We were lucky to catch up with Mark King recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Mark thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Any thoughts about whether to ask friends and family to support your business. What’s okay in your view?
I have heard several stories of entrepreneurs not getting much support from friends and family, but my story is different. My family is one of the main reasons I decided to start my business. My family saw a hobby I was “good at” and pushed me to take it to the next level. I am so blessed to have such amazing friends and family that support my business. Their support comes without me asking. My friends and family are constantly sending me referrals, tagging my business on social media posts, and sharing posts from my business accounts. Most of my clients have come from word-of-mouth referrals from friends and family. If you believe your friends and family will support you, go for it! You will never know unless you ask.
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 was born and raised in South Georgia and am currently located in Atlanta, GA. I have always had an eye for creativity. My creative work started as a hobby to generate extra money while in high school and college, but a push from family and friends led me to convert that hobby into a creative agency business. It took me several weeks to settle on a name for my newly-formed business, but with the help of my mentor, I decided on King Design Solutions.
King Design Solutions is an Atlanta-based creative agency specializing in Graphic Design, Web Design, Corporate Branding, and Video Production. With over 20 years of experience, I can work with clients who don’t quite know how to articulate what they want and turn that into a work of art. King Design Solutions gets to know our clients and their company so that we can incorporate their personality and vision into the designs. Even though I have been doing this for several years, seeing my client’s faces light up when they see their final products always makes my heart smile. Seeing those same clients share my work on social media, where it gets even more rave reviews are the moments that make me the proudest.
We recently entered a partnership with a local creative studio, 1154 Studios. 1154 Studios is a media company that specializes in brand visibility solutions for businesses interested in growing their clientele. With this newly formed partnership, we offer full-cycle branding and marketing services with over 20 years of experience.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
My initial capital to fund King Design Solutions was money I saved from my 9 to 5 to purchase equipment and software needed. I wanted to start the business without taking on debt. As the company continued to grow, it was able to generate the funds to run without having to rely on outside sources. Not saying it was easy, but it was well worth it.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
One particular goal for King Design Solutions is to grow in revenue, where I can pay myself an annual salary comparable to my current 9 to 5. Year over year, I am seeing growth in revenue and I believe it is only a matter of time before that goal becomes a reality.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.KingDesignSolutions.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingdesignsolutions/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KingDesignSolutions
Image Credits
1154 Studios, LLC