We recently connected with Cheryl Bever and have shared our conversation below.

CHERYL, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Though it was a rough time for so many people, the lockdown, caused by the COVID pandemic, ended up being a life changing event for me; for the better.

Normally, a typical day in and day out was spent en-route to work – at work – and then on the road back home. My commute was about 45 minutes on a good traffic day paired with a typical 8-9 hour day in the office. Safe to say, I was gone 11 – 12 hours from home every single day. I missed school drop offs, school pickups, holiday concerts, class parties, field trips, sports – pretty much all of my kid’s school life, not to mention time with my husband and friends. But I was providing for the family, so it was what you did – right?

Then COVID hit and we were sent to work from home. This was the most time I had spent with my family outside of vacations, for years. It was glorious. Were they annoying at times? Sure. But I loved every minute of it. Then we started being called back into the office a few days per week. All of my stress and depression (that I didn’t know I had) came back. My family noticed it immediately. It was the ever caring intentions of my husband that made me see. He pulled me aside one night and straight up told me, “you really suck right now.” Naturally having someone tell you that makes you stop and listen. He was right. I was always angry, always stressed, always not fun to be around. Something had to change.

He suggested working for myself from home. Then we had a real conversation on how that could work. And it could actually work! In my full time job, my title was Graphic Design & Photography. But actually, this entailed not only Graphic Design and Product Photography, but also website management, email marketing, print design, customer presentations, marketing design, printer maintenance and much more that I have since put out of my mind. Having my own Graphic Design business not only meant that I could cherry pick the jobs that I wanted to do, but I could name my own hours, and be present for all the things I was missing in my family’s life before.

Never in a million years did I ever think that I would venture out and start my own business. This always seemed like a pipe dream to me; something that would be amazing, but never actually attainable. I finally decided, why not? Even if it doesn’t work out, at least I tried and I wouldn’t forever be living in regret wondering “what if?”. So later that same week, I tendered my resignation with my employer. To this day I am successfully running my own design business and it has been one of the best decisions I ever made; one that I would have never even considered if I didn’t just say f- it and take that risk!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I actually got into my business on a bit of a fluke. I graduated from college with a BA in Fashion Design and landed a job running a CAD pattern making department at a furniture manufacturer on Chicago’s south side called Chicago Textile Corp. My work ethic and willingness to learn morphed that job into Product Development manager. As it does, life happens and takes its twists and turns. I left that job for another that didn’t work out and I found myself back at CTC meeting friends for lunch. I started chatting with the owner and one thing led to another and I was offered a position running the company’s retail website. Knowing nothing about running websites, I quickly learned the ins and outs and was doing fairly well at it. I learned how to make rudimentary graphics for the home page, emails and banner ads. Through trial and error, I learned how to take proper photos of products to put on the site. I became so adept at it, that I replaced the company’s current graphic designer and began running that department, along with the website.

Safe to say, I have an openness to learn and ability to adapt that is necessary in the world we live in today. Currently, I offer design services of different disciplines to a handful of clients. My clients are creative and own their own businesses. They have great ideas and a passion for what they do. What they don’t have is the time or ability to put some of their creative ideas into reality. That is where I come in. I have created logos, packaging designs, product photography and marketing materials – both print and digital. Every project I take on, I put a level of care, attention and detail into as if it were my own.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative person, is the joy I can bring to my clients when what I create is either just want they wanted or even better than they could have hope. That feeling is just as good as getting paid to do what you enjoy doing.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Word of mouth and just doing what I do have been the best source of new clients for me. Doing good work and having happy clients can go a long way. When their friends and/or followers compliment their new logo or package design, they will gladly shout your praises from the rooftops. This has garnered me quite a few new clients.

The other is me just living my life, doing what I like to do. I can’t stand being put into situations where you are forced to network. It feels so unnatural and insincere. I have made quite a few friends at art shows, crafting workshops and the like and even scored a few projects from new clients this way. I have found if you just be yourself and put your good vibes out into the universe, like minded people will gravitate toward you and find their way into your inner circle. You might end up with new clients, or you might end up with really good friends, or both!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cmbimageanddesign.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmbimageanddesign/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cmbimageanddesign
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmbimageanddesign/