Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Layton.
Hi Jason, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m originally from Laredo, Texas, where I was born and raised alongside most of my family. I made the move to San Antonio during my senior year of high school, and this city has been home ever since.
I’ve always been a creative person, although I didn’t necessarily know what that meant for me growing up. I loved coloring, building things with Legos, and making collages with my grandma. In middle school and high school, I was heavily involved in music and attended a fine arts magnet school. For a long time, I assumed music would be my path.
When I started college at UTSA, though, I began exploring other possibilities and stumbled across graphic design. I quickly became fascinated with magazines and editorial design and convinced myself I was going to become an art director for a fashion magazine like GQ or Vogue.
After my freshman year, I transferred to the International Academy of Design & Technology, where I earned my associate degrees, and later completed my bachelor’s degree through the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
Fast forward about 14 years, and I’m now a working graphic designer, art director, and creative strategist building my own creative studio, Layton Creative. Getting here has been anything but a straight line. There have been plenty of bumps, mistakes, career changes, and side quests along the way, but I’ve learned to embrace the journey.
One thing that’s a little different about my story is that I’ve never really considered myself naturally talented. You hear a lot of creatives say, “I’ve always been an artist,” or “I’ve always been passionate about design.” That’s not really my story. I discovered design, fell in love with it, and then worked really hard to get good at it.
Even with music, I was never the best musician in the room either. I practiced. I studied. I made mistakes. I kept going. I approached my design career the same way. I think my curiosity, hunger to learn, and determination to prove myself have ultimately taken me further than natural talent ever could.
I’m still figuring things out, and I’m okay with that. Building my own studio is the newest chapter, and I’m excited to see where this particular side quest takes me.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’d say my path has been more like a torturous trail that turned into a mudslide, carried me down a mountain, dropped me into a river, and somehow led me to the most beautiful waterfall. It’s been a rough journey, but I’m here.
Throughout college, I worked in retail, which is where I discovered another one of my first loves: fashion and styling. I loved experimenting with clothes and putting together outfits, and I’ve always considered myself a maximalist. Looking back, I think that instinct to create boldly and play with visual expression naturally found its way into my design work. I’ve never been very good at doing things quietly.
Before finishing my associate degrees, I was also interning at the San Antonio Current while going to school full-time and working two jobs. It was hectic, but those experiences gave me my first real taste of the creative industry and advertising.
From there, my career took me through some pretty unexpected chapters: corporate design, packaging and advertising, art direction, branding, and strategy. At one point, I spent years saying, “I hate designing logos. I don’t want to be a brand designer.” Then I joined an agency focused on branding and strategy and proceeded to design more logos than I ever had in my life—and discovered that I actually loved it.
That job ended when the company restructured and our entire team was laid off. That was a difficult moment, but it ultimately pushed me into freelancing and, eventually, into building Layton Creative.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a creative director building my own creative studio, Layton Creative, with a focus on branding, creative strategy, art direction, and helping businesses bring their ideas to life. A big part of why I started my own studio was the opportunity to work more closely with the local community and use my experience to help small businesses, nonprofits, and organizations find creative solutions to the challenges they’re facing.
There are plenty of incredibly talented agencies and creatives in San Antonio, so I don’t necessarily think what sets me apart is that I can do something no one else can. I think it’s the way I approach the work. I’m not a “yes man.” If a client comes to me asking for a logo, I’m not just going to make them a logo. I’m going to ask why they need it, what problem they’re trying to solve, and whether a logo is actually the best solution. I bring creative expertise and strategic thinking to the table, and sometimes that means challenging the original idea to find something better.
I also think boldly and loudly. I’m a maximalist at heart, and that energy naturally finds its way into my work. I like creating brands and experiences that have a point of view and aren’t afraid to take up space.
I get to be intentional about who I work with and the kinds of projects I take on. I’ve helped small businesses find their identities, partnered with nonprofits, worked on city-wide events and activations, and collaborated with people who are genuinely passionate about what they’re building.
That has probably been the most meaningful part of running my own studio. I’m not just making things anymore, I get to choose what I want to contribute to my community. And I’m excited to see where that takes me next.
What matters most to you? Why?
I think making an impact is what matters most to me, both personally and professionally.
Something I tell my clients is that I want to leave their business in better hands than when I came in. One of my first clients was actually my best friend, and I’m constantly asking him, “Have I made an impact on your business?” I genuinely want to know if I’ve made a difference or if you’re just keeping me around because we’re friends.
For me, that question goes beyond business. Throughout my life and career, my close friends and family have always been there for me. They’ve supported me through career changes, heartbreak, loss, financial struggles, and all of the other messy parts of life. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have so many people in my corner cheering me on.
I think a big part of what matters to me now is finding ways to repay that kindness. If I can make someone’s business better, help someone feel more confident in their idea, open a door for another creative, or simply make someone’s life a little easier, then I feel like I’m doing something worthwhile.
I don’t necessarily need to change the world. I just want to be able to look back and know that the people I worked with, the people I love, and the community I’m part of are better off because I was there.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.laytoncreativeco.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femme.cholo/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-layton-2a360454/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/layton.creative/
