We were lucky to catch up with Scott Whatley recently and have shared our conversation below.

Scott, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?

When I was just out of high school I started a T- shirt company. I was designing and printing graphic Ts and trying to grow a brand. I new some guys in a band but only on a very surface level. They were playing a show in Jax so I went to go see if I could get there business. I wanted to print their merch. The guys agreed and as luck would have it a record executive was at that show and they signed a record deal within the next couple days. They went on to become the number one Christian artist of the year that year and needless to say I was extremely busy. While they were on some of biggest tours in the country they sent countless other bands my direction and designing/printing merch became the bulk of my business for the next ten or so years.

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.

I tell people I’m a full time freelancer and I specialize in branding , strategy, and content. I work with companies to figure out who their audience is and how they should speak to that audience to build trust and brand loyalty.
The most important thing is discovering the personality and tone of a brand or business and developing guard rails to keep the brand on track.
I started as a graphic designer who was focused on graphic Ts. The fun thing about designing apparel is that you have to be Lazer focused on who might buy that design. When working for a band you have to figure out who is in the crowd and what might attract them to the booth.
We used to break down a merch line into
“Dad shirt” “cool kid who didn’t wanna come to the show shirt “ “modest but cool mom shirt” and so on.
The end result is a crash corse in the psychology of a brand’s audience. This translates right over to any other type of brand building.

Having been a freelancer I had to learn all aspects of the creative process. From the concept to the execution.
On any given project now I can be in Adobe illustrator, photoshop, premiere, after effects and so on. I might be directing a commercial or shooting the project myself.
It’s fun! I get to write and cast and shoot Ans direct. Not that I need or want to control all those aspects but it’s just fun. I often higher out my roles as project budgets allow.

All in all it keeps me from feeling stagnant when I get to jump from skill to skill.

But if there is one thing that sets me apart it’s my creative concepting ability. If I had it my way I’d get paid to think only hahaha

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Freelancing is a long hard road of ups and downs. You win clients you loose clients.

At times it can feel like you’re on a tight rope walk just trying to make it to the other side.

Along this road I’ve had the chance to work with some large agencies on a freelance basis. I’ll get hired to come in and help win new businesses for an agency. Several times I’m my career that has resulted in job offers that I accepted. I usually enjoy the first couple of months then I have a wander lust for getting out and working for myself again. This has been the case every time!

One time as I left an agency with little to no plan I tried my hand at selling roofs… I thought hey I can do sales.

Unfortunately the company wasn’t paying the commissions as promised and I was flat broke. I didn’t have a penny. Right when I thought what have I done I was asked to design a logo. At the same time I started that project I didn’t have enough money to fill my gas tank… I called my boss and said unfortunately I have to quit. I can’t afford to drive to my next lead… so I decided they day I’m back in the creative world we’re I belong. I’ve never looked back.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Read everything Seth goden and Malcom glad we’ll have ever written. Then read them again. I read a book called brand scents that was amazing as well. Also the Steve Jobs biography… mostly because it’s the biggest book I’ve ever read and it feels good to finish things ! Haha

Contact Info:

• Website: Scottwhatleycreative.com
• Instagram: Scottwhatleycreative