From Forecasts to Fonts: My Journey to James Arthur Design Co.

Joining James Arthur Design Co. has quite literally changed my life—more than I ever expected. Unlike many of the designers and creatives on the team, I come from a very different background. For the past nine years, I worked in the broadcasting industry as a meteorologist.

My journey started at Saint Louis University, where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology. After graduation, I moved around a bit. My first job took me to Lubbock, Texas—where the storms are no joke. I had the incredible opportunity to chase some of the most thrilling and intense weather events of my career. But eventually, I found myself missing home. That longing brought me to Lexington, Kentucky. Still not quite close enough, I finally returned to Marion, Illinois—my hometown. I’ve spent the last six years growing my career there.

Little did I know that my career was about to take a big (but amazing) turn.

Though my background is rooted in math and science, I realized there was more design and marketing in my past work than I’d given myself credit for. In broadcasting, I wasn’t just forecasting the weather—I was also representing a brand and creating my own graphics. Now, I get to take that experience and use it to help other businesses grow their own brands and visibility. I’m incredibly thankful that the James Arthur Design team took a chance on a self-proclaimed weather nerd.

Naturally, my design process looks a bit different from the rest of the team. I still create daily forecasts and graphics, but for me, it always comes back to one question: What do people care about?
Is it a busy weekend? Will weather ruin their plans? Is there severe weather on the horizon—or is it just going to be a beautiful day? For me, it’s all about the story behind the forecast and simplifying the science so it makes sense at a glance.

Once I have my who, what, when, and where, I create my graphic. The design is just as important as the forecast itself—because that’s what tells the story.

If the design doesn’t clearly communicate the message, then the forecast loses its impact.

My goal is for someone to look at the graphic and immediately understand what’s going on—no explanation needed. I think that same principle applies to branding. A strong brand tells a story at a glance. Just by looking at a logo, you should have a good idea of what the company does.

All this to say—I’m beyond excited to be part of the team and to discover how much overlap there is between my two career paths. Experiencing the business world through this new lens has been energizing. Meeting and working with businesses one-on-one gives my work a whole new purpose—and I’m just getting started.