For over 15 years I have been a member of BNI and in that time it has played a role in building my business. In that time, I have been President of my chapter and I look forward to taking on that role for BNI Waitakere again soon. I’m a local kiwi cartoonist following my dream and now building momentum in the corporate scene as an event cartoonist. I also am the Director of LCD; a design company that produces digital printing and multimedia solutions.
Darren Blomfield, Corporate Cartoonist, Director LCD and BD Art and President BNI Waitakere
Creativity in the blood
Creativity is a critical part of what I do. I have always been interested in design and illustration right from my time as a kid at school. But really drawing is in my blood. I come from five generations of artists and three generations of cartoonists. The long line of Blomfield artists that I am descended from has influenced my style significantly. My work is very similar to that of my Great Grandfather J.C. Blomfield who was a cartoonist for the Observer in Wellington from the 1870s to the 1920s. It is also similar to William Blomfield (BLO) who was a cartoonist for the Auckland Star in 1920s.
Cartoon By Darren Blomfield featuring Left – Graham Southwell, National Director, BNI New Zealand. Inside the picture frame- Dr. Ivan Misner, Founder of BNI.
I learnt to draw on my Grandfather’s knee and I always wanted to draw and design for a living as I was growing up. Out of school I became a junior designer in a small agency. I always loved creating a design from a brief. I thrive on this process. I became a senior manager then art director as I began to work on packaging. But design is the key and it fuels me.
Take a leap of faith with BNI’s support
In the late 1990s, I took a big leap of faith to go out on my own with my own clients for design work. My business began to grow dramatically as clients asked for printing. In 2003 I bought a going concern that could support my clients’ needs for printing. The business was a copy centre with all the printing equipment we needed under one roof. Eventually my business employed nine staff across two branches. There was a great mix of experimentation in the design business to see what we could achieve in the digital medium, which complemented the design side.
BNI was a big part of my success with my new company. BNI is all about building relationships that instil trust. These relationships develop over time. It’s exciting to see how connections develop and change with time at BNI. People who never gave referrals in the past with time will start to open up and provide referrals. That’s why it’s important to never disregard a member. The tide might change and over time a referral may happen. Building long-term relationships at BNI ensures everyone in the chapter is happy.
Draw on the expertise at BNI
I am now a published cartoonist for the Times Newspapers www.times.co.nz and with this momentum now is the time to take this passion and turn it into a viable niche business that caters to the corporate scene. I highly recommend other people consider doing this. By making a business out of your passion you will never be bored. BNI can help you with this. Our chapters are filled with experienced businesspeople with expertise and knowledge that you can draw on as you develop your own business. You’ll be surprised how many people have taken their hobby and turned it into a business.
The BNI model
Growing my cartoon business using the BNI model means I intend to expand what I do and build my networks. I am serious about making my hobby a slick business and the skills I have learnt at BNI will help me with this. The professionalism that the organisation has taught me will help me set up my business and provide a service that corporates will be satisfied with. I am looking forward to my new spell as President for Waitakere and intend to inject my own personality into the role and have fun as we grow the chapter. If you would like to see a sample of my work – check out my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BD.ART.NZ www.bdart.co.nz
Darren Blomfield, Corporate Cartoonist, Director LCD and BD Art and President BNI Waitakere
