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

Kenderick, appreciate you joining us today. Is there a lesson you learned in school that’s stuck with you and has meaningfully impacted your journey?

Don’t Marry your work!!! That is most important thing I learned in school. Art and design can be so subjective. What one person loves, another might hate. At the start of my journey, I was very intimidated by the my peers and the major itself. Everyone around me were grew up an artist, but not me. I couldn’t even draw a straight line lol. Most of the design students in my classes had already had their own businesses outside of school. For the first time in my life, I had walked into a situation completely unprepared. Knowing that you are the worst designer in the class came with many mental obstacles. Never before did I have to worry about being judged. Before this point in my life, I had always been known for being one of the best in whatever I was involved in. Luckily, the majority of my classmates at Florida A&M University were some amazing people. They did not make fun of me for not knowing anything when it came to Graphic Design and art in general. They gave me pointers and helped me out whenever I needed it. One thing about me, I always disliked being known as the worst at anything in life. This drove me the study and research what good Graphic Design looks like and what makes it good. I finished my college career as one ot the top designers in my class. I felt accomplished going from one of the worst to being one of the best.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Growing up in a sports family, baseball was my life. While playing baseball in college at Florida A&M University, I came to a fork in the road. I could either change my major to criminal justice, which would allow me to keep playing baseball, or choose a major that I was passionate about and start learning about my future career. The decision was tremendously hard, but I knew what I had to do. I chose to major in Graphic Design with a minor in Photography. After Graduation, I was fortunate to have a two part-time job lineup at Florida State University. There I worked as a security guard and as a Graphic Designer. Crazy combination, right? I know, lol. From there, I would continue to learn and grow as a Designer through different job opportunities and research. Eight years later, I am here in Orlando, FL, working as a full-time Graphic Designer while also running my own creative business on the side.

I am a Graphic Designer who specializes in Branding, Print Design, and Multimedia Design. I like to think of myself as creative problem solver. Many Graphic Designers have different styles and will not go away from that style no matter what. Me on the other hand, I adapt. I simply get the job done. I believe that what sets me apart from others. Being versatile and wearing many different hats are what I am known for. I’d have to say that the project that I am most proud of is my “Back 2 School” campaign for Volusia County. My designs were place on the city buses for thousands of people to see. This was a project that was completed earlier in my career.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Like anything in life, you will have your ups and downs. While working in my hometown of Tallahassee, FL, I was faced with many obstacles. Full-time Graphic Design jobs were hard to come by. I moved around through many Temporary employment agencies while living there. I have met some great people as well as some nasty people while moving from job to job. I’ve been laid off several times, and I’ve also landed some jobs that I didn’t think I was going to get. One day, I sat on my couch in Tallahassee and realizes that if wanted to grow as a designer and be compensated fairly for my work experience, I need to move to a place where there are many more job opportunities for Graphic Designers. I packed up everything and moved to Orlando, FL in 2018. Many challenges will come your way no matter what journey you embark on. I have a saying which I have to remind myself of to stay level-headed. “Never let the highs get too high and never let the lows get too low.”

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an Designer is the satisfaction that I bring to each and every client. Watching them light up with their finished products does a lot for me. I love helping people solve their problems.

Contact Info:

• Website: Design35llc.com
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