So they say that the average working American will change careers seven times in there lifetime. If you told me that about 10 years back I would have told you that I am not the average American and I am going to have the same career for the rest of my life. “I am a designer.”


Taking a look back at my almost 10 years of professional design. Starting as a image processor for a telecommunications company when I was just 16 years old and getting paid $9 an hour in 1999 “Blingin for a freshmen in high school.” To working for one of the largest action sports companies in the world Hurley / Nike. To Starting my own design agency in my living room with one of my best friends. Playing video games on super important conference calls and talking all kinds a smack wile the phone was on mute. Then growing that agency to a huge studio only to be shutdown by a bad business investor. In retrospect I haven’t one regret.

“So you want to be a Professional designer huh?, You better cut off your hands now” - Jojo Witmarsh “My first creative director”

Knowing what I know now about the design industry I can honestly say that there isn’t a more sole crushing, emotionally challenging, or sleep depriving industry out there. Don’t get me wrong, I love design and Loved all it for years, but its just not for the week at heart. Spending hours upon hours on a project, Investing time and creative passion to it only to have someone who knows nothing about design shut it down, is one of the hardest things a young designer has to endure. Over the years I learned to not stay married to a design, campaign or creative concept. The only problem with that strategy is that most of the time you’ll put out crap because you put almost no creative intensity in to it. Not to mention you will burnout almost overnight. There is a fine line that a designer must find.

Overall I would say I had a real good run. I worked hard and accomplished what I wanted to do. I know that my time as a professional “corporate” designer is over. Its time for something new, something fresh. I have spent so much of my time creating and marketing clothing and products that people don’t really need. I feel like its time to do something that gives back. I know I have along road ahead of me. I have decided to go into the emergency medical profession and focus on becoming a firefighter. This is something that the Lord has been tugging on my heart about for the past year or so. It is a perfect career change for me. It is going to give me the knowledge and flexibility to help people all over the world in need. I feel a loud call to GO!

“We must go live to feed the hungry, Stand beside the broken, We must go” -  Tim Hughes

A huge thanks to my friends and family who have supported me the past 10 years, I couldn’t have done it without you.
Joey a