We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessica Jones a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Jessica thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
Hey, I’m Jess, a self-taught creative born and bred in Blackpool. My journey started about two years ago when preparing to leave college and head to university to become a social worker. College was a tough time for me, I went through a lot of change. The one thing I knew for sure was that I wanted to help others and make people happy, something I had been passionate about since high school. That’s why I studied Uniformed Protective Services, a hands-on course focused on the police, fire, and ambulance services – ironically, all careers dedicated to supporting people in need.
I feel a deep connection to helping and supporting others as I didn’t grow up with much support or money myself, but we always managed. At 16, I left home -something not many people know – and spent a year or so living with friends before eventually moving back in with my mum and sister. Looking back, it was one of the best and hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make for my future, I wouldn’t change it. It really helped me grow as a person, and through it all, I continued to support others, anyone who just needed someone to talk to, I wanted to be there. Because that’s all I needed at times. I never wanted anyone to feel the way I had.
Then, between finishing college and preparing for university, amongst all the chaos, I had a realisation – what was I doing? How could I become a social worker when I had been surrounded by them for the past year and knew it wouldn’t be good for my mental health? That left me at a crossroads: What now?
I’ve always been creative – it’s been a constant in my life. From studying Art & Design at GCSE to making and selling custom earrings at 15, creativity was always there (Oh, and I’m 20 now!) So, I took the leap and started Present Posters – I set up the Instagram, made my first post, and brainstormed a name. At that point, I had only designed about two posters on Canva, so I wanted something catchy, with alliteration, and that included the word poster. I played around with ideas before landing on Present Posters because my work focuses on current events and moments, keeping up with today’s digital age.
Fast-forward a few months – people started recognising my work, and I was getting a few poster orders. Looking back, I used to charge just £5 per poster, which is wild! I worked on a touchscreen Chromebook, using the free version of Canva. But I kept learning, improving my designs and figuring out how to optimise Instagram. I focused on growing my skills and visibility, putting myself out there by posting posters for upcoming events in Blackpool. Eventually, I started integrating reels into my content, which really helped with engagement (and were fun to make – most of the time). This worked – I gained a variety of clients, from bands to charities and many more. I even got to collaborate with others and created my first QR code sticker, which I printed at home, cut out, and backed with sellotape – all while working a zero-hour contract catering job at a local heritage site.
April 24th, 2024 marked Present Posters’ first birthday and just before that, I hit 1,000 followers. Everything lined up so perfectly! I was excited to take on year two, kicking off my second year by working with my local market, designing their event graphics. It was an amazing experience because I got to see my work on display for an entire month, every month. This gave me valuable experience and a taste into corporate design. Meanwhile, my catering job became chaotic – we lost a chef, our team leader, multiple staff members and even the manager. But at least I made memories!
Around this time, I started showing my face more online, making reels and creating my first voiceover. One of my first videos was just me talking about my favourite designers and it got a great response! This helped me step further into the design world, both locally and online. I reached out to other creatives, sending messages to show my appreciation for their work and ask for any tips. That helped me gain confidence and grow within the design community. The truth is, even if you think you have a niche, you don’t – there are always people out there just like you, you just gotta find and work with them. Once you enter that world, you learn and grow so much faster. The key is to avoid comparing your work to others and instead strive to reach their level.
One big lesson I learned? Your Instagram grid doesn’t need to be perfect or have a fancy colour scheme. You just have to post what you love and if it’s not perfect, so be it – just keep it on brand!
At this point, I made my first big investment – an iPad and Adobe subscriptions. This changed everything. My designs improved massively, and no more Canva yippee! Love you Canva really.
Towards the end of 2024, I took a much-needed break to Edinburgh, which was absolutely beautiful. And bonus while I was there, I finally gave myself the space to be creatively free. I actually designed my rebrand while I was there – the first draft was sketched onto the shower door! That design is now the identity of my brand. My original logo will always have a place in my heart, but it was a developed Canva template (we’ve all done it at least once). Now, my branding is sleek, professional, and instantly recognisable. Plus, with the initials PP, I have the flexibility to evolve the name in the future—maybe Present Productions one day?
I’ve carried this branding everywhere—business cards, flyers, stickers, and even my own jumper, which I just received a couple of days ago.
As I kept working, I gained more clients and commissions, which helped me develop both my creativity and digital design skills. I worked with some well-known names in Blackpool, which really helped build my reputation. One of my proudest moments was designing the poster and logo for Blackpool Style Assembly, an event celebrating local talent, sustainability, and community. Seeing my work still being reposted today fills my heart with joy.
I eventually quit my catering job—it had become unbearable and was no longer a good environment to be in. From October 2024 to February 2025, I was on Universal Credit, working as a Christmas temp at a local craft shop in December. That was an amazing experience—I met so many talented local creatives. But when December ended, so did the job, and I was back to job searching.
One morning, I saw an Instagram post for a content creator job at the very top of my feed. And it was local! I applied immediately and sent a follow-up email.
