Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Jon Watt.
Hi Michael Jon, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Los Angeles, and was raised in Northern Michigan. I studied graphic design and moved around a bit. In 2008 I was working as a freelance designer in Los Angeles and wanted to buy a home. I decided to move back to my hometown of Traverse City, Michigan—a lovely vacation spot on the shores of Grand Traverse Bay, filled with fresh air, fresh water, and green trees. Oh, and seasons. (I really missed the seasons in LA.)
I purchased a cozy 1940s era cottage style house and migrated Northeast. Unfortunately, my return coincided with the beginning of the Great Recession. I had just bought my first home, the economy was collapsing, clients had stopped buying design, and I still had a mortgage to pay.
One snowy winter day, I noticed a trend in an interior design magazine: people were decorating with vintage bus scrolls and subway destination signs. These were the original rolls of canvas or Mylar that displayed each stop above the driver on buses and trains. I’ve always loved anything with a retro or vintage feel, but soon discovered that these authentic signs were expensive and rare.
As if lowered from the heavens, two thoughts hit me: I could make these. And then, I could sell them on Etsy. At the time Etsy was still in its early days, and everyone was talking about it.
Within a few weeks, I had designed my first collection, tested materials, created images, and opened my Etsy shop. I happened to catch the very first wave of that trend, and my business took off. Quite literally, those early sales saved my home from foreclosure.
Since then, I’ve continued freelance design and creating new pieces for my online stores – with custom wall art becoming my signature. I love making artwork that tells a story; whether it’s a customer’s European travels, a family wedding, or visits to the lake house. When hung on your walls, these pieces spark conversations, and fond memories.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Smooth? Not so much. Running my own creative business as a sole proprietor is always throwing new challenges my way. As I mentioned earlier, the biggest was enduring the Great Recession and housing collapse, where my home was in danger of defaulting due to lack of work. I eventually did sell my house and left Michigan (only to return in 2018). Covid was a long lonely stretch. I work from home, and a lot of work dried up during that time. People were just trying to survive.
Most of my design clients come through word of mouth, and I have been fortunate to have loyal people who find value in what I do and continue to seek my services. My online stores, where I sell my original wall art, subway signs, social justice posters, and pet portraits, has it’s own cycles of ebb and flow. The economy effects sales, costs of supplies and shipping increase… vendors come and go.
Social media is a challenge for me. I’ve never really generated many sales through social media or gained traction from posts or stories. I think social media is changing anyway, people seem to be moving away from it. I’ve spent more time working on good SEO and paying for strategic advertising to bring in buyers.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve made it on my own for more than 24 years now, working for myself as a designer. I’ve carved out a life that allows me flexibility and simplicity. I could have chased after a more visible or high-powered position with an agency or design firm, but the appeal of being my own boss and focusing on working directly with clients one-on-one is gratifying.
I’m also proud of the online shops that I have built that bring together design, storytelling, and creating a personalized space for people to enjoy. Creating something from an idea that is floating in your head and bringing it to life is quite satisfying.
Each of my endeavors is informed by my love for design, my experience, and taking pleasure in beauty.
Here’s something odd that I am proud of – and it ties into my desire for simplicity. I drove the same car for 18 years. I bought it new, paid for it within a year, and was without a car payment for 17. Did I sometimes wish I had the latest greatest? Yes. But knowing that I could use my resources elsewhere, like travel, made more sense for me.
How do you define success?
I’m reminded of my favorite quote by the sculptor, Contantin Brancusi: “Simplicity is complexity resolved”.
For me that is success. Having the privilege to own my time, keep life simple, and choose personal wellness and growth in the forefront – that means the world to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.transitdesignshop.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaeljonwatt/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TransitDesign
- Portfolio: www.transitdesign.com
