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

Hi Halston, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Like most creatives, this whole thing for me initially began as a hobby and form of self-expression. I didn’t intend to monetize my talents right away. I often volunteered to do many projects for free as a way to build up my portfolio and to develop my skills. It wasn’t until I started to experience many different requests from a variety of different people (especially the student organizations on my college campus of Florida Atlantic University) that I saw this craft take up a big chunk of my time. After talking to a few people who were already successful business owners and assessing what was best for me, I made the ultimate decision to take that leap and start a graphic design / branding services business! 7 years later, I have no regrets.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I specialize in Digital & Print Design, Logo Design, and Web Design. In my opinion, my talent truly shines in my logo design work and I believe anyone that has seen my work would agree. While I do high-quality work in general, my creativity and ability to wow people with my ideas is at its peak when creating logos that truly capture the essence of a brand. What sets me apart, to keep it short, is that my work makes you stand out. Like most designers, I am dedicated to giving you what you want but I am also dedicated to going above and beyond your expectations. Clients book me because I have a unique style and have a gift for design that cannot be taught.

It has not been a smooth road by any means. In this field, you have to really possess patience and persistence. The bookings may not always be rolling in consistently at first, there will always be those “annoying” clients, and with there being so many graphic designers out there it can take years to carve out a style that is unique and can’t be found anywhere else. I receive compliments about my work all the time, and it is much appreciated. However, those same people that admire my work should also be made aware of all of the research that I have had to partake in to perfect my craft, that I have run into many dead ends, and that I developed enough mental fortitude in the beginning to not compare myself to other designers who were already flourishing

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Man, this is tough lol. I have been influenced by so many great minds. If I had to highlight a few signature entities who have been significant to my journey, I would have to say:

1) My brother, mother, and father; for recognizing that I had a gift and allowing me to pursue it full force, rather than trying to steer me in the direction of a field/industry that was more to their liking

2) My 3 brotherhood organizations, for the many doors that they have opened for me as a man and as a professional;
– Progressive Black Men, Inc.
– Alpha Kappa Psi Co-Ed Business Professional Fraternity, Inc.
– Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

3) And my current business coach, Marshall Fox, for letting me know it’s okay to unapologetically raise prices, letting me know what books to read, and most importantly always selflessly giving me a firsthand look into how he runs his 6-figure business that I one day soon hope to emulate.

Website: halstonshannon.com

Instagram: instagram.com/halstonshannon

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/halstonshannon/

Twitter: twitter.com/halstonshannon_

Facebook: facebook.com/halstonshannonvisualart

Image Credits
Personal Photo by @allsnap.media

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