Now? I’m the social media manager and graphic designer for that exact company. I’ve been there for almost two months now, alongside running Present Posters, creating social media content, and completing commissions for price lists, vouchers, banners, A-boards, and more. Not only have I become skilled in a wide range of graphic design work, but I can now master corporate social media scheduling, pair it with polished graphics, and craft engaging captions.
And the best part? I’ve been offered a full-time position starting in April. I can’t believe it—little old me! This is the security I need to finally buy a laptop and keep developing my skills.
Even though this was never my dream, I’m living it. And I wouldn’t change a thing. Every step of the journey has shaped me into the person I am today—someone who still just wants to make people happy and support them.
So, if I’ve learned anything, it’s this: Don’t get off the rollercoaster just because you’re scared. You write the narrative. Do what you love. There’s nothing to be afraid of!
Jessica , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Present Posters, aka me, Jess, a Blackpool-based graphic designer, offers a wide range of creative services, including event graphics, branding, social media content, custom graphics, and printing. What sets me apart is that I don’t just offer a product, I provide a full service. I am dedicated to ensuring that my clients get exactly what they need. Whether it’s answering questions, providing guidance on the best options, or helping them find the best price for their design and print needs, I am there every step of the way. Once the design is complete, I also make it easier for my clients by offering printing services directly through me, saving them the hassle of dealing with multiple suppliers.
My focus is on helping businesses, creators, charities, bands and all round creatives stand out in their respective industries by delivering unique and impactful visuals that resonate with their audience. I’ve had the pleasure of working on a variety of exciting projects, including branding and designing the poster for Blackpool Style Assembly – a highly anticipated event celebrating sustainability, local talent and community spirit. This project, like many others, has reinforced my commitment to using design as a way to make a positive impact on both my local community and the world at large.
One of the things I’m most proud of, and what I believe truly sets me apart, is the communication I offer my clients. My approach is personal, transparent and collaborative. I strive to make the entire process as easy and stress-free as possible, ensuring that every client feels heard and supported. I’ve been lucky to have built a reputation where my clients trust me to understand their vision and bring it to life, and so far, I’ve never encountered any issues with communication – touch wood! This relationship-focused approach has been the key to building long-lasting relationships with clients and ensuring they receive the best possible service.
As Present Posters continues to grow, I remain passionate about making a positive impact through design. I’m committed to making my clients designs look great, but also support them in feeling confident through out the process. Every project I take on is an opportunity to help others express their vision creatively, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Present Posters!
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Definitely, when I started out, I didn’t even know what Illustrator or Photoshop were, let alone what they did. I started out using Canva, but looking back, if I had known about Adobe Express, I would have definitely preferred it. It’s free, has a large selection of copyright-free images and just offers better functionality overall.
When setting up a social media account, if it’s not your primary place to be (like me), I’d choose Instagram. Everyone’s on it at the moment, and it’s so versatile – just add a Linktree in your bio, and hey presto, you’re ready to go.
For all my creatives looking to display their work on one specific website, head over to Adobe Portfolio. It’s another great free site to use when you need a website that doesn’t sell products. On the other hand, if you’re looking to sell products and you’re starting out with a small budget or at least five products, BigCartel is a free website, to host your own site and sell. I use it to sell my own sticker sheets, and it’s brilliant!
For all my creatives and freelancers – if you haven’t added Buy Me a Coffee to your Linktree, do it now! Just having it there as an option rather than not is ideal when starting out. Following on from this freelancers if you need some good free mockup sites, I’ve got you, your best bet is MrMockups or MockupBee, both of which are free to use!
Finally, I cannot stress this enough: if you have a Gmail account, sign up for and download the Google Suite. Google Business lets you have a pop-up straight to Google for free, letting everyone see your business. Google Analytics can be plugged into your website so you can track the status of each one, and Google Search Console lets you see what people are searching for, to find you. And finally, good old Background Remover on Google works perfectly every time and has always been by my side. It may lower the image quality a bit, but for fast edits, it’s quick and easy.
To conclude, to all my fellow business owners and freelancers, I urge you to head to Banana Print and grab your free business cards! These are literally £2.95 for the first 50 and the next 50 completely free. So yeah, that’s my advice I hope it helps!
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
You don’t need to possess any skills to build your reputation. I feel all you need is motivation and perseverance, then you can make it anywhere in life. If you want to be there, you’ll get there – trust me and trust yourself most importantly! Just be present; if you’re not there in the moment, where are you?
My main piece of advice would be to socialise, go to networking events – even if they’re scary. When you’re in town, say a quick hey to the creatives on shift; it’s always good to support one another and make conversation. Bonus: once one person knows about you, hopefully the chain will carry on. But it’s about consistently popping that face into the spotlight to say, “Hello, I’m still here by the way.” People will remember you. You’ll have more people stop you for chats, you’ll talk to someone you haven’t in a while. Try to do this everyday, whether in person or over message, but mainly in person. It will develop both your business skills and your personal confidence.
So, top tip: be there, be active, and sign up for everything – but not too much. Keeping your Instagram story alive and showing your personality, it’s also really important for connecting with your clients!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.presentposters.myportfolio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/presentpostersbpl
- Other: https://www.threads.com/presentpostersbpl https://www.presentposters.bigcartel.com