How To Become An Owner & Designer: What It Is and Career Path

What is an owner & designer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Abby Guido

Isn't it great to be the owner of a business/organization and sit back and enjoy monitoring everyone working, right? Wrong! As they have most of the authority, therefore, they have greater responsibilities. They hire people to support them, review sales patterns, keep an eye on market trends, and oversee the internal operation. And, above all, they are the ones who bring clients and customers and make strategies to expand the business.

Being an owner is not a simple job, as you must know much more than everyone else does. The most challenging part is controlling your staff, for which you need years of experience. And if you have all that, owning a small business can help you earn $50 per hour.

All paid employees work 9-5, and the owner has to work until they make things happen as desired. You find them coming late because they stayed in the office last night negotiating with customers and finalizing certain deals.

What general advice would you give to an owner & designer?

Abby Guido

Assistant Professor, Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University

We've all heard the buzz about networking, and there is so much buzz because it works. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is both up to date and active. Connect with all of your past professors, classmates, and anyone and everyone you meet in a professional setting. I often tell students to get into the habit of searching for any classroom guests, or guest lecturers, to connect, thank them for their time, and build their network. Share content. Write articles, or reshare those you find interesting.

Every job I have ever received in my career has been through someone else I know. I share this with students to help them see the value in relationships. I always remember the students that took the time to write a handwritten thank-you note. And I think of them when I get an email asking if I know any students are looking for work.

ScoreOwner & DesignerUS Average

Salary

3.8

Avg. Salary $48,688

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.2

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.37%

Asian 10.42%

Black or African American 3.42%

Hispanic or Latino 10.63%

Unknown 4.99%

White 70.17%

Gender

female 63.91%

male 36.09%

Age - 37

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 37

Stress level

4.2

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.5

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.9

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an owner & designer

Explore owner & designer education requirements

Most common owner & designer degrees

Bachelor's

63.0 %

Associate

21.8 %

Master's

6.2 %

Start to develop specific owner & designer skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	23.63%
Graphic Design	7.36%
Website Design	5.31%
Jewelry	4.76%
Art Shows	4.72%

Complete relevant owner & designer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New owner & designers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an owner & designer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real owner & designer resumes.

Gain additional owner & designer certifications

Owner & designer certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific owner & designer certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for owner & designers include Certified Interior Designer (NCIDQ) and Certified Floral Designer (CFD).

More About Certifications

Research owner & designer duties and responsibilities

Manage production in NYC and overseas.
Manage purchase orders, estimates, invoices, and all financial bookkeeping in QuickBooks software, including quarterly sales tax.
Update and maintain a local church youth group's website using HTML and CSS.
Design and maintain a local artist's web gallery using HTML, CSS, and a third-party shopping cart system.

Prepare your owner & designer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your owner & designer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an owner & designer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable owner & designer resume templates

Build a professional owner & designer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your owner & designer resume.