James Kurtz

About James Kurtz

For years, I worked with some of the biggest brands and licenses in the world: Disney, Newell Rubbermaid, Little Tikes, Matco Tools, PBS, Hoover, Dirt Devil, Marvel, and DC Comics, to name a few.From the outside, I had the kind of corporate creative job most designers would kill for. But I dreaded showing up every day.I had capped out. I felt like I was spending my life building someone else’s dream. And deep down, I knew there had to be more if I could just take ownership of it.Leaving a steady job was terrifying. Most people thought I was crazy. But I was ready to bet on myself.What I wasn’t ready for was how hard it would be to actually run a business. I was great at design, but I had no idea how to get clients or position myself. I threw up a website, designed a logo, and worked my network. But nothing stuck. The leads didn’t come. I was overwhelmed, burnt out, and wondering if I had made a huge mistake.Then I had a moment of clarity.I realized people don’t care how great your work is. They assume you’re good. What they really want is confidence — confidence that you understand their problems and can deliver the results they care about. When I shifted my brand to focus on those things, everything changed.That shift in strategy became the turning point in my business.Since then, I’ve built a brand that is clear, credible, and trusted. I’ve stopped chasing leads and started attracting them. I’ve built case studies I’m proud of, a reputation that works for me, and a business that has brought in over ten million dollars in revenue.And here’s the best part — the exact process I used to get clarity in my business is the same one I take every client through, including you.Now, I get to enjoy the freedom that used to feel out of reach. I have the flexibility to chaperone my daughter’s kindergarten field trip or spend a day working on something just for me, without asking anyone’s permission. I own my time, my decisions, and the direction of my life.I’m on a mission to help experts like you launch something you own.Because this isn’t just about branding. It’s about building a business and a life you believe in.

Experience

1. Creative Director

   Kurtz

   Oct 2007 — Present · Hudson, OH, US

   KURTZ is a boutique creative agency I founded in 2007, built to help ambitious brands stand out through high-impact, custom design.I collaborate with business owners, marketing leaders, and in-house teams to bring big creative ideas to life; whether that’s branding, campaigns, or complex visual systems.Highlights:• Lead brand identity and design projects across industries; from startups to Fortune 500s• Build and manage a lean, highly adaptable creative team focused on quality and speed• Develop visual systems for campaigns, packaging, digital, print, and environmental branding• Serve as a trusted long-term partner for marketing departments and executive teams• Combine design craft with strategic thinking to produce high-impact, effective work

Education

• Ohio University

  BFA, graphic design

• Hudson High School

  High School

Skills

• Posters
• Mac
• Layout
• Corporate Branding
• Typography
• Brochures
• Art
• Catalogs
• Web Design
• Graphic Design
• Branding & Identity
• Adobe Acrobat
• Image Manipulation
• Graphics
• Marketing Communications
• Illustrator
• Packaging
• User Experience
• Marketing Strategy
• Photoshop
• Art Direction
• Newsletters
• Quarkxpress
• Indesign
• Email Marketing
• Logo Design
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Marketing
• Creative Direction
• Interaction Design
• Image Editing
• Design Strategy
• Photography
• Brand Development
• Illustration
• Page Layout
• Advertising
• Visual Communication
• Concept Development
• Wordpress