Meet Julian B. Kiganda | Transformational Brand Strategist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Julian B. Kiganda and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Julian B., what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Growing up, I watched my parents run their own businesses to support their seven children. My mother was an amazing salesperson and seamstress and my father started a cleaning business when I was in elementary school. They taught us the value of hard work. At some point, I knew I wanted to own and run my own business like my parents. When I graduated college with my degree in graphic design, I started working at one of the largest environmental nonprofits in the world designing their magazine that went out to over one million members. Although I enjoyed the work, I got bored quickly working on the same publication for two and half years. So I left to begin freelancing and my previous employer was one of my first clients. I am now on the third iteration of my business and am grateful to still be doing branding and marketing work I love all these years later.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a creative, my first love is fine art. However, when some of the first Macs came out and I saw that I could combine my love of art with technology to create powerful messages, I fell in love with graphic design. The thing that sets me apart in my work is my cultural heritage. I was born in Uganda, East Africa and when my family moved to the U.S., my parents were very intent on ensuring we knew our rich heritage and vibrant culture. That same culture is infused into how I do my work. It’s allowed me to have a greater appreciation and understanding of other cultures.

I’m most proud of being part of the legacy of African American history through the work my company did to design and build the Freedom House Museum in Alexandria, VA. The museum tells the story of the largest domestic slave trading firm in the U.S. which was headquartered in the former home of the Northern Virginia Urban League. Before working on this project, I had a very surface understanding of what slavery was and its ongoing undercurrents in society. After having the honor of telling this story, I had a new appreciation for how resilient and powerful my African American brothers and sisters really are and how so many paved the way for us to have the opportunities we have now.

I started my business as a freelancer, taking on small projects and networking like nobody’s business. As my clientele grew, I started being referred to and pursuing larger projects. I ended up shutting my company down in 2012 when things got really tough and at that time, co-authored and published my first book, “Whose Shoes Are You Wearing? 12 Steps to Uncovering the Woman You Really Want to Be”, teaching design and communications at Bowie State University and launching my blog, Bold & Fearless. But design was still very much in my blood and I eventually re-opened my business in 2016. I landed five clients my first month back in business.

Entrepreneurship is not an easy road—no matter what anyone tells you. It takes a burning desire to do that thing you were meant to do and a great deal of strategy to navigate a constantly changing economy. You have to be just as committed to your craft as you are to building your business. It’s important to have a good support system to help you overcome challenges. For me, this means close friends who understand this entrepreneurial road, family to remind me to enjoy life no matter what, and partners and mentors to give you new perspectives and encouragement when you’re trying to figure out your next steps or work through challenges.

The greatest lessons I’ve learned (and am still learning) on this journey include learning how to ask for help—you don’t have to do everything by yourself. There are people who genuinely want to help you succeed, but as they say, closed mouths don’t get fed. I’ve also learned the importance of developing and maintaining the right relationships with people of all backgrounds. You never know where your next opportunity is going to come from. I’ve learned how important it is to vet potential clients properly. Pay attention to the red flags up front that they’re not going to be an ideal client. After enough experiences with challenging clients, I developed a list of patterns and behaviors that signal that I should either NOT take on the client or it’s time to part ways. As business owners, we should constantly be evaluating how we do business and who we do it with. One thing I’ve had to think about more deeply is if I’m spending my time, talent and resources in a way that is truly fulfilling and meaningful.

When I asked myself this question last year after experiencing a great deal of loss and grief in 2022, I realized that it was time to fulfill a dream I’d had for years in creating a safe space for visionary Black women who were looking to uncover purpose and rediscover joy. So I took a huge leap of faith and am hosting my company’s first 3-day experience in April 2024 called EMERGE Live! Many of us who are leaders in our communities, trailblazers in our work, and trendsetters in our industries are just tired from doing all of the things and not taking the time to recalibrate and rest. EMERGE Live! (www.emergeliveexp.com) is that space where women will get to heal, grow, transform and connect with like-minded women on a similar journey. I’m excited about this next chapter of my work.

Me and my team at JBK Brand Design are passionate about telling culturally relevant stories that bring to life the soul of a brand. I hear often from our clients that the work we do touches people’s souls and transforms their lives in some way—whether that’s designing an exhibit, designing and launching a new book, building or transforming a client’s brand, or creating a powerful event. As someone who is divinely led, I don’t take for granted that part of my gifting. I’m in the next chapter of my story feel like I’m just getting started and have so much more to do to leave a legacy that will impact lives for years to come.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m based in the Washington, DC area and there are a TON of sights and sounds to take in. I have to admit that when things shut down during Covid and opened back up, I felt like I was driving into a whole different city. So many new places sprung up and I’m still getting reacclimated. But if you’re coming to the DC area, some of the places I would definitely recommend are a visit to the National Harbor in Maryland (one of my favorite hang out spots). In the Harbor, I love VNO Wine Bar, a Black-owned wine bar, and if you’re into buying dope Black art, Artstination is also a must to check out. If you’re about arts, culture and history, your downtown DC tour should include the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Gallery of Art, National Museum of African Art, Museum of the American Indian, Creative Grounds DC, and so many others. Right outside of DC in Alexandria, VA, definitely check out the Freedom House Museum, the Torpedo Factory and Old Town Alexandria which has a number of great places to eat and stay. When it comes to restaurants to check out, there are too many to name, but some of my favorites are Georgia Brown’s, Swahili Village, Founding Founders & Distillers, and Clyde’s,

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My biggest shoutout is to my parents, George and Agnes Kiganda, who, although they didn’t always understand the vision I had for my work and career, they supported it and still do. They taught me the value of hard work and gratitude. I have had so many incredible mentors along my journey who helped me grow as a person and as a professional. One of the first clients to ever take a chance on my growing design firm was Lavern Chatman, the former CEO of the Northern Virginia Urban League. She entrusted my team to design and build the Freedom House Museum in Alexandria. It’s a project that was life-changing and opened the doors to other major opportunities. I’m also grateful to my business partner, Vernon Lockhart, who has been a mentor, supporter, and good friend for many years. We’ve had the incredible fortune of collaborating on many projects that have made a positive impact on our communities and we continue to tell culturally relevant stories through our work.

Website: www.jbkbranddesign.com and www.emergeliveexp.com

Instagram: @jbkbranddesign

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jkiganda and linkedin.com/company/jbkbranddesign

Twitter: @jbkbranddesign

Facebook: @jbkbranddesign