JERRY O’ROURKE
O’Rourke Marketing Associates

Jerry the freelancer –

I got into the advertising, marketing and promotion business by accident. I worked for out-of-town concert promoters while attending Drake University in the 70’s. My glamorous assignments included stapling posters to telephone poles, picking up sweaty towels from the band dressing rooms and delivering commercial tapes to the bus station in the days before FedEx. Ticket prices at Vet’s Auditorium were $5-$7 and yes, the stories you’ve heard about back stage shenanigans at big shows, even in Des Moines, are true. (read more below)

JULIE WEST
West Works

What has the move to freelancing done for your creativity/creative spirit or genius/attitude?

I “officially” started working in the graphic design world in 1976, right after I graduated from high school. I have been freelancing since 1992, when my daughters were young and I was a single mom. It allowed me flexible hours. Being your own boss requires self-motivation and discipline, but also requires you to think outside the box. My creative spirit has grown from the experience: be creative or go hungry. (read more below)

More about Jerry…

Eventually I handed off the sweaty towels to another wannabe and tackled more responsibilities with the promotion side of the business. I settled in as a media planner and buyer in multiple markets for a Minneapolis Minnesota based promoter.  I worked on a freelance contract basis with Dick Shapiro and Company 7 for over 20 years. While the concert promotion business was certainly fun, unfortunately in this market, it was only a part-time income.

My media buying experiences, however, provided the background necessary to begin handling retail advertising clients for a couple of small advertising agencies.

If you have ever worked in or with a small local agency then you understand the concept of a One-Man-Shop. Technically we had four people but we were still considered very small by any standard.

My first taste of working with larger budgets and personalities happened while working for James Spoerl Advertising (Jim is now a Big Deal with Lessing Flynn Advertising) where I handled the media buying duties and a few clients. One of my clients, David Archie of  Mid-America Publishing, handed me a cocktail napkin one day with a phone number in New York and asked me to follow up and investigate a new network radio show we might want to buy advertising on. The number turned out to be for a man named Ed Mc Laughlin. Ed had recently retired as president of ABC Radio Networks, which at the time was one of largest media companies and radio networks in the world. As luck would have it, Ed’s “retirement project” was building the Rush Limbaugh show with his connections and money. The year was 1988 and Limbaugh wasn’t a household name yet. I was able to buy “live” network spots for a couple of hundred dollars promoting my client’s publication, The Conservative Chronicle. We built and maintained a weekly circulation of over 100,000 for 9 years, primarily on the strength of Limbaugh’s eventual audience of 20 million weekly listeners.

I continued to work for a couple of agencies, including my own shop, through the 90’s ending up at Kragie Newell in 1999 working as an account supervisor in the B2B division. I was hired just as the merger with the Integer Group was beginning, so consequently I ended up with three sets of business cards through the various name changes—Kragie Newell, KN Integer, and finally the Integer Group. Primarily I supervised a portfolio of industrial manufacturing clients until 2002 when budgets shrank and my position was eliminated. Fortunately, by virtue of the type of services we offered, I was heavily involved with a hands-on approach to the creation and deployment of all marketing communications and advertising materials. I say fortunately, because I was home for about 10 minutes when one of my former clients called and asked if I could continue to do work for them on a freelance basis.

Six years later, I am still operating as a freelance marketing communications consultant using a team of creative professionals— many from this organization—to support a small group of clients.

More about Julie…

Why did you choose your discipline? Have you always been interested in graphic design; what inspired you initially?

Since I was 12, I worked in my father’s print shop which gave me a strong grasp of the printing industry at an early age. Especially collating, stitching and drilling; three jobs that I would prefer to never do again!

Those “steps” involved in creating a printed piece inspired me. I watched my father print four-color work on a one-color press. Seeing the layering come together to create something the eye normally sees was definitely an inspiration…almost like magic! With printers’ ink in my blood, graphic design seemed like a good fit for me and that production background has helped me tremendously in my graphic design career. Today, I’m very interested in pursuing web design – it’s a totally different bird with completely different challenges.

Who is your mentor?

Can you tell? My father, Gerald Christiansen; and my husband and best friend, Brent Isenberger. Also, a friend from the past, Lynn Newman. Lynn passed away years ago but she helped me gain confidence in my creative eye – and believed in me even though I had no “formal” training. Just a degree from the School of Hard Knocks.

What is your favorite item in your portfolio? Why?

Hmm. That’s a tough one. I work on such a wide range of projects – catalogs, flyers, etc. I probably am most proud of any project that makes my client happy – and makes them money! I have some great clients who appreciate the value of the talents I bring to their projects – and to me, that’s my favorite thing!

Is there something unique you bring to every project/client?

Experience and knowledge. When I design a multiple page project – catalog or magazine – I can coordinate all the details that can be overwhelming to many people. I’m very detail-oriented and like the challenge that detailed projects bring. My production background is an asset when putting together large files that need to go to the printer. I have had printers call me up and thank me for sending them files that output the first time through! That’s cool!

Why is Freelance Pros the perfect fit for you?

As the “originator” of this group, I am excited about not only the resources of incredible talent within the group, but what the group can offer to companies, ad agencies and organizations that need the talents offered. I am inspired by the people in our organization. I am getting very positive feedback from organizations interested in hiring our talent, and from creative folks that want to become members. I think we’re onto something BIG!