Today we’d like to introduce you to Justen Hong
Hi Justen, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My father came to the United States from Korea and was one of the first martial arts instructors in the country. He even served as a judge at Chuck Norris’ 3rd-degree black belt test in Detroit, MI. Growing up, he was a business owner, running multiple dojos. He worked extremely hard but had a lot of flexibility, which I admired. This might be where I developed my desire to own my own business and be my own boss.
I’ve been artistic since an early age, and my mother nurtured this talent by enrolling me in art classes outside of school and during the summers. My first paying job was in high school, painting a Harley Davidson sign that a man had cut out of metal. This encouragement led me to major in art in college. I initially attended Eastern Illinois University and, while there, started drawing ad layouts for a small advertising company in the Chicago area. I ultimately graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) with a major in graphic design and a minor in printmaking.
Immediately after graduation, I secured a job at a small design firm in Alton, IL, while also doing freelance work at night. During my last year there, I would work from 9 to 5 during the day and sometimes until 2 or 3 in the morning after work. In that last years, I had built up enough clientele to start my own firm, Visual Lure, where I have been working ever since.
In addition to design, I am also a published author, having written a children’s book called “Stinkerboy” for my two boys (https://stinkerboy.com/). Recently, I have also started creating modern/contemporary art to feed my need to create (https://www.justenhongart.com/).
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My journey has been relatively smooth due to the way I approached it. I didn’t go out on my own until I had more than enough work to flourish. I had a great support system with my wife (who was my girlfriend at the time), and I’ve been fortunate to have excellent clients and partners in other fields who have helped bring work my way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I own Visual Lure, a small full-service design and branding firm. I handle everything from logos and branding to graphic design, website design, and SEO, but I have truly found my niche in logo design and creating fully custom, search engine optimized WordPress websites.
I’ve had 64 logos published in 11 different LogoLounge books, 12 logos featured in Logo Talks II, and have been recognized in some of the most prestigious design resources and websites.
Regarding websites, I have created dozens of fully custom WordPress sites that rank on the first page of Google for highly competitive terms across a wide range of industries. This not only ensures a steady stream of website projects for me but also helps my clients grow their businesses, which is the most important thing.
What makes me proud of what I do is my connection to my clients’ success. My father was a business owner, so I love working with individuals and smaller companies to help them succeed, as opposed to working for large corporations. I derive no greater satisfaction than seeing my clients succeed, grow, and flourish.
What sets me apart is that I do almost everything myself. The only thing I no longer handle personally is the coding and web development. I manage all the design, client communications, site population, SEO, and billing, ensuring a single point of contact for my clients. This approach virtually eliminates confusion, unlike the firms I compete with, which typically have a team.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
My business was fortunate enough not to be affected by COVID-19. While some clients slowed down, others grew.
Pricing:
- My logo packages typically range anywhere from $1200 – $3000+
- My websites range anywhere from $6K – $15K+
- Most of my graphic design is based on my hourly rate of $100
Contact Info:
- Website: https://visuallure.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visual_lure/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VisualLure
- Other: https://www.justenhongart.com/
