IAM1832 – Creative Director Helps Small Business Owners Turn Their Vision Idea Into a Design

Transcription:

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Russ McIntosh Teaser 00:00

She said “Dad, why do you keep working for these companies when we can see that you have a passion for doing this? You have all this knowledge. Why don't you start your own company”? From the mouth of babes, I've been telling them to live their dreams, and now she's telling me live my dream. And I'm like, I really should.

She said to live my dream and pursue this. So I think this is my moment. Started Vision Idea Design and we've been off and running ever since.

Intro 00:24

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups, and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview?

If so, you've come to the right place. Gresham Harkness values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of. This is the I AMCEO podcast.

Gresham Harkless 00:51

Hello, this is Gresh from the I am CEO podcast and I appreciate you listening to this episode. If you've been listening this year, you know that we've hit 1600 episodes at the beginning of this year. We're doing something a little bit different. Where we're repurposing our favorite episodes around certain categories, topics, or as I like to call them, business pillars that we think are going to be extremely impactful for CEOs, entrepreneurs, and business owners, just like you, what I like to call the CB nation architects who are looking to level up their organizations.

This month, we are focusing on CEO hacks and CEO nuggets. This is by far one of my favorite questions I asked on the show. In other words, I asked, what are the apps, books, and habits that make you more effective and efficient. Those were the CEO hacks. Then I asked for a word of wisdom or a piece of advice or something that you might tell your younger business of viewer to hop into a time machine and those were the CEO nuggets. That's what we'll focus on this month and some of the top ones that can instantly impact your business.

I love all the questions, but with every episode, I thought I would walk away with something I could look at and implement right to save the precious resources, time and money. Or I would also learn about the advice, tips and tidbits or tools of the trade on how to level up our organization. So you'll hear some of these this month. So sit back and enjoy this special episode of the I am CEO podcast.

Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Gresh from the I AM CEO podcast. I have a very good friend that's on the shows today. I have Russ McIntosh of Vision Idea Design. Russ, super excited to have you on the show.

Russ McIntosh 02:26

Hey, thank you very much. I've been a fan of the I AM CEO podcast for so long. I'm glad to be on here now.

Gresham Harkless 02:32

Yeah, absolutely. We're able to get some time from your schedule and able to get you on to hear about all the awesome things that you're doing. Of course, before we jumped into that, I wanted to read a little bit more about Russ, so you can hear about some of the awesome things.

Russ is the owner and creative director of vision idea design. An all-inclusive graphic design firm in Fairfax, Virginia, from logo concept to product packaging from trade show banners to exterior designs, as well as book publishing and printing.

Vision Idea Design helps small businesses and entrepreneurs in the community achieve their goals and pursue their vision to success. Russ is always lending a helping hand to the community as much as possible and through chamber membership and networking groups as well as art showcases and mentorship.

Russ, again excited to have you on the show to hear about all the awesome things you're doing. Are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO community?

Russ McIntosh 03:18

Yeah, I'm definitely ready.

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Gresham Harkless 03:20

Awesome. Let's get it started then. So to kick everything off. I want to rewind the clock, hear a little bit more on how you got started. What I call your CEO story.

Russ McIntosh 03:27

All right I've been doing graphic design for 25 years, but I've been an artist all my life. I'm the middle child of an older brother, younger sister and I had the art in playing at a very young age. My brother was like in kindergarten or 1st grade or something and had a homework assignment of draw where you live. I'm the younger brother and I wanted to be like my older brother. He was sitting at the dining room table drawing his house and we lived right next to a bridge. So there's a house and a car going over bridge while sitting on the opposite side of him. A I drew the exact same picture with the house and the bridge, but it was mirrored.

So when the car was going left on my side, it was going right and then the house is on the left and it's on the right on mine. And even his little janky, like his windows were a little slanted one way or another. Mine were slanted the same exact way. My mom saw that at such a young age, and she encouraged me and believed in me and propelled me into the art realm. One day at the local convenience store it was high over on Minnieville Road on a city Virginia. A gentleman put up a flyer saying sign company needs part-time assistance. I'm like I can't really work part time. I've got a family, I've got a wife and kids and I've got this full-time job as a construction worker making really good money.

But sign installation, sign up. That's like artwork. I can see drawing things and everything. So I gave him a ring and I was like, look, I've got a full-time job. I've got a wife and kids. I'm trying to go to school. I was on the seven-year Novo two-year course. So instead of taking two years it took me 7 years and I was like, I've got a lot of things going on, but I'd like to get like a foot in the door and learn about the industry and how to become a graphic designer because I've been helping my friends with flyers and stuff and that's some way to get in. He took me under his wing and he helped me. I would work off every other day for a few hours in the evening when I wasn't going to school, work on the weekends. I had a little toddler at the time and he had a toddler. So we'll bring them both into the office on the weekends while we're making the signs and we're using skill saws.

