Profile: Andy Wall, Clark Student,'07
RUN MEDIA
Andy Wall looks at his freelance design work as a service that helps his business clients market themselves and develop strong brand identities. “A large portion of what I do is a blend between marketing and design. I also work with the clients to help them figure out what they are doing next.” Wall, a senior Economics major from Greenwich, Connecticut, said that when he works with a new client, he doesn’t just focus on the current state of their business, but brainstorms with them about where they see themselves in the future so that he can create his designs with this in mind to help them get there.
Run Media, Wall’s design company, works with small businesses on everything from print design, brochures, menus, ads, interactive web sites and animation. This past year, he worked with about 10 to 15 clients, and is currently working with five active clients. Wall’s clients have ranged from a day spa in Arizona, to a record company in Los Angeles, a video surveillance service in New York and another Clark student business, Initial Advantage. He said all his clients have been referred to him, and that right now he has more business than he has time for.
Wall has been creating his designs for about eight years, and working for a profit for about six. He is self taught, and said he always had an interest in art, but wasn’t necessarily good at drawing and painting. Computers opened his eyes to a new form of design, but he mentioned this mode still requires talent and skill. “There is a misconception that anyone with computer software can do design, but that’s not the case. It requires a lot of thought and effort.”
Although Wall said the growth of his business while he was in college “just kind of happened,” he is now making it intentional. He plans to use the summer after graduation to experiment with it more to see where he can take it. His vision is to get some office space in New York City, bring on a partner, and have a steady stream of business. “I want to turn it into a vibrant design firm known for doing unique things.”
