Meet Andrew Ordway | Graphic Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrew Ordway and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrew, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
Something that it took me a while to learn, but which is very impactful to me now that I have learned it, is that you should always be heading towards the thing that scares you. That scary thing that you’re nervous about, that you have anxiety about, or that you think you might do someday when you get the courage – that’s the thing you should do right away. I’ve learned that your fear bubbles up when you think about things that are uncomfortable, but they’re uncomfortable because they’re unfamiliar, and they’re things that will make you grow as a person once you do them. This lesson was something I learned simply starting my graphic design business since I don’t have any formal schooling or degree in it. It was scary to think that I could be a graphic designer when I didn’t have a piece of paper saying I was one, but i’ve been incredibly happy with my decision to pursue it, and now i’m happily on to bigger scarier things within the graphic design field.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m Andrew Ordway, I run Impossibly Awesome Design Co. I create clean, colorful, and distinct branding to help my clients create a killer first impression that’s memorable and creates trust. I’m passionate about creating that critical match between their quality offerings and their outward appearance. I’m very interested in where psychology and design meet. A lot of businesses may have an excellent product or service, but everything they put out into the world (logo, ads, uniforms, storefront, merchandise, etc.) is not at the same quality, and this turns away potential customers before they even give you a chance. Customers may not even be consciously aware of why they decide to try one business over another, but I believe much of it comes down to the warm fuzzy they either get or do not get when they first encounter a business’ branding. I’m passionate about setting up businesses to put their best foot forward and visually show clients how good they are at what they do on first glance.

I’m very proud of where I am considering I have no formal design schooling. I’m also proud of the two AAF Advertising Awards I won last year (my first year entering the competition).

Getting to where I am took work, but in retrospect it was not that difficult. Looking back, I can see that all I needed was some self-initiative, lots of time to experiment and practice, and some gusto to share the work I created with the world. I also made a point to start attending local graphic design events and meet-ups, which allowed me to meet some amazing friends and have some incredible opportunities come my way as a result.

I want the world to know that you don’t need to wait for permission to try something new and succeed. Take initiative, put in some hours, put yourself out there, and good things will happen. The world is changing, and there are very few (if any) gatekeepers now. Your computer has access to all sorts of training materials with a few clicks (most of it free). Set a goal and make it happen!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Colorado Springs, so I know that area much better than Denver. We would have to hike through Garden of the Gods. Though its popular with tourists, it’s really beautiful and worth checking out. I’d also take them to a Switchbacks soccer game – they have a great new stadium that’s easy to get to (and has a great view of Pike’s Peak). I would also camp overnight at Rampart Reservoir outside of Woodland Park. Its a small little area that isn’t over-crowded, and is the perfect spot for someone out of town who wants a quick and easy nature experience.

In terms of food, I would need to hit Pig Latin, which is Latin American food with a twist. I’m also a big fan of Fat Sully’s Pizza (a Denver import). For dessert, we would need to stop by Josh & John’s for some ice cream. Last but not least, we would definitely need to check out a few of the local breweries. I’m a fan of Goat Patch, Metric, and the new Red Leg Brewing location that just opened.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve had a lot of support when starting this career, from both people I know as well as people I don’t know who have contributed meaningful resources and advice. But the person who has been key to my success is my friend Colin Christie, who is a Partner and Creative Director with Neon Pig. When I was just starting out in Graphic Design, I wasn’t all that confident in myself, mostly because I was starting it later in life then most, and because I was completely self taught. Colin was (and still is) endlessly supportive of me and complimentary of myself and my work. He gave me tremendous amounts of confidence in myself when not everyone else in my life was doing that. He’s been an incredible mentor and friend, and I truly appreciate his support from Day 1.

Website: https://impossiblyawesome.design/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impossiblyawesomedesign/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-ordway-55ba9a199/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AwesomeDesignCo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImpossiblyAwesomeDesign

Other: Dribbble: https://dribbble.com/ImpossiblyAwesome Behance: https://www.behance.net/ImpossiblyAwesome

Image Credits
Jesus Lozoya