Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Ware and Brandon Ball.
Courtney and Brandon, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 2007, Brandon had the idea to turn our party-flyer designing side hustle into a full-fledged design and event hosting business. He was working full-time and Courtney was in graduate school. That year, we created our name and brand and filed with the State of Georgia to become a limited liability company. Over the years, our company Ball-n-Co, which technically is an acronym and our tagline, “Bringing artistic love to life and creating opportunities,” has evolved from just designing flyers to creating brands–and all the marketing products that come with it. Our company has grown from hosting small nightlife parties and events around the city of Atlanta to planning and executing one of the biggest and most unique art shows in the city every summer-–ARTiculate ATL. We are where we are today because of the support of family and friends who believe in the work that we do, and who tell others about it. We have a solid reputation in the Atlanta community, which has allowed our client base and network of small business owners and creatives to grow with us over the past 12 years. We are committed to doing quality and creative work, and we love what we do, too.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
We have been blessed with staying power, celebrating our 10 year anniversary in December 2017. But challenges have come in many ways. We have had to learn how to work with difficult clients. We no longer live in the same city—Brandon’s in Baltimore and Courtney’s in Atlanta. So while our network has expanded, we have had to navigate working in two different cities. Both of us still work full-time jobs and have earned advanced degrees, while still managing and prioritizing Ball-n-Co, which means we definitely have multiple jobs and competing time commitments. We’ve spent a lot of our own money to make sure the business thrives. But the success outweighs the struggles, and we are committed to continuing to build on what we have started.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Ball-N-Co. story. Tell us more about the business.
We create brands for businesses, both the startups and the seasoned. We design websites and logos, marketing collateral and business cards—everything you need to promote your business. Brandon is a brand strategist and Courtney is a copywriter. We both have years of experience in the marketing industry. We specialize in creating experiences, hosting nightlife events, day parties, art shows, and other cultural and music-focused events in the Atlanta area. We are proud of our reputation and our most mainstream event, ARTiculate ATL, which we co-curate with George and Esohe Galbreath. We are proud that this art show has allowed us to stretch our philanthropic muscles to provide access and experiences to talented youth in the community. Our commitment to expertise, quality products, customer service, and creativity sets us apart from others.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
We have had the good fortune to not have lost a lot of (our own) money over the years. We are blessed to have supportive parents, other families, and friends. We’re fortunate to know and be close to a lot of creative, talented people who want to work with us and support our business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ball-n-co.com
- Email: info@ball-n-co.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ballnco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ballnco
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ballnco
- Other: http://www.articulateatl.org/
Image Credit:
Jamie Moore, Warren Cameron, Suzanne Gordan
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