We’re looking forward to introducing you to Jes Sheldon. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Jes, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Lately, I’ve been extremely proud of myself for keeping up with cleaning my space. It may seem like an everyday thing to most people, but I struggle a lot with executive dysfunction. And while I love that I get to do what I do from home, it doesn’t help in the way someone might think. There is no mental separation. I’ve tried to make it a point to be on top of things when my days aren’t back-to-back, and I can see a huge difference in just about everything because of it.
I’m also proud of the space I’ve built as well – I love a good Facebook marketplace find, and it’s been really fun getting some key pieces from there for my apartment.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Jes – I’m a graphic designer and photographer. I went to undergrad and graduate school for photography, and taught myself graphic design through making Tumblr edits. I moved to LA in 2018 after grad school, where I was eventually introduced to my now boss (and one of my best friends), Cynthia, who was starting Teammate at the time.
Teammate works with artists to help tell their story through creative direction, marketing strategy, and content execution. Day to day varies from me – sometimes I’ll be working on album art, sometimes I’ll be out on tour taking pictures…and sometimes I’m doing both. This year has been filled with a little bit of everything, which has been so much fun.
I feel fortunate to work where I do because of who I work with. Every day I watch my friends excel at what they’re good at and what they love doing, and that’s one of the many things that makes Teammate special.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I would say my high school photography teacher. My first class was in my sophomore year, and I remember there was this one photo I took for our first or second assignment that she just had so much to say about. At that time, photography was just something that I thought was cool, but the way she talked about my work changed how I approached it. From then on, photography became more than just a hobby for me, and it’s also what eventually brought me to graphic design.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
The only way out is through. Not everything is going to be easy, but sometimes that’s what makes us appreciate it more in the end.
In a similar sense, I’m a huge believer that everything happens for a reason.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Absolutely. I don’t find any value in trying to hide any part of who I really am or what I believe in – especially in this digital age.
One of my favorite quotes comes from Almost Famous (I even have a tattoo for it) “The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you’re uncool.”
I try to remember that when sharing parts of myself.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
What I was born to do. I’ve always loved to create and make things. From photoshoots with friends, to bringing a camera on field trips, to finding ways to make whatever I could think of during art class.
The whole reason I started making Tumblr edits was because I had a vision for an edit that hadn’t been made yet, and I decided the best way to make it happen was to do it myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.teammatecompany.com, https://www.jessheldon.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/jes.sheldon/
- Twitter: https://x.com/jesheldo
