Today we’d like to introduce you to Z Smith
Hi Z, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been an artist for as long as I can remember. Every Christmas was split between Legos and art supplies — half building, half creating. That pretty much sums up how my brain works. When I was a kid, I spent most of my weekends at the art store down the street, taking classes and getting lost in whatever project was in front of me.
In third grade, I got a scholarship to the Columbus College of Art and Design and started taking weekend classes on campus. I remember sitting in the hallways eating lunch, watching the college students walk by, wondering if they were as confused as I was about why a kid was there. But being surrounded by art and creative energy just felt right — like I had stumbled into where I was supposed to be.
Fast forward to college — I ended up working in IT. It paid well, but I knew it wasn’t what I wanted to do. Then I met a friend who was doing graphic design. I’d sit and watch him work (which he hated), but I was fascinated. Slowly, I started figuring out the software. I already had an artist’s eye, but it took some time to learn how to make the tools work for me.
After a couple of years of figuring it out, that same friend and I decided to go for it and started a creative agency focused on branding and web design for small businesses in Columbus, OH. That’s when things really clicked.
Design has been my focus ever since. I love helping small businesses grow and reach new audiences through thoughtful design. There’s something so satisfying about creating a brand identity that feels true to the business and helps them connect with people.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Being a small business owner has meant constantly starting over and reinventing myself. When we moved to California from Ohio, it wasn’t just a new chapter in life — it meant rebuilding my business from the ground up. Then COVID hit, and everything changed again. A lot of the clients we had been working with dried up almost overnight, and we had to completely shift gears and figure out how to make it work in a new industry. It was stressful, but that’s kind of the nature of running your own thing — you adapt or you stall out.
I’ve never been good at standing still. If client work slows down, I become my own client. I’ll dive into creating a new small business, picking up a new skill, or working on a piece of art just to keep the creative momentum going. It’s not always easy — there have been plenty of moments where I’ve wondered if the next opportunity was ever going to show up. But then, almost like clockwork, something new and exciting comes through. And when it rains, it pours. One project turns into two, two turn into five, and suddenly, I’m in the middle of a creative rush, wondering why I ever doubted it in the first place.
It’s not always smooth, but that’s part of the deal. Reinvention has kind of become second nature at this point — and honestly, I think that’s what’s kept me growing.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Being a creative director has meant wearing a lot of different hats — sometimes all at once. I started with graphic design, which naturally led to web design, then photography and video, then marketing… and pretty much everything in between. During COVID, my business partner got really into digital art and the whole NFT space. It just didn’t click for me. Creating intangible digital art started to feel exhausting — like I was pouring myself into work that didn’t really exist in the real world. So I went the opposite direction.
I started exploring the fashion industry, teaching myself how to cut, sew, dye fabric, and screen print. It started small — just custom hats and pennant flags — but it quickly grew into something bigger. Before I knew it, I was working on large-scale wall hangings. It took a lot of trial and error to figure out how to bring all those skills together into something I was truly proud of. But lately, I feel like it’s finally starting to click. I recently finished a few pieces that I’m really happy with, and they’re currently on display in Encinitas. Seeing them out in the world — not just on a screen — feels like the most rewarding part of the process.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Being an independent artist or designer means spending a lot of time creating in isolation. It’s easy to get stuck seeing your work from 10 feet away instead of 10,000. That’s why having people to bounce ideas off of is so important — and I’m incredibly lucky to have some seriously talented and insightful friends, collaborators, and business partners.
I’ve got to give a shoutout to Jason Markow, Dillon Beck, Kai Diaz, Skye Walker, and Cliff Endsley. I’m constantly running things by them, getting their thoughts, and learning from their experience and strategy. There are so many more people who have played a part in my success, but these guys are the ones I’m always in the trenches with.
And I have to shout out my wife. She’s my biggest fan and my greatest supporter. Not only has she helped us build a successful life, but she’s helped create a happy and healthy one too. She’s the best.
Pricing:
- Always tailored to fit the needs of the client and the project.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.smithworkbench.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zach_smith_j/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
- Other: https://www.secondplaceco.com
Image Credits
Christel Tran and Cliff Endsley
