanted it to be because I tried my best and failed, not because someone told me I’d fail. If you love it enough then you’ll have what it takes to get good enough and you’ll make it.

Thanks for your time, Karen.

By the way, a bit about Karen’s three sons: Ty is lead programmer and designer of the game Siegebreakers, which uses some really innovative game mechanics—check it out. Blake is in the challenger series of the game League of Legends—the highest level before going pro. And Luke is pursuing a Medical Assistant degree, is at the top of his college class with a 4.0, and is considering becoming a doctor.