MEMBER SPOTLIGHT | OCTOBER 2001

New Member Alison Courtney
Provides the Pictures and the Words

You can discover a lot about Alison Courtney just from the name of her business - Graphic Language Inc., which she started in 1992 and incorporated in 1994. The incisive, witty, busy entrepreneur provides a unique combination of graphic design and copyediting services. "While I am still interested in straight-up copyediting jobs, my business is now almost exclusively design-based. Because of my copyediting background, I pay a lot of attention to copy, typography and details in my design work," Alison says.

I began working in this business in 1986, when the production manager at Graphic Services asked me to come to work as a proofreader there. I had an English background but no on-the-job experience. At Graphic Services I sharpened my attention to detail and learned a lot about typography and prepress work (paste-up, camera work, stripping, etc.).

Alison began her career in 1986 as a proofreader at Graphic Services. "I had an English background but no on-the-job experience. At Graphic Services, I sharpened my attent to detail and learned a lot about typography and prepress work - paste-up, camera work, stripping, etc."

In 1989, she went to work for Network Graphics, now Output Technologies, as a copyeditor. "In my down time, I learned everything I could about desktop publishing. It was a very open environment where everyone's opinion was valued. The designers began to rely on me to "dissect" their work. I paid a lot of attention to things they didn't have time for, so we made a good team. I picked up a lot of design skills working with the talented creative staff there. During a period of growth for the company, I got my own computer and began applying my new skills to the company's projects.

Eventually I realized I was being pigeonholed at the company. I was more valuable as a copyeditor than a designer. In the words of the director, 'Good copyeditors are harder to find than good designers,' and I wanted to branch out. I was well-paid for a proofreader, but couldn't hope to make much more money unless I changed positions. In addition, the company had been bought by DST, and while this provided better benefits, the open, anything-goes environment I loved was disappearing. So I called a former business associate and asked if he'd consider working with me as a freelancer. When he said yes, I bought a computer, a printer, a scanner and some software, and I was on my way!

Two years into her business, in February 1994, Alison began training her "employee." She was eight months pregnant with her youngest child, had taken on a huge concept-to-print magazine project that had to be completed in a month and then found out she had developed pregnancy-related high blood pressure and would have to go on bed rest until the baby was born.

"I couldn't get out of the magazine project, so I called my mom, who had only begun to learn how to operate a computer. For the next month, I lay on my left side (this lowers blood pressure) on a cot in my office barking instructions and orders at my mom and anyone else I could involve in getting the magazine finished. I realized then I was management material (or should I say, a total control freak?). I should have known then that my mother was the perfect person to work with me if she could put up with me at my stressed-out, hormonal worst!," says Alison.

Beverly Courtney (Mom to Alison) began working with her last year when she became interested in semi-retirement. She had been in the prepress business since she was 18 and could provide unmatched flexibility in terms of hours worked. "She brings to the table a great deal of production knowledge that has been lost since the advent of desktop publishing, and she also has experience on the computer. She does absolutely amazing display work, a service I would not even offer if it weren't for her," says Alison.

Alison decided to become an entrepreneur when she realized she could make a lot more money than as a designer or copyeditor in a studio. "I also work best with flexible hours and when I'm in charge, and I have three kids - Megan, 7; Amber, 15; and James, 16. "I'm enjoying watching them grow up, and grateful to be able to keep an eye on the teenagers!"

Today Alison works with direct marketing firms, an accounting firm, magazine publishers, larger design studios and printers. "I do everything from full-color catalogs and books to newsletters and brochures to space ads," she says. "Finding the time is always a challenge. However, I have so much freedom, both professionally and personally, and it's helped me to achieve more than I ever thought I could."