We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Logan Bartels. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Logan below.

Logan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?

Some of this may be information overload, but looking back I realize that each step was instrumental in getting me to where I am today.

The start of my graphic design business, Bartels Creative Co., has roots that date back to May 2013. I was fresh out of design school, and although I had not yet actually created an LLC or named my business, I did begin taking on freelance clientele to help supplement my meager internship earnings. My clients at that time were largely close friends or family members, and the projects ranged from music posters, small logos, and t-shirt designs. I took everything I possibly could because I: A. needed money and B. wanted to start developing a reputation.

I was fortunate enough to have had a very good 6-week internship right out of college working for a Nebraska-based advertising agency called Bailey Lauerman. That was a great resume builder and after the internship ended, it helped me land a freelance role as a production artist and designer at another Nebraska advertising agency called Swanson Russell (SR). I interned at SR for 6 weeks the summer of 2013 working on catalogues and editing video footage.

That freelance opportunity lead to a full-time associate designer job offer, which then lead to nearly a 9 year at SR. During my tenure there I advanced from an Associate Designer all the way to an Art Director and worked on massive advertising campaigns and substantial branding projects. It was an eye-opening experience into how award-winning creative teams work, and it helped me think more strategically and be a more purpose driven creative.

Although I had a full-time position, I still regularly did freelance design to scratch creative itches. Most often I was working on album art, band t-shirts and other projects for musicians—especially for my brother, Evan Bartels. I played and still play bass for my brother in live performance settings, and designing for musicians is a way for me to immerse myself into two things I’m passionate about.

In spring of 2019 while my wife was pregnant with our first daughter, I started to feel unsettled. Up until then I was content, but I had recently moved into an Art Director role and felt removed from actual design work. I was in a lot of meetings during the day and felt more like a project manager than a creative. My brother Evan and his family had also moved from Nebraska to Nashville that year, so I wasn’t performing as often which didn’t help.

While on paternity leave later that fall (2019), I seriously began contemplating an exit strategy. I used the time while our newborn napped to build my personal brand and create a website. Over the next few months, I collected portfolio pieces and looked for more freelance work on the side. In early 2020 I felt compelled to pursue freelance design full-time. I was getting ready to put in my notice early that March and boom…COVID.

My wife and I both agreed it’d be best to put pursuing my own gig on pause until we better understood what was going to happen. I continued to work at SR and thanks to normalized remote work, my wife and I were able to retain our jobs, buy a house, and move from Nebraska to Tennessee.

As Covid cooled and things started to get back to “normal”, I began to get that itch again. Lo and behold in the winter of 2021 a past colleague of mine had heard I was looking for some solid freelance work and introduced me to a client that would change my life. I was offered a one-year retainer for more money and for less hours than what I was working at SR. It felt like a sign, and I used that opportunity as a springboard to go full-time freelance.

In February of 2022 I put in my 2-weeks, filed an LLC, and by March was full-time as Bartels Creative Co. The new sense of freedom and responsibility was both thrilling and terrifying. Now that I’m entering year three of freelance, I still share in the same excitement but am much more confident in navigating things.

Logan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

First and foremost, I am a family man. My wife and I currently have two daughters and are expecting twins in September. They are my driving force for all I do personally and professionally.

Professionally, I am a graphic designer/art director. I’ve been working as my own business, Bartels Creative Co., for nearly three years now, and have around 12 years total professional design/art direction experience. I specialize primarily in creating visual identity systems (logos/branding) and Squarespace websites, but I often wear many hats which include illustration and motion graphics.

My clientele ranges from musicians, non-profits and other small businesses. I also often partner with agencies or larger marketing departments where I act as a freelance member of their creative team to help with projects.

When I’m not designing or being “dad”, I play bass guitar for my brother Evan Bartels.

Originally, I’m from a very small town in Nebraska called Tobias. I had a very rural upbringing, and there wasn’t a ton to do in the way of entertainment. I wasn’t much of a fan of sports, so I often resorted to creative endeavors and outdoor activities. When I wasn’t helping direct DIY Star Wars remakes, out fishing, or drawing, I could be found in our renovated chicken coop at band practice.

When it came time to graduate in 2009, I was at a loss of what I wanted to do. My mom and art teacher both recommended exploring graphic design as a career path. So, after graduating I went to one of the only true graphic design programs in the state at that time at the University of Nebraska in Kearney. They had a great program, and I learned a lot about the principles of design there.

