Meet William Warren | Founder and CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with William Warren and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi William, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I never imagined myself diving into the world of business. My journey into entrepreneurship was really about reigniting my creative spark. Back when I was wrapping up my master’s degree in illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design, I had dreams of becoming an editorial or children’s book illustrator. But as my graduation loomed closer, the thought of navigating the freelance world felt like this massive mountain to climb. So, I took the ‘safe’ route and landed an entry-level job in corporate marketing. While I appreciated the stability, I came to feel like I was suffocating without an outlet for my artistic energy. That’s when I discovered the magic of doodling at work. Whether it was scribbling down notes during long meetings or sketching out ideas on a whiteboard, I found joy in bringing a bit of creativity to the professional world. And little did I know, my colleagues enjoyed it too. Those little drawings actually made our meetings more engaging and productive. Before I knew it, I was getting asked to sketch for other teams within the company. And then, bam! External clients started knocking on my door, willing to pay for my doodles. That’s when it hit me—there’s a real demand for what I do. Fast forward a few years of juggling my day job with these side gigs, and I finally took the plunge into full-blown entrepreneurship. And just like that, The Sketch Effect was born. Now, I get to lead an incredible team that shares my love for art and passion for our mission of making corporate communication awesome through graphic recording and animation.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art isn’t just about capturing information in the form of fun sketches—it’s about helping people gain clarity, find alignment, and take action on their ideas. Fortunately, I discovered the world of Graphic Recording, where an artist sketches live at corporate conferences and meetings capturing notes in visual form. What makes our work at The Sketch Effect stand out is how we take those ordinary meeting notes and turn them into engrossing visual summaries that drive results. We sprinkle in some drawings, pops of color, maybe a cool font here and there, and make the notes truly come alive. But getting to this point wasn’t a walk in the park. I struggled with the misconception that creativity and business were entirely opposed. As an artist, the thought of diving into the business side of things seemed daunting and, frankly, unappealing. But then it hit me: if I wanted to keep doing what I loved, I had to embrace the business aspect of my craft. This realization marked the beginning of what I call the “Creative’s Conundrum”—the idea that artistic talent alone isn’t enough to thrive in the professional sense. So, I dove headfirst into the world of entrepreneurship, learning the ropes as I went along. I read all the business books I could and listened to all the entrepreneurship podcasts. As it turns out, running a business can be just as exciting as putting pen to paper. It took some grit and a whole lot of trial and error, but I finally found my groove. That journey, complete with all its ups and downs, is what inspired me to write my book, ‘The Conquering Creative: 9 Shifts to Build an Unstoppable Creative Business.’ It’s like a roadmap for fellow artists who are trying to navigate the murky waters of business.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This would definitely include a full-day BeltLine adventure. Starting in Piedmont Park, we’d rent bikes or scooters (or better yet, ride OneWheels) and head south along the Eastside trail. First, pop into Ponce City Market for lunch and a bit of shopping, then carry on southwards to The Krog District. We’d grab a few cold ones at BrewDog, and then continue the journey south, through the Krog Street Tunnel and into Cabbagetown to check out the street art. From there, we’d take a walk through Oakland Cemetery and end the night with dinner at Das BBQ. Other highlights of the week would have to include trail running or hiking (to work off the previous day’s calories) along the Chattahoochee River East Palisades Trail, a concert at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, and a touristy day in Downtown at the World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Aquarium, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. And of course, we’d squeeze in a visit to our favorite local dive, Smith’s Olde Bar.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
So many people and organizations could make this list, but I’d like to shout out the Plywood People organization. Early in my entrepreneurial career, I found myself to be quite lonely. It’s a hard thing to go from working at a large corporation to working for yourself, all by yourself. Through Plywood People, I was able to connect to a peer group of similar entrepreneurs as well as a broader community of creatives and change-makers. The lessons I learned and the encouragement I received during this season were invaluable. Any budding entrepreneur who feels lost or lonely, or just needs some sound business advice, needs to plug into a community group, and I would definitely recommend the folks at Plywood People.

Website: https://thesketcheffect.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconqueringcreative/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-warren-83101586/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesketcheffect/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIX4q6KTDMPWENoQELVzcPQ