Client Highlight - Mike the Graphics Guy

Michael Fox owns Mike the Graphics Guy, LLC (website), a design business operating out of Columbus, Indiana. Being a graphic designer has been Mike's dream and passion since before high school, and he is thankful that his career gives him a marketable way to make a real difference in peoples' lives. 

Mike has been working in the printing industry, gaining skills as a designer, since 1996. Since opening his own business, he has also been going to school full time at Ivy Tech and is now taking classes in visual communications. Mike, a father of four, also works with a company called Arrow out of Carmel, Indiana where he takes care of people with Autism.

Graphic Design is the only career Mike has ever pictured himself working in. He loved advertising even as a kid and got a design job at a printing company when he was only 19. At 38, Mike started his business, Mike the Graphics Guy, because he was ready to discover his true potential as a communication artist.

Mike's mission for his business is to create effective, worry-free design, with elements specific to his clients' emotional, logical and ethical persuasion.

When it comes to Mike's everyday projects, he enjoys the creative process the most. To discover the problem, and then the answer, is what makes his service so valuable. He enjoys sitting down with clients and learning all there is to know about their target customer, so that the message is communicated perfectly.

Mike is appreciative that this business has given him the opportunity to work from home and remain close to his family each day. As long as he has his sketchbook and laptop, they can go anywhere together. Because he is so passionate about his business and loves his everyday tasks, Mike doesn't enjoy losing work days to sickness or other conflicts. Mike is also not fond of selling himself. Instead, he lets his work speak for itself. So far, he has been able to grow his business through networking and referrals.

Like other business owners, Mike has faced challenges along the way. When first starting his business, he wanted to make sure his business plan and financial projections were perfect. He feels that he could have opened his business several years ago, but with four kids, he wasn't ready to take the risk. Once his plan was finalized, Mike the Graphics Guy officially opened in May 2014. Only two weeks after opening, Mike had clients and projects to work on. Mike's business has only increased since May, and he is thrilled.

Mike, a resident of Columbus, is grateful that people have welcomed his business into the community. He loves giving back to his community and continues to volunteer his time and design skills to nonprofit organizations and churches in the area.

Mike, a client of the Southeast ISBDC since June 2014, says, "It's good to know someone is there to help support small business owners like myself. I'm confident about what I'm doing, thanks in great part to people like Laura DeDomenic at the ISBDC. Her free advice has been invaluable."

Laura DeDomenic, Southeast ISBDC Business Advisor, says, "Mike Fox started his company, Mike the Graphics Guy, to provide his clients with great customer service as they create the image and brand they want for their business.  Mike is fun to work with and is responsive to his clients' needs, creating logos, web pages, and other graphic designs to be used in marketing their brand.  I know several people who have worked with Mike, and they all have been very satisfied with the service he provides."