After graduating with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communications and Design, I had a 6-week internship at an advertising agency and started freelancing as a designer. At that time my goal wasn’t necessarily to be a freelancer, and I was very interested in full-time work with a design or advertising agency. An agency freelance gig I had turned into a 9-year career with Nebraska’s largest advertising firm, Swanson Russell (SR).

Although I was working full-time at an agency, I still freelanced regularly as a creative outlet. I worked with a lot of local musicians, but my favorite creative work was what I did for my brother’s music. It was on his projects that I could apply agency thinking at a freelance level. We concepted and created campaigns to promote his releases using custom landing pages, integrated social media marketing and consistent branding. This approach allowed his first two releases to chart on a regional Billboard Heatseekers chart.

It was after this that I realized my bread and butter—providing small businesses and musicians agency level work at an accessible level.

In 2019 with the birth of my first daughter, I turned to picking up more freelance work to keep my creative juices flowing. Freelancing as a designer allowed me to choose work, I was passionate about, and it really motivated me to make that my next career path.

My family and I relocated to the Nashville area in December of 2020 and worked remotely for our Nebraska based companies. I was near music again which was reviving to me, but I was still missing the passion I had for design. As Covid waned I began ramping up my exit strategy from full-time agency life and was officially on my own in March of 2022.

You may have noticed throughout the prior background my use of the word “passion/passionate”. This is purposeful. The birth of my first child really compelled me to reevaluate what happiness and fulfillment is. Aside from my family, I took a close look at what I felt was important and what made me feel as if I had a purpose. Playing music was one and collaborating with passionate people on creative work was the other.

It just so happens that musicians and small businesses are some of the most passionate people out there when it comes to their work. I think my agency upbringing and my strategic approach benefits these clients and sets me apart in the world of freelance designers. I ask a lot of questions and do ample discovery before diving in on a project so that I can have a clear understanding of what’s at hand. I don’t care if it’s a t-shirt design or a 15-page website, I strive to bring intelligent, beautifully designed solutions to the table, and I’m very proud of that.

One recent project that I feel illustrates my design approach is the visual identity, packaging, and website I created for Balladeer Coffee. Balladeer Coffee was founded by my friend Adam Roth who is a musician and songwriter. He wanted to create a brand that champions artists and creators while also combining the joy of music discovery with craft roasted coffee. I’m proud to say that we created a visual identity that speaks to the artistry and beautifully highlights the qualities of the roasts. This was a dream project for me because it combined so many things I love—coffee, music, and design.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I think one of the earliest and most important things I had to unlearn was that “cool was king”.

When I was coming out of design school, I was relatively naive and had only a few instances of what I’d consider real criticism towards my design work. When you’re in that peer-to-peer environment there is a lot of focus on making things look “cool” and showcasing your technical skills as a designer. When you enter the working world with clients and agency teams, your technical skills are only part of your role. This is something I knew, but it hadn’t really sunk in, that is until I got my first full-time agency position.

I was a fresh new hire eager to prove myself as a designer and was put on a team with an Art Director whom I had a lot of respect for—he had gone to bat for me to get the position when I interviewed specifically referencing my ability to concept. We were tasked with creating a logo for a product and were given a brief which outlined the project and all relevant information. We had a high-level discussion on concepts, and he tasked me with creating several options for internal review. So, I set out to make “the best” options I could. The mistake I made was disregarding a real concept and jumping right into what I though looked the coolest.

When we had our internal review I was devastated by his critique. What I had created in that first round had little relevance to concepts we discussed and didn’t serve the broader brand. Fortunate for me, that was not the end and I had a chance to redeem myself through revisions, but I’ll never forget the embarrassment that came with that critique and realizing I had created something that isn’t serving a purpose.

I’ve grown a lot since then and make great efforts to insure that the designs I create for my clients not only look great, but are also backed by conceptual thinking.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I lead with the mantra “Passion Calls”. I kind of touched on this earlier, but I want to pursue work that I’m passionate about and work with people who are equally as passionate about what they do. It’s very fulfilling to collaborate with people who see their work as more than just a job.

Life is too short to not be happy and to not live with purpose. I’d rather have the freedom to work on fulfilling projects rather than take everything that comes my way and be bogged down by things that don’t motivate me to do my best.

I know not every project I take is always going to lead to the fulfillment I described above, sometimes there are “pay the bills” type of work, but overall having the freedom to choose what work I take on has been a blessing.

Passion Calls.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bartelscreative.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bartels_creative/
• Other: Dribbble (a design portfolio site): https://dribbble.com/bartels_creative

Image Credits
Evan Bartels Liam O’Shea