This was in the late 80s, and early 90s before the computers were so advanced, and then around the early 90s computers started doing more and more in the workforce and Adobe came around and he started teaching me what we both started learning Adobe at the same time. Just over a short time, it gave me enough of a foothold. It gave me the education with the computer systems and using Adobe and the different sign industries and graphic design industry software, that I was able to parlay that and to get in a full-time job at another company. I kept plateauing out in these different companies within the sign industry. I ended up working with FDA news and we did everything from book publishing to newspaper layout to online newsletters.

It was a great experience because it was such a news setting that you see on TV and movies like the bullpen with the editor over here and the reporter over there and I've been working all these jobs and getting up to the management spot and then having a shift. When my youngest daughter turned 18, she said “Dad, why do you keep working for these companies when we can see that you have a passion for doing this. You have all this knowledge. Why don't you start your own company”? From the mouth of babes, I've been telling them to live their dreams and now she's telling me and live my dream and I'm like, I really should. And I started putting things in the place.

First day it was in October. So we're coming up on 5 years ago that I was working with my marketing matters in Gaithersburg. She said to live my dream and pursue this. So I think this is my moment. I called up two of my designers that I worked with me and one of the sales reps and I was like, I had a Jerry McGuire moment. Come on gang, let's do this. So, the next day, Friday, October 13th, 2017, I started Vision Idea Design and we've been off and running ever since. In the last five years, we've changed courses so many times. I ended up working with a government contractor that helped me set up a lot of things in place. The solutions granted just over there. She helped me on my business and  she knew I was starting my business. She's oh you need to do this. You need to do this and she helped me with my business aspect and they're great clients. I've had them now for several years and they help keep my roof over my head and it's good friendship that we have and I'm part of the team.

Even though I don't have solutions great on my business card, I'm definitely helping build that company up and I'm glad to help them. With that, I noticed that I need to focus smaller, not think big. And so within right before it hit, I started focusing more on keeping it in the city within Fairfax City in the surrounding North Virginia area and just helping these small businesses and entrepreneurs that, you know, we don't have much when we started business, but I know everybody needs a little help. I'm just one of those helping guys that I know, don't need my graphic design work now, but I've got a lot of connections. So if you need somebody that's a CPA, I've got three CPA friends. You're going to talk to one of them. I've got four realtor friends. If you need a household, I bet you need something, I've got a friend that's in the industry that can help you.

I like making those connections. That's one of the great things about focusing on the city of Fairfax is I joined the chamber of commerce and I became the Chair leader for the chamber and helping each other out. That's what the chamber means to me is, helping other businesses and seeing each other grow and thrive together. And that's where we're at today is Vision Idea Design is we love helping the small businesses and we're definitely community and we see each other as a partner in your team and love helping.

Gresham Harkless 09:18

I appreciate you telling your story. So, I know I touched on a little bit when I read your bio, you did as well too. I want to make sure that we touched on all the aspects on how you serve clients. And if you maybe even touched on what you might feel like is your secret sauce, the thing you feel sets your part and makes you unique.

Russ McIntosh 09:32

Yeah. There are several different graphic designers out there. There are five or I've got George Mason in my backyard. There are plenty of designers out there, but what kind of sets me apart is that I've got the experience. I've listened to my clients. If you just sit down and listen to them, that's the key thing, hear them out. I know you've got an idea. My company is Vision Idea Design. So they've got an idea in their head and we've got to help create that vision for them and make that design. They can't always verbalize it, but it's like, you have to be a little bit of a mind reader, be a graphic designer and try to extract that information.

You have to see like, how's their body posture? What do they look like? How do they dress? Are they something classy? Are there more laid back? So you can extrapolate that without them saying so much and figure out where they want to go. I think that's like my special sauce is being able to listen to clients and figure out and grasp all that. Just my years of experience and seeing you succeed makes me succeed and it fills me up.

That's my secret sauce is seeing the success in others and trying to help them with it. Yeah I had asked some of my friends and they were like, Russ, your secret sauce is you. I'm like, I don't get it. Oh, I do get it now.

Gresham Harkless 10:52

Yeah, it's so hard sometimes because we're so close to ourselves to sometimes recognize that everybody doesn't necessarily do this, but everybody doesn't necessarily do that.

So I wanted to switch gears a little bit and ask you for what I call a CEO hack. So this could be like an app, a book or a habit that you have. But what's something that makes you more effective and efficient?

