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Emma Ellis

College friends to business partners

The story of graphic design business Studio 207, its recent Trojan origins

It’s not uncommon for people to find a group of friends in college. What may be slightly more uncommon is those friends coming together to form a successful business.

That’s exactly what the members of Studio 207 have done. Five friends and current seniors at Troy University –  Howard Purvee, Jared Hester, Nathan Hobbs, Reanna Thompson and Zack Pappanastos – came together to use their creative talents to form a profitable business.

“Our group started off as friends that all were in the graphic design program,” said Purvee, who is from Hartford, Alabama . “Eventually, after working on projects together, it became clear that this is something we loved doing as a team, and starting this business together has genuinely changed our lives in the best ways.”

The group is a freelance graphic design company.

“We do everything from logo design to marketing,” said Thompson, who is from Panama City, Florida. “Our tagline is, ‘We do it all.’”

From working on assignments together in classes, they realized they could be a profitable team.

“Eventually after working on projects together, it became clear that this is something we loved doing as a team, and starting this business together has genuinely changed our lives in the best ways,” Purvee said.

But, their aspirations don’t stop there. They hope to bring the creative scene to Troy.

“Montgomery, Dothan, and Birmingham all have a creative scene, from film studios, to creative media firms,” said Hobbs, who is from Black, Alabama. “Troy could really benefit from this creative growth, and I believe that our goal is to spearhead that change.”

The group has even had the opportunity to work with some big clients.

“We recently started working with Troy Regional,” Purvee said. “Getting to work with a big client like that’s been a huge deal for us.”

They put their hearts and souls into their work, and they all said they proud of their product.

“All our projects are like babies to me,” said Hester, a Trussville, Alabama native. “I would not trade a single project for anything.”

Though the days can be long and the work can be stressful, these creative minds say there is no better reward than finishing a project.

“Waking up every day and going, going, going, until we pass out at night from working so much has been the most stressful and rewarding experience of my life,” Hester said.

However, they say their company is not just about themselves, but the Troy community as a whole.

“We have dozens of art and design students come through the program here at Troy, and they always end up leaving for places like Montgomery,” Hobbs said. “Building something here in Troy would allow for a further reach both into the community and across the region.”

To get in contact with Studio 207, email them at troystudio207.design@gmail.com.

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