What does the “TKO” in TKO Designs stand for? Well my friends, let me tell you a tale of two loves. The love of my life – my husband Kevin – and a passion almost as consuming – my love of words.
When Kevin and I first started dating we talked about how awesome it would be to run our own design firm, which we’d (of course) name Trecia and Kevin Original Designs, or TKO Designs for short. And what about this second love you ask? When I found myself years later on the verge of graduation with a design degree, I needed a “business identity”. I found it serendipitous that the TKO Designs name dreamt up a decade ago could now not only finally get put to good use, but could also present a fun little double entendre. Since multimedia showcases some of the most technical tools and mediums of design, TKO also means “Technical Knock Out”.
Which leads me into my passions and inspirations. As already touched on, I have a definite thing for the well-strung together sentence which shows in my love of reading and lyrically driven music. And, if my love of technical gadgets and activities wasn’t enough to land me firmly in the dead center of Geeksville, my love of the written and spoken language most certainly would. I’ve been published a couple of times, although most of my writing has been for pleasure, so ideally when you come to TKO Designs you’ll be looking for someone who can add a little something to your website’s copy as well as design.
That said, writing about my vision for TKO has proven somewhat daunting. I mean, how do you put into words the enthusiasm you feel at the verge of actualizing a life long dream? Sometimes I find going to one of my favorite artists for inspiration can prove invaluable. So I’m going to answer three questions posed by Ani DiFranco in her song, “Grey”.
"Why me?"
Why should you pick me when there are so many other web designers out there? The answer lies in what makes me, me. I’m wildly independent and a natural born leader who is extremely comfortable either flying solo or as a part of a high functioning (even if – or should I say especially if?) quirky team. I’m extremely detail oriented and goal minded. I am sensitive to deadlines and get a personal thrill coming in under deadline (even if it means pulling some coffee induced all-nighters). I have a thirst for knowledge and actively pursue it, as I understand its true power in self-advancement. I am an extremely quick study and completely willing to go the distance when it comes to my projects. Being a skilled and emphatic communicator, I am versatile in my interactions, which makes me able to fit the bill in many situations: a great team player on a big project, an idea farmer during brainstorming sessions, or a front man to provide an articulate and warm face for co-workers and clients alike.
"Why this now?"
I imagine some of you might be wondering, “If she knew she wanted to be a designer over a decade ago, why is she just now making it happen?” I guess I had to do some living to get to a place where I could understand clearly that design was what I was born to do. It feels a bit funny and final to say it that way, but in reality it’s true. I’ve always been the gal whose friends would call on to help decorate their new house, or shop for clothes, or decorate for a party, or design a garden, or compose a letter. I have an innate understanding of visual hierarchy and adore using elements and principles like color, scale, proximity, and texture to convey someone’s personal style through decor, fashion, or even phrase. So why now? Because I’ve reached a place in my life where I fully understand myself and the potential to achieve gratification and harmony in my life by doing something I LOVE!
"Why this way?"
Multimedia is an incredible opportunity to geek out daily and make a decent living while doing so. I imagine web design and video editing are undoubtedly more lucrative than spending hours on end surfing the net and/or playing the latest RPG, right? The idea that hundreds or thousands could be seeing my work – finding something I created helpful or provocative – all from the comfort of their homes is quite amazing. Not to mention with an industry as modern, fast-paced, technical, and boundless – there is significant opportunity to work and create from the comfort of your home, in your PJs, at 3am. That’s freedom. Plus, I’ve found that most multimedia focused designers are pretty cutting edge and funky and somewhat non-conformist. This isn’t to say I don’t have a special affinity and respect for the dinosaurs in print. *winks* I’d be thrilled to give your print needs a go while tending to your digital ones too. There’s just something really exciting about creating a presence on the World Wide Web that I find darn near intoxicating.
Hey, I mentioned I was a geeky girl, right?
