Inspiring Conversations with Jackson Alvey of Everlast Design Studio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackson Alvey.

Hi Jackson, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started designing during my first year of high school, creating fake branding for a business I wanted to start and learning the basics (it looked pretty rough back then). Later in high school, I did show posters for local productions and my school musical. I had started creating social media graphics for myself and sharing them as part of my job as Student Body Vice President. I attended the University of Arizona in the Musical Theatre BFA program. Still, after lockdowns started and everything shifted online, I switched to the Communication program and started designing more to pass the time. Before long, I was designing logos for friends and submitting myself for small branding projects online. I got my first actual client and started a client process in early 2021, and I formed my business that summer. Flash forward to now, and I’ve gotten to work with several amazing business owners over the past several months as I’ve refined my services and processes, invested in several courses and a brand strategy certification, and fallen totally in love with what I do!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The biggest challenge has been navigating a full-time business while finishing my undergrad. I’ve always loved a challenge and throwing myself into work; even though I’m doing everything on top of a full course load, switching between design, strategy, content creation, bookkeeping, creative directing for photo shoots, etc., has been fun and rewarding. I’ve loved learning about all these different business areas and audiences in school and applying them in real-time to my business and client projects! I have to wear so many hats simultaneously, which is both exciting and hard at times.

As you know, we’re big fans of your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the business?
Everlast Design Studio straddles the line between professional and casual, bringing a youthful, down-to-earth approach to brand design. We work with ambitious young business owners to bring their dream brands to life through authentic, timeless, and inventive brand strategy and design. Being a part of Gen-Z gives me a unique perspective as both a consumer and designer of brands that are taking over the market right now, and that’s exciting! The most rewarding thing to me so far is working with younger business owners like myself who want to make a big difference in the world. Bringing their product or service to more people just like them and getting to relate 1:1 like that and collaborate through the creation process to help bring their brand to life is very special to me. I’m also proud that we are shifting to work with brands making sustainability an important pillar in their business, and I hope to be solely working with these businesses by the end of 2023. All of our custom projects begin with Brand Strategy (Our customer-centric approach to positioning your brand against competitors in your industry by analyzing their unique selling points and finding ways you can stand out from the crowd. Crafting a unique Brand Voice, Differentiating factor, and Values that guide you throughout each big business decision, and Creative Direction and social media strategy). From there, our signature offering is Brand Identity design, which draws on your brand strategy to build a unique, aligned visual language for your business. From there, some clients choose to pursue a web design project, print-ready marketing materials, social media design packages, and more! Our latest service, launched on September 19, is called a Design Intensive, a more condensed, more affordable brand design project structure for those who are just starting their business or need a branding refresh. If you’re looking to create a custom project or design intensive to launch or relaunch your business in 2023, you can visit our website at www.everlastdesignstudio.com to inquire!

Do you have any advice for those just starting?
For anyone starting in brand design, don’t let imposter syndrome get you down! So many incredible designers in our field are self-taught or have limited education, and they’re changing the world one design at a time. You have the creative power to do the same, so don’t let that feeling of invalidity get you down. The other thing I would say is to start. I waited so long to market myself as a designer because I thought I had to check a bunch of boxes before being good enough to get hired. Still, the truth is I could only have gained the skills and knowledge I use every day now by throwing myself into working on passion projects for my portfolio or smaller, low-paying projects that I bid for online. And last but not least, please reach out! I’d love to connect with you!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.JacksonAlvey.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/byjacksonalvey

Image Credits
Ashley Ailene Photography