We recently connected with Scott Arbital and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Scott thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

Most companies in the design and marketing field rely on two-three main clients to pay their bills throughout the year. These clients will usually be on a retainer for various types of work such as social media, print design, web maintenance, etc. The issue with this type of business plan is that if one of those clients drops out, then your company takes a large it. I have seen this happen time and time again, but I can share one experience that really illustrated this challenge to me.

A previous employer had two large Fortune 500 companies as ongoing clients. These organizations would be on yearly retainers for Powerpoint decks, social media, print material, event design, web design, etc. However, two issues occurred in a matter of a couple of years. The first was that my company was forced to part ways with one of these clients due to a few moral issues. The second issue was COVID. The pandemic made a lot of companies cut expenses, especially in marketing departments. This led to half (or less) of the overall work coming in from the prior year. My former employer lost both columns that held up their foundation in a short time and this eventually forced downsizing, budget cuts of their own and more.

Today there is so many ways to find clients and make money. You should not rely on only one or two big accounts to hold you up. Using preferred partner platforms, freelancer platforms, social media and more can lead to having 100s of large accounts.

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.

My name is Scott Arbital and I am a 29-year-old Founder, Creative Director, Graphic Designer, Artist and storyteller. Growing up, I was always an artist but things really started to change for me when I took a graphic design elective class in my junior year of high school. Each day I would do my assignments, then go home and redo them. My teacher may have had a vein popping out of his forehead for having to grade my work twice, but little did he know that he was building a fire within me. A passion to paint the world around me and build brands in my own vision.

By senior year, I had started posting my work through various social media networks and entering competitions for design and illustration. That winter, I won a national competition for a skateboard design, chosen by McRad. The reward was to have 1000 skateboards made for underprivileged kids, as well as one for myself. My dad, being a dad, bragged about my new accomplishment to all of his friends and colleagues. One professional in particular took an interest and asked to be connected with me for a logo design project. It happened to be for RSA Technology (an international cybersecurity organization). As payment, I was given an RSA jacket, $250.00 and a college recommendation. However, what I was really given was the chance to have my creativity seen internationally at such a young age.

By the end of my senior year, I had launched my freelance business. In the last 11 years, there have been ups and downs, lessons learned, obstacles hit, goals reached and so much more. Only recently has this endeavor become my one-track future as I brought on two partners for business, sales and project management. Together, we are building something that my 18-year-old self only dreamed of.

At our organization, M. Scott Media, we have developed a large infrastructure, while still providing a small business, white-glove service. Our team and process allow us to have very fast turnaround times for affordable prices. Each client gets to know our team members, be part of the process and become part of the family. They say you cannot have the best of both worlds, but somehow we have found the sweet spot. M. Scott Media’s infrastructure is virtually unseen in the industry today and because of that, our service allows for nearly any need in the design and branding space to be accomplished. We launched this M. Scott Media 2.0 only this year and in a short time, we have seen such growth and results by keeping prices low and turnaround times fast, while still giving work that blows our clients away.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Managing a team can be difficult, especially when you realize that being a leader does not mean that you always have the final word. There is a lot that goes into managing a team successfully and in my experience, the following is how the framework should look:

1. Foster Creativity: Create an environment that encourages and celebrates creativity. Provide resources, support, and freedom for team members to explore their ideas.

2. Encourage Collaboration: Foster a collaborative culture where everyone’s voice is heard and valued. Promote open communication and collaboration among team members to spark innovative solutions.

3. Lead by Example: Be a role model for your team. Demonstrate passion, enthusiasm, and a strong work ethic. Show them what it means to be dedicated and committed to their craft.

4. Empower and Support: Empower your team members by giving them autonomy and decision-making authority. Provide them with the support and resources they need to excel in their roles.

5. Foster Growth: Create opportunities for professional development and growth. Invest in training, workshops, and mentorship programs to help your team members expand their skills and reach their full potential.

6. Celebrate Achievements: Recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of your team. Acknowledge their hard work and contributions, both individually and as a collective, to foster a positive and motivated work environment.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is seeing the impact you can have on the world.

Recently, I had a client who requested a very important project from me…

His 3-year-old son had recently passed from cancer and after his grief, he is finally ready to take on the world again. With a background in construction, this client wanted to start his own business while keeping the memory of his son alive within it.

Lucas (his son) loved the Hulk. He got through his cancer treatments by saying “Lucas Smash”.

This man’s story and goals for his brand hit home for me. I was honored and humbled that he would come to me…not only to make his brand but keep his son’s memory alive.

The company name is “Courage Construction” because of the courage it took for the family to fight through this time of their lives. A “Hulk” fist/his son’s fist is punching through the word courage, reminding my client, his family and all who see it that this brave boy’s memory is still very much alive and well.

You never know how much of an impact you can make using your design skills and education. Some day you may be able to make a real difference to a single person, a family or a whole community.

Art shows us more than surface-level color and shapes. It teaches us about a business, the artist, a time period, an event, etc. It pulls out emotion from our inner being and sparks something in our brain. Creativity is impact and we should all be impactful!      

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mscottmedia.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mscottmedia/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MScottMedia
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-arbital/
• Other: My personal page can be found at https://www.instagram.com/scottarbital/ where I post about all my creative inspirations, life around me and more.