We recently connected with Edwin Kogi and have shared our conversation below.

Edwin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Yes i have been able to earn a full time living from my work. I’m from Nairobi, Kenya. So It all started in 2019 when i was on my Public Relations Internship at a government office. On one slow afternoon, I realized that aside from Photography (Which was my passion at the time) i was also pretty good at graphic design. I have been self taught in all my skills, with graphic design being the one skill i have taught myself for the longest time. On that afternoon, i decided to open my Instagram Page; Blackwell Graphics. The name just came to me and i decided to flow with it. I slowly started posting my work there as well as researched on the best hashtags that were working best in the graphic design niche’. I started applying those hashtags and within 2 weeks, i landed my first International client! She was kind enough to share some tips that i could use to get my services in front of a lot of black-owned businesses and i took her advice with stride. By the end of 2019, i had began to fully pivot towards offering my graphic design services via Instagram alone, full time. COVID came in 2020 and in that time, it accelerated my growth! When a lot of Americans were receiving their stimulus cheques, a huge number of them used that as capital to kickstart their businesses, so i was well positioned to help them with their branding online. Since then, it has been an upward journey. If there is one thing I could have done more, was to be more consistent in uploading my work as well as being more aggressive to learn new skills faster to keep me ahead of the game.

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

About Me and My Journey & How I Got into the Industry
My name is Edwin, and I’m excited to share my journey with you. I’m the founder of Blackwell Graphics and Communications, a creative agency I started on March 3rd, 2019. What began as a solo endeavor has grown into a collaborative team of talented individuals who work alongside me to brainstorm and execute client projects to perfection. I am a self taught graphic designer with a keen eye for detail. My first passion was photography, but i couldn’t get a breakthrough that would enable me to earn a full time living. Graphic design was something i was skilled at, but never took it seriously until 2019 when i realized that this could be my full time bread and butter. I started showcasing my work in Instagram and i was lucky to get my first client within two weeks of posting my work! This got me so excited because i landed an international client who ended up being so helpful and impactful on my journey till date. 5 Years later, i have team of designers who help me bring our client’s vision to life! Our mission is to help businesses—whether they’re startups finding their footing or established brands seeking a fresh perspective—stand out through strategic and impactful branding.

What We Offer
At Blackwell Graphics and Communications, we specialize in creating custom branding solutions. This includes graphic design, brand development, and creative communication strategies that resonate with audiences. We also help our clients create content for their social media. We come up with a content calendar and then design content around that calendar once approved. This way, we ensure our clients start building an online presence from Day one of launching their businesses seamlessly. Our portfolio showcases some of our favorite projects, which reflect the diversity of our work and the passion we bring to every assignment.

The Problems We Solve
We help clients transform their vision into a cohesive, professional, and memorable brand identity. Whether it’s giving startups the polished look they need to attract their first customers or refreshing established brands to maintain relevance in competitive markets, we strive to solve the branding and communication challenges that keep businesses from reaching their full potential.

What Sets Us Apart
What truly sets us apart is our dedication to collaboration and attention to detail. We don’t just create visuals; we craft stories that connect with audiences. Our team takes the time to understand each client’s unique goals and values, ensuring that the final result is a perfect reflection of their brand.

Proud Achievements
One of my proudest achievements is seeing one of my clients being highly recommended by none other than Oprah Winfrey on one of her interviews. Also watching the transformation of brands we’ve worked with and the growth of my team. From being a solo founder to leading a talented group of creatives, the journey has been incredibly rewarding. Seeing our clients succeed and knowing that we played a role in their story is what drives us to keep pushing boundaries.

What I Want You to Know
Blackwell Graphics and Communications is more than just a creative agency—it’s a partner in your journey to success. We are excited to collaborate with you, bring your vision to life, and create something extraordinary together. Our commitment to excellence and passion for what we do ensure that each project receives the care and creativity it deserves. We have been in the game for 5 years now, but with the advent of AI and how fast the industry is shifting, it feels like we’re just getting started.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Client referrals have played a huge role in my business. There have been months where i have gone months without new clients, but the previous clients keep the business afloat because we strive to go above an beyond to deliver to our client expectations 200% over. We aim to Overdeliver. So when we do this repeatedly for every new client we get, our reputation grows in leaps and bounds. There is no better satisfaction than clients repeatedly telling the world about us without us even knowing about it. That’s free marketing that has extremely high ROI!

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

We constantly follow up on our clients even after they get a simple service like a flyer design. We always go back and ask them if there is anything they may need and sometimes we give them freebies. For example, during major holidays we design customized flyers for some of our clients with their company logo and send them the flyers so that they can wish their clients a happy festive season. This way whenever they need graphics design services, our name comes first in their minds.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://edwinrogoi.wixsite.com/blackwellgraphics?
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwell_graphics

Image Credits

Personal Photo By Spinstudioskenya.