Russ McIntosh 11:10

Recently, I've been playing around with a new AI software mid-journey and Dalle 2. A lot of people are like, oh, this is going to get rid of graphic designers and so forth. And I've actually been using it as a very successful tool. It helps me with mock-ups. So instead of drawing everything out all the time, I can just type in, oh, the customer needs like three different mock-ups.

There are 3 different mockups that the AI can produce really quick low resolution and I'm going to send them off and he's like no, I like this one, I don't like this one. I do like this. Okay. I like this element and then from there I can build off of and I've been using the Dalle 2 and mid-journey as a building feature. Yeah, I see people are using it right now to just type in Garfield flying a plane or Batman doing this. It's fun for a little hilarity here and there, but it's not a good focus thing, but it's a good thing to use as a tool.

Gresham Harkless 12:15

I love that. You gave those examples and I feel like that's even a deeper lesson with all these AI tools and things that are coming up in so many different aspects that it's a tool that can be used to sometimes support the person that's an expert that has all that knowledge and information.

So what would you consider to be what I like to call a CEO nugget? This is a little bit more word of wisdom or a piece of advice. I usually say it might be something you would tell your favorite client, or if you have to do a time machine, you might tell your younger business self.

Russ McIntosh 12:41

So relax, take time away. I know being an entrepreneur or CEO it's constantly work, work, work, work, work, work, work. But if it's constantly work, work, work, work, work, work, you're going to feel it in your bones. Your family's going to notice it and you need to take a break. Stop. So today at 12:30, I'm gonna be ending my work day and not picking it back up until Monday because you need that time to relax, relax, recharge, and rejuvenate.

You definitely need it because if you're just focus, focus, focus 24/7 I dream about working in my sleep, so I'm even working when I'm sleeping. So it's one of those things that you need the time off. That's one of the main things is to learn to love yourself and relax and appreciate your friends and loved ones around you for several hours a day for the weekend. Just calm down, and relax.

Gresham Harkless 13:40

I love that. That relax piece. I want to ask you now my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. We're hoping for different quote and quote CEOs on the show. So Russ, what does being a CEO mean to you?

Russ McIntosh 13:51

I love helping, so being an educator, understanding and helping. Our friend Reggie Holmes, he was on your podcast back in season 2 and he had the perfect thing. It was a What is CEO? It's creating every opportunity and that's what I love doing. It's help and create an opportunity to help others.

It's that connection. It's like that person wouldn't have made that connection without me being able to offer them that opportunity. So it's that wisdom that helped create every opportunity. I think that was the best one that Reggie had.

Gresham Harkless 14:29

Yeah, absolutely. Check out Reggie episode number 459 and yes, that was a phenomenal kind of definition perspective. I love, obviously, that definition, but I love even more inherent in all the aspects that you're doing. Russ truly appreciate that definition. Of course, I appreciate your time even more.

So what I wanted to do now is to pass you the mic, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional that you can let our readers and listeners know, and of course, how best people can get ahold of you about all the awesome things that you're working on.

Russ McIntosh 14:54

If you're an entrepreneur or CEO, I definitely recommend join your local chamber of commerce. It's the lifeblood of your business of your community, and it's a great resource and asset to have. You'll meet so many other people that you'll be able to assist.

Gresham Harkless 15:10

And people that want to get ahold of you, what's the best way for them to do that?

Russ McIntosh 15:13

I'm russ@visionideadesign.com. The website is visionideadesign.com. I think we'll have the Facebook link. Facebook is again Vision Idea Design. It's really very simple. Also, I host a monthly business meeting middle of month, middle of week, middle of day.

We meet at Patriots Pub and Grill on the V. I. P. Glass room over there and every month we have a different speaker, somebody either from the community helping out in the nonprofit realm. Or an educator, Vision Idea Design Fairfax business meetups at our day. I've got my plate for the Chamber of Commerce.

Gresham Harkless 15:48

Yes, absolutely. You definitely have your plate for which is why I appreciate you carving out some time so that we can get the opportunity to hear about all the awesome things you're doing and the encouragement that you provide to others.

So, of course, like Russ mentioned, we're going to have the links and information, the show notes too and hopefully get my towel back and everything. But Russ truly appreciate you for taking time out again, my friend, and I hope you have a great rest of the day.

Russ McIntosh 16:06

I hope you do too. Thank you, Gresham.

Outro 16:08

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO podcast powered by CB Nation and Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co. I AM CEO is not just a phrase. It's a community.

Get your driven CEO gear at ceogear.co. Don't forget to schedule your complimentary digital marketing consultation at blue16media.com. This has been the I AM CEO podcast with Gresham Harkless Jr. Thank you for listening.

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