Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Zimmerman
Hi Brian, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am the lead Pixel Pusher and Prezident and Founder of Zizzle. I grew up in Charleston, then went up to north to Connecticut College for a bit, where I graduated with a degree in Fine Art with a focus in Graphic Design. After college, I returned to Charleston and worked as a designer for a few agencies around town. From there, I went on to form Cre843 (another small boutique design firm), in 2006, then Zizzle in 2019. Zizzle works with a wide range of clients from local breweries to global tech companies. I have helped shape and develop hundreds of consumer products, B2B, and organizational brands.
My philosophy is very much, work hard, play hard! In my spare time, I like to stay as active as possible, foil-boarding, sailing, 4-wheeling, snowboarding, boating, traveling and having as much fun as possible, which is key to staying creative. I have a home-based office, but on any given workday, you may find me posted up with my laptop and hotspot at a local beach, park, or scenic outdoor area. I truly believe being outdoors is good for the soul, and a key part of staying creative.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think my biggest struggle was/is getting started on bigger projects. You work hard to land a new big job or client. Then, once you get the job, it’s time to do the actual work. This can seem daunting at first, and there is always a hint of imposter syndrome. Like, am I good enough to pull this off? Often time creativity ebbs and flows, and is never constant. Carving out the time to do a deep dive into a bigger project can be difficult, especially with a family. On the flip side, I think the process of overcoming that imposter syndrome and creative block to reach a solution that give your clients something truly special is the best reward for someone who works in a creative field. I’ve learned, with years of practice, to give myself some space and leeway when I am not getting to a design solution that I am happy with. Working more does not always mean better results. Sometimes you just have to step back and wait till it’s right, even if it means pushing back a self-imposed deadline. I’ve gotten much better at this over the years, but I think it’s always a struggle for creative-minded people.
We’ve been impressed with Zizzle, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Zizzle is my second design firm that I have founded, but it is extra special to me because I am the sole owner, so I get to drive the ship, and staying afloat is up to me!
Zizzle is a design studio based in Charleston, SC that creates unique visual design solutions for our clients’ needs and aspirations. We specialize in brand development, advertising, asset creation and web design and development (among other things). Zizzle’s clients are wide-ranging from local breweries and restaurants, to global consumer product and tech brands.
I would say our ideal client is a small to medium size business with a marketing director as the main point of contact. Working with a marketing director seems to work better than a business owner sometime because they can tee up projects for us, have a clear budget, and are less emotionally invested in the company than the business owner.
What sets Zizzle apart is our clear communication and great work that meets deadlines. I pride myself in being transparent with my clients, as well as always picking up the phone and answering emails in a timely manner. Clients appreciate this, and they know they can count on me to produce solid work, which keeps them coming back.
I am most proud, and grateful, for the way of life my job affords me. I get to work from home on my own schedule, as well as remotely, and have reached a point in my career where the lifestyle I can lead is unmatched to any other job I can think of. I get to create amazing visual solutions everyday, while still enjoying the hobbies and activities I love to do for myself and my family. The overhead is low (computer, internet and software is really all I need), and it seems like there is plenty of design work to go around these days. I like to stay comfortably busy, while always looking for new and exciting clients and projects to keep the funnel full.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I have plenty of people to thank for helping me achieve success, but I think there are three main entities I would like to give a shoutout to:
My Parents: My parents have always supported me in everything from school, to hobbies, to work. They helped me engage myself in various forms of art at a young age, and further fostered my artistic and creative ability by funding my college education where I majored in fine art with a focus in graphic design (they are very proud I actually applied my college degree haha). I also watched my dad get laid off from his job when I was younger, and it forced him to figure out how to work for himself out of necessity. Little did I know the same thing would happen to me in my early 20’s; I got laid off from my first agency job, and it ultimately gave me the motivation to go out on my own. I think seeing a parent being successful after taking risks was really empowering and helped me take the leap later in life.
My Wife: When I first met my wife, she was pretty miserable working for someone else’s physical therapy studio, and being told how she should do things. At this point, I had already been working for myself for a while, so I tried to help her realize that she would only truly be happy with her work if she went out on her own. When she took the plunge and started her own practice, the shift in her perspective was immediate and inspirational. I saw her work through many of the small pitfalls new business owners go through, and that I had gone through, in the early stages of entrepreneurship. I also saw her work ethic change. Rather than putting in the bare minimum, she was working hard and seeing results. Her hard work and ability to push herself to always learn new skills or promote herself in new ways is truly inspirational. She gives her clients her best, yet still finds time for her family which I try to emulate as well. Watching her succeed and continue to grow her business and her personal brand keeps me motivated to work hard along side her. I think having a motivated spouse is very much a part of continuing to be successful as a business owner and in life. She always there to help me work through difficult business decisions, which is very helpful when you are a one-man band.
Coworkers & Friends: When I graduated college, I felt drastically unprepared to be a graphic designer in the real world. I just had a college art portfolio with a few graphic design pieces and zero real client or corporate graphic design work. I approached a local ad agency in Charleston for a possible unpaid internship so I could at least build up my portfolio with some real life applications. I ended up getting the internship, which in tern led to my first real job as a production artist. The skills I learned in that year I worked at that agency are things I still use today. The people I worked with at that agency in the art department were amazing. There was zero judgment and no stupid questions. Even though I was the low man on the totem pole, no one in the department ever talked down to me. They always took the time to show me the right way to do things. From setting up color spaces, to resizing ads and organizing files, the work wasn’t super glorious, but the things I learned were invaluable. Also a quick shoutout to all my personal friends (some of whom are also clients). They have always supported me, offered advice when needed, and given me countless referrals.
Clients: Thank you for trusting me with your babies (businesses). I am super motivated to hear the client’s new ideas, and feel fortunate to have a job where every client is different, and all require a new set of industry knowledge that keeps me always learning new things. Seeing a client succeed and be happy with the work I create is the reason I do what I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fozizzle.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zizzledesign/
