Today we’d like to introduce you to Reed Marting.
Reed, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in a super creative household here in Carlsbad and always knew I wanted a career where I could express myself through my work. For me, that was art. I went to school at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and studied Design and Entrepreneurship. I loved working on projects where I could explore different mediums while discovering who I was as an artist.
As my senior year of college was about to wrap up and I started to apply for my first post-grad job, Coronavirus hit the US. I said goodbye to my friends, teachers, coworkers, and campus and headed back home to Southern California. Finding a job in the midst of a pandemic, especially as an art major, proved to be challenging. Among the craziness, I started posting on my Art Instagram account, in which I would show projects from my college classes, doodles, designs I did for fun, and a few commissions. Friends and family enjoyed my posts and would ask me if I did commissions, so I decided to start up a side hustle of doing freelance design!
Now, I do marketing for a local jewelry company called Set & Stones and do Freelance Graphic Design on the side! Over the last year, I have been super fortunate and worked on design projects for friends and family, small businesses, huge corporations, and exciting start-ups.
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?
It has not been a smooth road at all. After graduating from college during a pandemic, I was super lost. I thought I would never find a job, especially given the tough times. Eventually, things started to pick up for me and I had to learn how to balance a schedule full of design projects! I am constantly learning, meeting new people, and growing as a designer that all the challenges are worth it.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My scope of work as a graphic designer is very wide. I’ve worked on design projects in social media, website building, photo editing, signage, branding, and packaging. I am super proud of how many projects I have been able to get my hands on, especially in the past year. I think what sets me apart from other designers is my interest and passion for growing small businesses and start-ups through graphic design. I think with a unique business model and great design, a small business just starting out can flourish beautifully.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Say yes to everything! You never know how one project or one client will lead to another!
Contact Info:
- Email: reedmarting@gmail.com
- Website: https://reedmarting.myportfolio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reed.mart/?hl=en
