After the corporate world failed to meet their expectations, 22-year-old Natalia Brown and 24-year-old Jemal Stupart set their own path, co-founding an online graphic design company called Onyx Media.

In an interview with Our Today, Brown shared that while she was studying Journalism at the University of the West Indies, Mona, she worked for a graphic design company that sparked her interest in the field.

But ultimately she wanted something that was her own.

“I tried the corporate world thing and it was not for me. I didn’t have much freedom to do what I wanted to do and with most big companies they are working with a lot of clients. So, you don’t really get to know the client on a personal level to do your job more effectively,” said Brown.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the sudden influx of small businesses drove the pair to create their own company geared towards brand designs.

Founded in August 2021, the main aim of Onyx was to create a company that provides affordable graphic designs for these small businesses.

“When you look on Instagram at these small businesses you realise the logos don’t look good and people are demanding digital branding. But they cannot afford to go to the bigger designers and pay upwards of J$10,000 for basic graphics. So we asked ‘how could we get these people?’ and we started Onyx,” Brown explained.

Currently they offer graphic designs for business cards, logos, flyers, and banners.

When asked what sets Onyx apart from other graphic design companies, Brown said it was their efforts to create a personal relationship with their clients.

She added that, during the pandemic, many persons lost human connection, something that she believes people really value.

As such, all clients receive a mandatory 30-minute to one-hour consultation session where personal relationships are built and an in-depth conversation around the design they want to have discussed.

Since its inception, the business has skyrocketed, creating digital and graphic designs for several local and international companies.

Brown shared that Onyx has worked with big names such as Digicel and the Heart Foundation and other companies such as Kix, RT consulting, Jym Training Ja and Karuso.

Onyx has even entered the international market, creating graphics for Campbell’s trailers, a moving company in central Florida.

The company has also received overwhelming support from several small businesses, said Brown, and is fully booked until September 12, 2022.

Though many persons have a desire to start their own businesses, the crippling effects of fear often stops them in their tracks.

When asked what advice she had for these persons, Brown encouraged them to just start.

“I know this is quite corny, but I would say just start and don’t let fear stop you. Even if you are scared, just do it because what’s the worst that could happen? You make money? You get a one sale? So just do it. Even if you’re scared, just do it.

“Just find your passion. I know that’s kind of hard to do, but find something that you’re really good at and just go for it. Maybe other people will like it, you never know.”