Going against her teachers’ advice, former Algonquin graphic design student Jessica Rousseau started her design studio just six months out of school.
The founder and principal of Jessica Rousseau Design, who also teaches in Algonquin’s professional writing program, was told to spend at least two years at a design firm before starting her own business.
But the fall after graduation Rousseau was going stir crazy.
“I’m a very independent person, and it takes a lot to occupy me,” said Rousseau.
She wanted to invest more than the 40 hours a week that she worked as a designer. So she started Jessica Rousseau Design, and luckily her former employer market2world communications inc. became the first client.
Rousseau doesn’t recommend students follow in her footsteps unless they’re willing to make some expensive mistakes. One of hers was growing the business too early and taking on employees that she later had to let go.
“Managing employees is stressful,” she said. “I need to go back to school for that.”
Rousseau did come back to Algonquin, but this time at a teacher. According to Nadine McInnis, a professional writing professor, some graduates have said Rousseau’s classes were their most useful because of her high standards and real-world deadlines.
Growing up, Rousseau loved to draw and paint, but veered away from a creative career because she thought there was no money in it.
“I didn’t know graphic design was a thing in high school. They kind of go: doctor, lawyer, scientist, starving artist,” said Rousseau.
She focused on writing instead. However, after a year of hating the University of Ottawa’s theoretical journalism courses, Rousseau applied to Algonquin’s graphic design program.
According to David Bromley, her first-year graphic design professor, Rousseau never settled for the obvious solution.
In second year she walked into the office of Nathan Rudyk, president and CEO of market2world communications inc, looking for a summer job as a graphic designer.
Rudyk wasn’t hiring graphic designers, but he sent her a past posting for a communications strategist position and asked her to show how she might fit the job.
So Rousseau went all out.
First she snuck a movie poster onto Rudyk’s office door that showed market2world as a space ship on an intergalactic mission. After she sent him a matching brochure and video, Rudyk was sold.
“I’d never been pitched for a summer job or any job quite that cleverly,” he said.
Rudyk created a summer position for Rousseau that combined writing and graphic design. She kept freelancing for market2world when she went back to school and was hired immediately after she graduated.
In her free time Rousseau designs costumes. She has an eccentric fashion sense, and wears fun outfits to client meetings.
“Surprisingly enough, that’s got me more business than I expected,” Rousseau said.