How I Ended Up Here, Twenty Years On

As the brand of Jin Designs turned 20 years old this week, it got me thinking about the journey, and how I’ve managed to keep going on this self-employed journey for so long.

I always thought I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I didn’t know what A Levels to do. I didn’t know what to study at Uni. And I certainly didn’t know what I wanted to do when I left Uni. I drifted through my twenties, applying for so many random jobs - should I work in a bank, with the police, work for British Airways, Sainsbury’s or even MI5. They always say the world is your oyster but it’s not until you get a bit older you realise what this means. At the time you’re just thinking ‘what am I going to do that pays the bills and makes me happy’.

I knew it wasn’t the 9-5 role. Yes it would pay the bills but I felt trapped with the Monday to Friday office culture. I also struggled to find the jobs I wanted. I felt like I had a lot to give but the opportunities weren’t there. Perhaps this was more about the confidence I had in my skills more than anything else.

I fell into temping jobs. Thankfully I had learned to type when I was at school. That was one of the few helpful skills in terms of the business world, that I left school with. It was during one of these temping jobs, that I decided to do an evening class in Web Design and HTML. It was only an 8 week course but it was a stepping stone into a junior role which finally gave me experience of working in a design studio.

It was here I learned desktop publishing skills using Quark and Adobe Illustrator. I learned how to format pages and how to get them ready for print. I learned about brochures and leaflets and working with type. I worked with some talented graphic designers and watched how they turned pages of text into beautiful design work. It was the first real work that I really enjoyed and could immerse myself in.

I carried on down this path for another 3 years. I started to pick up the occasional bit of graphic design work for family and friends. And this slowly built up. It could have always been a part time thing until this happened.

I got made redundant from my safe and secure job. And it became now or never to set up shop and go it alone as a self-employed Graphic and Web Designer.

I started Jin Designs in 2005. My own business. Finally. I moved out of the office with colleagues and friends and into the home working for myself. The first thing that hit me was it was incredibly lonely. The only live thing I saw all day was the squirrels in the trees. And as for conversations, I soon realised that for this self-employed thing to work, I was going to have to get out more.

So how have I managed to work on my own for the last 20 years? Some people would think I must be crazy, or have driven myself crazy. But I’ve managed it with the help of a few people around me. 

There’s friends who remind me not to get so caught up in work and remember to enjoy friendships, laughter and fun.

I have my piano and band friends too. I play in a band called Greymatter. You’re never alone when you have music in your life.

I have my fitness buddies and gym community which gives me a life outside work and helps to keep me fit and healthy - mentally and physically.

And when I say I work on my own, that’s not entirely true. Well, virtually. I have people I work with every day. They’re just not sitting here beside me.

I have a fabulous fulfilment team based just 45 minutes away. This team deals with dispatching my orders, from picking and packing to looking after my stock. 

I have a very skilled digital marketer who helps me with my Facebook and Google marketing. I have a very helpful bookkeeper and an accountant. It might not always seem like teamwork round here. But it truly is.

And not forgetting the support team closer to home. I have wonderful Pebbles who’s been with me for the last 7 years of my self-employed life. I don’t know what I’d do without her.

And there’s Jen. Dear Jen. She puts up with a lot, having a small business owner at home all day every day. Can’t be easy but she’s put up with me for 9 years of my self employed life.

So there it is. 20 years of Jin Designs. It’s not been easy. It’s quite solitary at times and you definitely need a bit of resilience and self motivation. But I love my work and all my creations and for now we shall continue. Who knows what tomorrow will bring so let’s enjoy the time we have while we can. Thanks for reading this, and thanks for being part of the Jin Designs journey.

Jinny
Designer / Founder
20 years of Jin Designs