We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Scott Eakins. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Scott below.
Scott, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
I kind of stumbled upon the wrap industry as a graphic designer and fell in love. I think that my creativity and passion help drive me to succeed. My youth and cognitive blindness may have been what held me back. When I started in the business I was young, I had other priorities that kept me from focusing on growing in the field. I also had the dream of becoming an artist, selling my art for a living. This is where the cognitive blindness came in, I didn’t immediately see the creative potential in wrap design and installation. Once I embraced the thought of how what I did everyday was an art and I could push that art further, my wrap design and installation skills have never stopped growing. There is always something new to learn or designs to push further. I just wish I would have came to the realization earlier in life though.
Scott, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I started out as a designer in a sign shop. The shop was small so we all had a hand in on many projects. The designers were often asked to help with production or installs of the signs and vinyl wraps. This appealed to me greatly, I enjoy hands on work and as a design/marketing graduate I was already unsure about a career where I would be sitting at a desk everyday in front of a computer. This job, where I was hired to be a designer got me out of the chair and allowed me to work with my hands. It also opened my eyes to the vinyl world. I sought out helping on the vehicle wraps and soaked up everything the experienced installers had to teach me. I later moved to a different sign shop to pursue a position that focused on wrap installation. Over the years with that shop I worked with practically every type of vinyl on all kinds of surfaces. This forced me to learn the specs, limitations, and possibilities of vinyl. I pushed to always learn new methods for wrapping going to classes and using some fantastic online resources. I used my growing skills to work my way into a wrap specialist position, where I quoted, designed, specced, printed, produced, and installed most of the wrap projects that came through the shop. I now run a shop of my own specializing in vehicle wraps and graphics. My background in graphic design and the sign industry helps me stand out from other wrap shops. When you come to me for a project I am able to do everything from design to application. I have a genuine passion for creativity, thinking outside the box and providing a quality product.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Never becoming complacent with just getting the job done. I try to provide quality work for every project. Treat every job like its your biggest job yet. Staying vigilant to a consistent quality but not forgetting to grow, everyone can learn more, be better.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
I started working for my business partner when I was in high school. He had an ATV dealership that also did preventive maintenance on cars. I mostly pulled weeds and washed cars at the start. I worked with him for years, even through collage part-time. Once I got my hands on vinyl I suggested he let me stripe one of his cars. It was a hit for him and a taste of car customization for me. Fast forward about 10 years I had done all of his cars, his friends and was doing steady work with a car dealership. My reputation with vinyl had spread in the area and had more work that I could handle part-time. We decided to partner up and start a full-time wrap business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wewrapohio.com
- Instagram: _wewrapscott
