Roxann Patrick

After working for a company with some questionable business practices, Roxann Patrick walked away and started her own company knowing what she would and, pos- sibly more important, wouldn’t do once she was on her own. 14 years ago she left and started Designed Solutions Group, Inc. in Centerville, Ohio, that very same day. Now, as the CEO of the company, she has grown from a one-woman staff work- ing crazy hours to employing her own staff.

“I had been the senior art director at an ad agency which was struggling financially because the owner was challenging with vendors and staff,” she said.“When I left and started my business, I had the goal of running my business ethically and to value my employees and vendors. I started with that in mind.” After working as an independent freelancer for ad agencies and design firms, Patrick realized she was doing a lot of work for them as an adjunct art director turning around giant proj- ects in three days, sometimes hiring up to eight freelancers to help her get the projects done. “I just made the decision to pursue corporations directly,” she said.“We grew really fast and I had two designers within six months.”