Today we’d like to introduce you to Jim Eaton.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jim. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
It started in kindergarten! The lesson was “how to draw a stegosaurus.” The teacher put up a picture of the dinosaur, then showed us how to draw it. It was obvious to me she was doing it wrong, so I drew my own version the right way, and I’ve been the class artist ever since.
My parents are both artists – so I had all the encouragement and tools I needed to develop my gifts. I studied graphic design in college, then started my career in Chicago working at a couple design firms. I worked on retail promotions, corporate magazines and annual reports for companies like Dean Foods, McDonald’s, Motorola and Sears. After I learned the ropes, I went freelance in 1995 and I’ve been on my own ever since.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My biggest challenge has been marketing my business consistently. At first, just not knowing what to do, and now making the time to do it. Fortunately I’ve made my clients happy – so I’ve had enough referrals to succeed, but the ups and downs of business have been pretty extreme for me.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the James Eaton Design story. Tell us more about the business.
I am passionate about creating beautiful brand identities, web sites, packaging and print collateral – and I’ve seen their power to inspire and excite the people who view them. I specialize working with small businesses who are doing something remarkable on a regional or national scale but are held back because their website and/or marketing collateral aren’t working for them.
I’m not a typical freelance creative. In addition to running my own business, I’ve owned and run a successful e-commerce business (and failed at another) so I have a fairly broad skill set and understanding of what it takes to succeed as a business. Instead of just focusing on making a particular website or packaging project “look good” – I can take a more holistic view of what needs to be done.
When my clients have an excellent product or service, the work I’ve done has been transformative – both in terms of how they’re perceived in the market, and their bottom line.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I got one referral back in 2001 that has led to most of my current clients. I don’t think I’d still be in business if that hadn’t happened.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jameseatondesign.com
- Phone: 815-355-3944
- Email: jim@eatondesign.net
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