Hidden Gems: Meet Jon Michael Perry of Imaginary Friends design studios

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jon Michael Perry.

Hi Jon Michael, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Jon Michael Perry’s path to founding Imaginary Friends design studios started early, with equal parts curiosity and craft. In high school he was the kid who played computer games, then got curious about what made them work. That curiosity turned into teaching himself HTML through AOL on a 2400 baud modem, long before “learn to code” was a common slogan. At the same time, he was enrolled in CTE programs for drafting, electronics, and radio and television. Even then, the pattern was clear. He gravitated toward the intersection of creativity, communication, and systems.

After high school, Jon Michael went to Arizona State University in Computer Systems Engineering with a goal that made perfect sense for him at the time: he wanted to build video games, specifically for LucasArts. While in college, he consistently found real world work along the way, building websites for departments and programs and gaining early experience with how organizations communicate and how small changes in clarity can create big improvements in outcomes. During that season, he also redesigned the logo for the Associated Students, the first update in decades, which reinforced a lesson that would shape his career: when people can see themselves clearly, they show up differently.

When he graduated, the dot com crash changed the landscape. Instead of stepping into a booming tech market, Jon Michael freelanced in the Phoenix area and learned how to build stability by being genuinely useful to clients. Not simply creative, but reliable, strategic, and outcome oriented. After a serious illness, he moved back to Yuma, Arizona, where he had spent much of his early life. That move became a turning point, not only personally, but professionally.

Back in Yuma, Jon Michael stepped into the family self storage business and took on operations and marketing. Over time, the business grew from a 1.9 acre facility to a 9 acre facility through three expansions. He modernized systems across contracts, operations, payment processes, and customer experience. That chapter mattered because it grounded him in what makes businesses work. It gave him a deep respect for operations, service delivery, and the reality that a brand is only as strong as the experience behind it.

In parallel, Jon Michael launched Imaginary Friends design studios with a deliberate intention. He wanted a company name that could live beyond him, carry a sense of creativity and cleverness, and scale into something more substantial than freelance work. The studio began with the basics, business cards, flyers, brochures, and websites. Over the years, it evolved into a full service brand partner specializing in brand identity discovery and development, digital footprint strategy and execution, and strategic engagement. Today that includes websites and applications, social media, SEO and AEO, newsletters, direct mail marketing, trade show marketing, sponsorship and opportunity program development, and consulting support for books and authors.

A hallmark of Jon Michael’s work is how he guides clients through uncertainty. Many organizations begin the process with questions, doubt, and an unclear path. The outcome is a system they can follow. A brand they understand. Tools they can actually use. He helps clients move from “we are not sure what to do next” to “we have a clear direction, and we know how to show up consistently.”

Over the years, his work has earned recognition including an ADDY Award, and he has led major initiatives such as the full rebrand of Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation (GYEDC), including a complete logo system and an in depth brand guide. He has also stayed deeply invested in developing the next generation of talent through internships, SkillsUSA support, and ongoing involvement in CTE and CTED efforts, including advisory roles and judging competitions at regional and state levels.

Jon Michael is also a rural business advocate. He brings high level brand strategy to communities that are often overlooked, helping rural organizations understand how the world sees businesses today and how to compete without losing what makes them authentic. Imaginary Friends design studios exists to make brand building more clear, more accessible, and more enjoyable, so organizations can grow with confidence, not confusion.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not been a smooth road, and I think that is part of why I can guide other businesses through uncertainty with a steady hand.

One of the biggest challenges was health. Getting seriously ill forced a reset and changed the pace and direction of my life. It also taught me what matters when you are building something long term. Consistency, systems, and clarity are not luxuries. They are what keep you afloat when life throws a curveball.

Another struggle was confidence and rejection, especially early on. I was in my 20s trying to earn trust with business owners in their 40s and 50s, in a rural market where branding, digital presence, and strategic marketing were not always part of daily conversation. That meant I had to learn how to communicate value without sounding like I was trying to impress anyone. I had to listen better, speak more clearly, and prove myself through results. It took time to understand that in environments like that, trust is built through consistency and follow through, not style.

Scaling has been its own learning curve. Growth exposed bottlenecks and forced me to mature as a leader. Building a team, training interns, refining workflows, and keeping quality high required a different skill set than freelancing. It pushed me to build structure, set standards, and make decisions based on what the business needed, not just what I wanted the business to be.

The toughest point was when Covid hit. Suddenly, the question was not simply how to serve our standard customers, but how to be valuable to the community in a moment when everything was uncertain. We had to adapt quickly, rethink our role, and stay relevant by focusing on what people needed most: clear communication, practical support, and steady execution when plans were changing weekly.

There were also lessons I learned the hard way. I wish I had paid myself from day one. It would have managed expectations and created healthier boundaries earlier. I also learned that I need to be what my clients need, not what I want to be for my clients. That shift made everything better. It clarified our services, strengthened our process, and improved outcomes for clients.

