We were lucky to catch up with Noni Garrett recently and have shared our conversation below.

Noni , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

One year ago, on March 25th, 2023, I launched my small business. Initially, doubts swirled in my mind, questioning whether this endeavor was the right choice and whether my community would show interest. However, driven by a desire to foster support and transform creative aspirations into tangible realities for those around me, I adopted the motto “turning your visions into reality.”

As an artist and creative thinker, I constantly seek new avenues for expression, striving to bring ideas to fruition and innovate. The vibrant creative atmosphere at Howard University is unparalleled, with a plethora of student-led brands showcasing immense talent. Contributing to this supportive environment has always been a personal aspiration.

Given the abundance of student brands on campus, I leveraged my platform to assist and champion their endeavors. Utilizing my expertise in graphic and digital design, I crafted brand mockups, flyers, logos, 3D models, and collaborated on creative projects.

Additionally, I established a user-friendly website to organize the communication of creative concepts and seamlessly transform them into reality. Witnessing projects come to fruition and positively impact individuals one step at a time has been immensely rewarding.

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.

“All ideas originate from a vision, and my objective is to actualize those visions into reality.

Hi, I’m Noni Garrett, iam a twenty year old , second-year Howard University Electronic Studio Arts Major, and computer science minor from PG County, Maryland by way of Durban South Africa. My company is SamoresDigitals, a service-based business aimed at uplifting, and expanding creativity, not only on campus but also within my community, one step at a time.

Starting my buisness has been the best thing ive ever done because iam constantly maximizing my creative juices and building strong teams with others, along side of it being fun and it opened many new opportunities for me. My personal work has been in Miami Art Basel Dec’2023, I’ve had the opportunity to speak about my work at Buss Boys & Poets & had some personal work installed at the restaurant. Traveled to California, met another artist and worked in the industry as an intern last year for the Black Love Experience in collab with Nubian Hueman.

Since childhood, I’ve harbored a STRONG passion for creation, whether through painting, sketching, frame-by-frame paper animation, mixed media, or small digital works. This passion has fueled my soul, and day by day, the burning fire within me only intensified. As a young child, I utilized my dad’s 2008 Windows Desktop and the Windows Paint App, using a mouse for my drawings, until eventually transitioning to a drawing tablet connected to my laptop via a USB cable. In high school, I enrolled in a computer graphics class, which introduced me to the basics of Photoshop and Illustrator, sparking my interest further.

Around four years ago, during the pandemic, like every other teenager, I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. My friends and I would gather on group FaceTime daily, and one day, we came up with the idea of hosting a “fake” award ceremony for our collective achievements over the years—over Zoom! I aimed to mimic a real awards show as closely as possible, injecting some comedic relief. That day marked my initiation into creating graphics on Adobe Photoshop. With my limited skills from high school and guidance from YouTube tutorials, video shorts, and wikiHow articles, I delved into learning Photoshop.

Upon being accepted to Howard University and enrolling in Computer in the Arts, my knowledge expanded, exposing me to a new array of skills and functionalities that I later utilized to kickstart my business.

Identifying a problem, I noticed a lack of brand awareness surrounding student businesses and projects on campus. I aspired to assist and support them in expanding their brand with a creative touch. Initially daunting, especially as a freshman trying to establish my name, I remained optimistic. As my business flourished, I seized the opportunity to network and connect with individuals from all corners of campus and beyond. Growing my community remains paramount, as I endeavor to demonstrate the value of representation and foster unity among all.

Aligning perfectly with the motto of Howard University, “Truth and Service” I embodied the spirit of mutual support and community assistance, one step at a time. “Turning visions into reality”.

Think of my business as a service-oriented company, dedicated to supporting others while inspiring the public to create.”

How did you build your audience on social media?

Establishing a social media presence within the design community is crucial for expanding one’s network and client base. Before launching my website, I utilized Instagram by posting both stories and regular posts. Initially, I was uncertain about the approach to unveil and share projects, as I aimed to avoid exclusively showcasing personal endeavors on my page. However, with the introduction of Instagram’s collaboration feature, I leveraged this function to showcase collaborative projects with others, subsequently fostering growth in my network. In my view, collaborations are advantageous due to the reposting capability they offer.

It was definitely an eye opener !

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Its about who you know , not what you know!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.samoresdigitals.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samoresdigitals/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noni-garrett/
• Other: personal instagram : https://www.instagram.com/earth2noni/

Image Credits
Nolan Baynes, Naledi Malunga & Amarey Gilltention