Success Stories

Kammy Thurman

Five years ago, when I was designing newsletters for my church and a local business, I had no idea it would lead to a professional design career. I was mostly just doing it for fun – along with article writing – as a creative outlet while staying home to raise my young sons.

Then one day I received a letter in the mail about AWAI’s copywriting program. I thought it would be a good skill to have, so I signed up. Well, that program completely changed my life.

I changed focus from writing articles to writing sales promotions. And from looking at writing as a creative outlet to seeing it as a real business. I started getting commercial clients within the first three months after I started the program, and quickly found they not only needed copywriting services, they also needed design services.

After I finished the copywriting program, I heard about AWAI’s graphic design program. It was brand-new and I thought, “What the heck, it could be useful for my clients.” I really enjoy designing on the computer, so I dived into the program.

I was so excited to discover how much demand there is for people who can create good, clean designs. I don’t really care for the cutting edge stuff, because often it’s more about the designer’s ego than about selling. So it was great to find out that a lot of marketers feel the same way, and they need the kind of designs I like to create.

As soon as I signed up for the program, clients started asking for design work too, and by the time I finished four months later, I was doing almost as much design as copywriting.

Up until this year, I’ve been working part-time while home-schooling my kids. In January, I put my kids in school and made the jump to a full-time business, because it was growing too big to do both.

Professional designers like Lori Haller and Roger Parker keep saying that there’s a ton of work out there, and they’re so right. I’ve done very little marketing, yet I have constant business. And I’m convinced that if someone like me – a home-school mom from a small town in the middle of Montana – can have a successful design business at home … really, anyone can do it.

Dennis Rome

I’m one of those people who took the long way around to making a career out of my passion. I’ve run a successful computer consulting business in Louisiana for the last 15 years, and though I’ve been interested in design and layout for a long time I didn’t pursue it seriously. Before starting the AWAI program, I did a Christmas newsletter every year, but that was about it.

Back in 2003, I was looking for a way to expand my skills. So when I got the DM piece about AWAI’s graphic design program, I jumped at the opportunity. It took me about five months to go through the program – not long at all, because I was very motivated to get going professionally.

As I was approaching the end of the program, I knew I needed to learn how to promote myself, so I signed up for AWAI’s Selling Yourself program. Applying what I learned in Selling Yourself, I landed my first project – designing a special report for none other than Master Copywriter Bob Bly.

Bob liked what I sent him and had seven more projects for me. Those projects turned into more still, as well as referrals to other people he knows ... and a great testimonial from Bob. I was on my way!

Now my design business brings in about 75% of my income. The other 25% comes from my other computer business. But I plan to go into design full-time very soon. It pays a lot better … and designing is far more fun than dealing with computer woes.

I still get most of my business the same way I got those first few projects – through referrals from satisfied clients. That’s why I tell other new designers to give the program your very best effort. And use the self-promo strategies available from AWAI’s Selling Yourself program. Do a stellar job early on, because word gets out about the caliber of your work and it will help you grow your business faster than you ever imagined.

Soon, you’ll be as shocked as I was to find yourself working with the top pros in the world! That’s really exciting!