When you sit down with someone who has survived every pivot the creator economy can throw at them, you pay attention. That’s why this conversation with Nick Rich—designer, creative strategist, and the mind behind campaigns for Kevin Hart, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, and countless others—felt like a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and the power of simply saying yes.
This episode of ConvoRoom dives deep into the journey behind the portfolio. And if you’ve ever stood at the edge of a pivot in your career—wondering if you have what it takes to make the leap—you’ll find a blueprint in Nick’s story.
The Early Clues: Creativity Before He Had the Language for It
Nick didn’t grow up thinking he’d become a designer. But looking back, the signs were clear.
He grew up in West Philly watching his father—an architect—draft entire schools and buildings on massive blueprint rolls stacked in their attic. Nick remembers carrying those five-foot tubes upstairs, rolling them out across the drafting table, and staring at the endless lines, notes, and details. He didn’t understand what he was looking at yet, but the artistic discipline was seeping in.
His grandmother on his mother’s side could paint “anything she saw, to scale.” His friends drew characters from Ninja Turtles and Slam magazine covers. At home, there was a piano, then a keyboard, then sketchbooks, then beats.
Art wasn’t a hobby. It was the family language.
But it wouldn’t become a career until much later—and only after a push he didn’t see coming.
The Accidental First Client
Like many creators, Nick stumbled into his first design job. He had a basic digital camera—something to take photos of his newborn son. One day, a rapper recording in Nick’s home studio pointed to the camera and said:
“Bro, can you do my single cover artwork?”
Nick told him no. The guy told him to try anyway.
So he took the photo, opened Microsoft Paint, and threw some text on it.
That was his first design.
Looking back now, Nick laughs: “I’m glad I don’t have it.”
But that single ask led him to discover something he genuinely loved—and something the market wanted from him.
Soon after, he met Khalif Towns (of YouGospel/Urban Roundup), who handed him Photoshop, and everything changed.
“If I can make this much on the side, what if I did this full-time?”
That question would become the turning point.
The Layoff That Forced the Pivot
Nick’s real career shift didn’t come from inspiration alone. It came from a layoff.
At the time, he was working as a digital coordinator for Radio One, managing major campaigns—including a Beyoncé/State Farm promotion—across multiple cities. He was self-teaching everything. He was designing emails, coding, producing content, and performing way above his pay grade.
Then he got a voicemail:
“All of you are being let go next month.”
Out of 16 digital coordinators, every position across all markets was being eliminated. A small group of them—Nick included—were offered the chance to stay with no salary increase and an increase in workload.
“That was the first time I realized I wasn’t being valued. Corporate doesn’t care. And I didn’t want to build my life on that.”
He walked out on July 23, 2012, and never looked back. That was the beginning of his full-time entrepreneurship journey.
Building a Career on Skill, Faith, and Follow-Through
Nick didn’t claim overnight success. He built a 19-year career on consistency, word-of-mouth, and a commitment to delivering high-quality work. His clients kept coming back. Some have worked with him since 2006.
His secret? How you make people feel.
“I want people to remember the experience of working with me—how easy it was, how fast I responded, how I handled revisions. That’s branding.”
It paid off.
In 2022 he got a text from Kevin Hart’s manager. “Kev needs a couple designs for the tour.” That graphic is still on Nick’s homepage today. He didn’t chase dream clients. But when they came calling, he was already prepared.
Advice for Anyone in Their Pivot Era
If you are reading this right now, and you find yourself at a crossroads, in a layoff, facing a pivot they didn’t ask for. Here is some advice for you:
1. Don’t overthink it.
Creatives especially get stuck in their heads. Don’t wait on perfect timing. Just take the step.
2. Believe in yourself enough to try.
“Step out of the boat,” he said. Even if the water looks deep.
3. Use AI as a tool—not a competitor.
It’s a shortcut to learning, strategizing, and creating momentum.
4. Find the gaps.
Ask: What are other people not doing? Where can I add value?
That’s how you build demand.
5. Protect your reputation.
In creative work, your name is everything. Never burn it.
Where to Find Nick
Nick works under the handle @JustNickRich across social platforms.
You can review his portfolio or work with him at: IAmNickRich.com