All of those struggles shaped the strength of Imaginary Friends design studios today. We refined our message, built better systems, and became more intentional about who we serve. The work now is not becoming something different. The work is making sure the right people can find us, the clients who value clarity, strategy, and a partner who can guide them with confidence, no matter where they live.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Imaginary Friends design studios is a brand strategy and design firm based in Yuma, Arizona, serving clients locally, regionally, and across the country. We help businesses, nonprofits, and organizations move from “we are not sure how to explain what we do” to a clear brand system they can use with confidence. That system includes how you look, how you sound, how you show up online, and how you engage your community in a way that builds trust and drives action.

What we do

We build brands that work in the real world. That means we do more than design logos or websites. We guide clients through clarity first discovery, then translate that clarity into tools that make execution easier.

Our work centers around three areas:

Brand identity discovery and development
We help organizations define their positioning, message, and visual identity so the brand feels true and consistent. This includes logo systems, brand marks, color and typography standards, icon sets, and comprehensive brand guides that make it easy for teams to stay aligned.

Digital footprint
We design and build websites and digital experiences that communicate value clearly and guide customers toward action. We also support ongoing visibility through SEO and AEO, content structure, newsletters, and social media systems that help brands stay consistent without feeling overwhelmed.

Strategic engagement
We help clients show up in the places that matter, with tools that support growth and outreach. That includes direct mail marketing, trade show marketing, sponsorship and opportunity program development, and campaign support. We also consult with authors and organizations that need help packaging, positioning, and promoting their work.

What we are known for

We are known for clarity and guidance. Clients come to us with ideas, goals, and often a lot of uncertainty. We help them find the signal in the noise. Then we build a system they can follow. Our process is structured, collaborative, and designed to reduce decision fatigue.

We are also known for being able to bridge strategy and execution. Many firms are either high level strategy or pure production. We do both. We help you define the direction, then we help you build the assets and tools that keep that direction consistent.

What sets us apart

We guide, we do not overwhelm.
Our clients are busy. They do not need another vendor handing them choices without context. They need a partner who can lead the process, explain what matters, and make the path feel clear.

We build systems, not just deliverables.
A logo is not a brand. A website is not a strategy. We create brand systems that work across teams, vendors, and channels, so clients can maintain consistency long after the project ends.

We make high level brand work accessible, especially for rural businesses.
We come from a rural market. We understand the gap between where many businesses are today and how the world expects them to show up. We help close that gap without losing authenticity.

We care about the next generation of talent.
Through our internship program, SkillsUSA involvement, and ongoing support of CTE and CTED efforts, we invest in training future designers, developers, and communicators with real world experience and mentorship.

What we are most proud of brand wise

We are most proud of the trust our clients place in us and the transformations they experience when clarity clicks. A strong example is our work with Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation (GYEDC), where we delivered a full rebrand including a new logo system and an in depth brand guide. We are proud of work like that because it is not about a “pretty design.” It is about helping an organization represent itself with confidence and communicate consistently with its stakeholders.

We are also proud of the brand we have built for ourselves. Imaginary Friends design studios is intentionally positioned as a guide. We bring mentor energy to the work. We want clients to feel supported, not judged. Our brand promise is that the process will feel steady, the strategy will be clear, and the final assets will be practical and built to last.

What we want readers to know

Imaginary Friends design studios exists to help organizations be understood. If your brand feels inconsistent, your message feels unclear, or your marketing feels scattered, that is not a character flaw. It is usually a systems problem. We help solve that by building a clear foundation, then giving you the tools to express it consistently across your identity, your online presence, and your outreach.

We believe good branding is not about hype. It is about clarity, trust, and follow through. That is what we build.

What does success mean to you?
Success is growth that creates freedom.

For our clients, success means the work helps them grow in a way that actually changes their life and their business. More clarity, more confidence, more consistent traction, and the freedom to pursue the next dream instead of being stuck in survival mode. If what we build helps them be understood, earn trust faster, and make better decisions with less friction, that is success.

For our team, success means developing people. If someone shows up with a spark of talent and we can nurture it, train it, and help them build confidence and skill, then watch them flourish, whether they grow with us or head into a new adventure, that is a win we are proud of.

For me personally, success is longevity with joy. If I am still doing this work at 70, not because I have to, but because I love it, because it keeps me curious, useful, and connected to people, that is success.

Pricing:

• Logo Kits start at $1500
• Brand System + Guide Starts at $8500
• Master Brand Guide & Master Brand Voice Work Books coming soon at $99 and a special offer also attached to them.
• Recomendation of tools for new businesses to consider: Free

Contact Info:

• Website: https://neversee.me
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/ifdesignstudios
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ifdstudios/
• LinkedIn: http://www.youtube.com/user/iFdesignstudios
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/iFdesignstudios
• Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/iFdesignstudios