Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaleel Harris.
Hi Jaleel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Growing up, my mother was an artist, so I was exposed to art from an early age. In high school, I took AP art classes, but my teacher told me that if I wanted to excel in art, I would have to choose between it and football. I decided to focus on football and ended up earning a scholarship to the University of Arkansas at Monticello. However, I rediscovered my passion for art when I joined Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity in 2007. I was given an assignment for a fraternity event; I created a flyer using my design skills, which I hadn’t used in three years. That experience sparked my interest in design, and I began designing flyers for local promoters and my chapter. I continued to experiment with branding, logo design, photography, print design, and web design throughout college and into my professional life, which led me to Houston.
When I arrived in Houston, a recruiter told me that I needed a digital portfolio, so I pursued personal training while developing my portfolio and networking. Eventually, I started designing logos and brands for small businesses, and my business grew through word of mouth and social media. In 2020, I decided to start an LLC, and since then, I have helped over 40 small businesses with their branding. Currently, I work with The Sensory Path as a graphic designer, designing games for autistic children. I have also expanded into the world of UX design and I just completed the Google Ux Design Certification. In short, I am proficient in various areas of graphic design and can do almost anything related to it.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The journey hasn’t been smooth sailing. My biggest challenge was learning design tools with limited university knowledge. I had to rely on endless YouTube tutorials and trial and error to figure out what works and what doesn’t. Another obstacle was developing my design process and determining what works best. Setting fair price points for clients and accounting for my time, effort, and energy was also difficult. Lastly, learning how to run a business was challenging, but giving up was never an option.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a UX/Graphic Designer, my area of expertise is in branding and logo design. What brings me the most pride is transforming my hobby into a successful business, and I feel grateful that people trust me to bring their vision to reality. I believe my unique approach to questioning sets me apart from others. Being an analytical person, I ask a significant number of questions to understand my client’s needs and desires, enabling us to achieve the desired outcome.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
The COVID-19 pandemic forced me to rethink my approach to generating income without relying on a traditional 9-5 job. I leveraged my natural abilities to develop creative ways of marketing myself and utilized the skills I acquired in personal training to generate income. This challenging situation prompted me to be resourceful and innovative in finding new avenues for generating revenue.
Contact Info:
- Website: jharriscrowns.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jharris_crowns_designs/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JHarrisCrowns
Image Credits
Jaybird Media
