Blog Post #1
Tim aka Secret Industries. Pixel Pusher & Print Peddler.
First blog post on my new website. This needs to be big, impactful and important, right?! No pressure… the only thing I can think to do is to write a bit of an introduction to me and Secret Industries, and I absolutely hate writing/talking about myself! Here it goes anyway…
Hello. Hi. Ow Do. Oreyt. My name is Tim, and I work and operate under the purposefully lofty, mysterious and misleading business name Secret Industries. I’m born and bred in Northern England, and although I definitely don’t consider myself patriotic or a proud British person, I definitely am proud of being from The North. This has gone on to become one of the defining factors of my creative output. It wasn’t always the plan with Secret Industries, but the current ‘mission’, and what seems to be working so far, is something of a two-pronged approach. I create logos, identity and print design for small Northern businesses and organisations on the one hand. For fun, I also create Northern inspired prints and merchandise on the other. This is why I refer to myself as a pixel pusher and a print peddler. More on that another time.
I like to say Secret Industries was established in 2010, but that was only in name. At the time I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be, but. I knew I wanted to make creative stuff. I spent 2 years trying to be an illustrator and failed, 1 year trying to make a clothing label and failed, a year trying to be an artist and got fed up. I took a year and a bit out of creating artwork altogether. Then I decided to try and be a designer and here we are!
With regards to life, creativity or business, I don't feel like I have any real wisdom to dish out. I am largely a typical example of a wasted life. With no real career aspirations, I spent my 20's drunk and high avoiding real life. I spent my early 30's depressed. I only decided to try and make something of myself 6 years ago after my beloved Nicki and I got together. I’ve always wanted to be involved with logo design, so I started creating design work and posting it online. This helped me gain some confidence, and very slowly I started getting asked to make logos and do design work for people. For money. I learned about handling clients and started consuming books, blogs, videos and more about the business side of design. Trying to play catch-up and learn the stuff they don’t teach you at university and that I had never thought to try and find on my own when I was still young
During this time I was still working full time. I made a plan and started to save as much money as possible, and keep pushing my design work forward. I eventually managed to drop down to 3 days a week at my day job. I kept going. In May 2022 I handed in my notice at my day job of 18 years, and since 1st September 2022 I have been doing Secret Industries full time. This is the culmination of about 4-5 years hard work, but obviously it is also just the beginning. This is a mega scary time to start such an endeavour; the world seems to be imploding and the cost of living is utterly ridiculous, but I felt it was now or never. I decided to choose now!
I think what I want to end on is this; if I can do it, then literally anyone else can do it. I’m not special and I’m definitely not the most talented. But I’m managing to make it work. If you've always day-dreamed about being your own boss and being a self-employed creative person, please please please have a go at figuring it out. I didn't know what the hell I was doing when I started, but I had a vague plan, some goals, and the willingness to just 'do’. Keep showing up for yourself, keep putting in the work, and keep trying to create things that make you happy & proud. Good things tend to follow after you… you might just have to be patient along the way!
Well, I got carried away there. Thank you if you’re still reading right now! Secret Industries is open for business from now for as long as I can continue to make it work and find it enjoyable. If you are a small Northern business and are looking for a graphic designer I would love to see if I can help you out. I love making independent Northerners look good! If you have money to burn in these crazy times, and need some prints for your walls, or a new t-shirt, I would love it if you checked out my webstore or come and visit me the next time I have a market stall. If you’re just here because you are nosey and like to stalk people on the internet, please keep coming back to check out the blog!
See you soon