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

Eddison, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So, let’s start with a hypothetical – what would you change about the educational system?

Most students are not adequately served by the public education system. Many students come from different backgrounds and have unique interests that aren’t unlocked in the educational system. School systems should spend time getting to know their students and exposing them to studies that would benefit their professional interests.

Currently, the public school system spends countless hours teaching students math, science, reading, and social studies. However, they rarely nurture their interest or to expose students to other opportunities. My career choice would have been easier to make if a teacher had introduced me to the concept of creative entrepreneurship when I was in school. My knowledge of my field and the possibilities was limited. It was only through my own research and experiences that I learned about these opportunities.

Almost every student leaves the public school system feeling empty. They finish 12+ years of school only to feel lost after they walk across the stage. I was one of those students. As an A and B honor roll student, I excelled in the classroom but felt unprepared for life outside of it. I was not prepared for the many opportunities and places I would be able to explore after finishing grade school.

From the sixth grade onward, I would design exploratory programs for students. In these programs, students shadow or explore up to six industries over the course of a year. I would make sure that students learn what it takes to work in the profession, what a typical day looks like in the profession, and what the future holds for the career. After exposure to a profession, if a child is interested in learning more about it, I will tailor their learning to match the needs of that profession, preparing them for college life or trade school.

Learning should be customized based on the student’s learning style and professional interests.  If the student is uninterested, focusing too much on one course is a waste of time. In my opinion, the key to a successful student is finding their interest at a young age, nurturing that interest, and making learning fun!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Eddison Smith III the Creative Director, Visual Brand Strategist and owner of The Penthouse Creative Branding Agency in Atlanta, GA. I partner brand design, photography, cinematography, and animation to amplify the entire visual brand identity of small businesses. I am a graduate of Georgia Southern University where I received my bachelors in business marketing and minor in graphic design. I have been in the design industry for over 5 years and I pride myself on being an expert in providing creative direction and helping companies develop clear and cohesive brand identities. I have created visuals for over 100+ small businesses, organizations, and solopreneurs. Some of those organizations include Emerging 100 ATL, The NAACP Awards, and Fellaship ATL. I am passionate about all things creative.

Entrepreneurship found me, I didn’t find it. Out of all the things I could think of when being asked the question , “What do you want to be when you grow up?”, Entrepreneurship wasn’t ever on my list. I’ve always had a gift of creativity and the skill to bring together ideas and visualize the bigger picture/end goal but I didn’t fully know how I wanted to use my gift to serve others who looked like me.

I started nurturing my gift when I was young and my father brought me my first desktop computer at the age of 14. Digital design intrigued me, I wanted to know more about it, how things were made, what was the meaning or strategy behind the compositions, and I wanted to know how I could create my own. I explored web-pages, visual compositions and graphics. My curiosity led me seeking to learn graphic design and I pursued a minor in Graphic Design at Georgia Southern University.

After college, like everyone else, I submitted multiple applications to various creative jobs. I could never land a good position or find a company that truly excited me. I always felt there was so much more to my purpose. I wanted to maximize my full potential. While on my job search, I continued to design for small businesses and solopreneurs. As I continue to gain more work, and help more clients I started to feel like the typical 9 to 5 just didn’t interest me anymore. I have been grateful to have clients that have poured into, supported and encouraged me to push forward and develop my own business.

After creating design solutions for multiple companies, and finding so much joy making others happy by bringing my client’s visions to life, I realized I found the sweet spot where my passion and my purpose marry each other. I truly enjoy the work I do with providing creative direction and building visuals for small businesses and solopreneurs. If I didn’t have to make a living I would create and design for free. I want to empower more businesses and solopreneurs, through design, to bet on themselves and believe in the value that they provide to this world.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Two years ago, I felt that I was serving my clients, but my business was not serving me. My client work was overwhelming, causing constant burnout. I felt frustrated by the type of work I was receiving because none of it reflected the portfolio I wanted to present. Moreover, I wasn’t generating the revenue I hoped for at the end of the year. The reason I wasn’t satisfied with my business was that I wanted more from it. Despite enjoying and appreciating my initial clients, I felt the need to transition my business due to the growing pains I was experiencing.

In 2021, I received the right sign that it was time to pivot my business. I wanted to continue doing the same work however I wanted to do it in a different way, a way that fit my business vision. At Britney Jeanine & Co., I found my pivot coach, Britney Jeanine. Her messaging aligned with everything I was experiencing in my business. After attending a webinar, I realized that she would be the right coach for my business.

Through Britney’s Plan to Pivot program, I was able to restructure and build a new business from the ground up. As a result, I have a clear purpose, mission, core values, and target market. After focusing solely on clients, I no longer operated under Edpression Designs, which was named after me, and became The Penthouse Creative Branding Agency. As a result, I had transitioned from just having a business to having a brand. Since starting my new agency, I have attracted my ideal clients, I am not overworking myself, and my impact among small businesses has grown. Having pivoted my business, I discovered that for any business to grow there comes a time when they need to pivot and do things differently to not only serve their clients, but themselves as well.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Authenticity and excellence have been the most effective strategies for me in growing my clientele. It is important for clients to feel connected with you and to see that you have the right solution to their problems. By sharing my story and relating to their issues, I have been able to speak to their problems. My ability to do what I do well comes from serving my own business in the same way that I serve other businesses, with care and strategy. As a result of delivering the same level of excellence to all clients, they tend to share good news and great reviews, which leads to more clients and an increase in my impact. I also emulate DOPE energy, which helps. LOL

Contact Info:

• Website: ThePenthouseCreative.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepenthousecreative/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePenthouseCreative
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-penthouse-creative-branding-agency/

Image Credits
Alex D. Rogers