9 Questions For...Elliot Jay Stocks

"9 Questions For…" is an interview series in which we ask soloists, founders and leaders working in the Shopify, ecommerce, and related industries to share their experiences of doing "their thing, their way". The questions might be the same but the insights certainly aren't! If you fit the bill and would like to share your learnings please get in touch.

In this edition of 9 Questions For… we hear from Elliot Jay Stocks.

Elliot at All Flows conference 2023 — Elliot Jay Stocks — Designer, speaker, author & musician

Q: Are you a founder, co-founder, solo entrepreneur, consultant or something else?

Right now: consultant. But I’ve been all of the above at various points!

Q: What type of business do you run?

Design / creative direction for web, print, brand, plus writing and speaking about those topics.

Q: Why did you start your business?

At the time, I’d been doing freelance web design work on the side of my day job for quite some time, and eventually it got to a point where it made sense to go all-in on that freelance work. Plus, it came about at a point where I wanted to leave my current employer and also wanted the freedom to travel. Although I’ve then taken roles in the years since then, everything has always still gone through my business, so I’ve effectively been an independent design consultant since 2008.

Q: What’s the biggest challenge you are facing right now in your business?

Not letting my niche become overly restrictive in terms of getting new clients. (It has become restrictive, actually, but has also resulted in two recent client jobs, so it’s a balancing act.)

Q: What’s going well in your business right now?

Returning clients, or clients who know about me via years of our paths sort-of-crossing in the type industry.

Q: What skill do you excel at, and which one do you want to get better at?

Typography. I’d like to get better at leading a larger team, if I return to that — and finding a way to balance that with “at the coalface” work.

Q: What will be different about your business this time next year?

Earning more money, I hope. 2023 has been a tough year. And earning more also buys some freedom, such as regular days off to pursue other creative pursuits.

Q: What’s the one thing you wish you’d known before starting your entrepreneurial adventure?

That if you drop off the radar for even a short period of time, it has a huge impact.

Q: Where do you live, and what do you love about your city?

The village of Pensford. I love that it’s nestled away in the beautiful Somerset countryside, but within easy reach of both Bristol and Bath.