Crystal Bell Mayes

Experience

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  Self Employed Portrait Artist

  Jan 1980 - Jan 1985

  Fine Artist

  As a Commercial Art Student -- I established a reputation and started working from my home or classroom when I was 17 years of age. I produced air-brushed tee-shirts, silk screened tee shirts, and pastel portraits. In 1981 I began producing hand-painted signs, and also designed and created paste-up/layouts for fliers for several small businesses in the Plaquemine and Baton Rouge areas. I still lived with my parents then on Bayou Rd., a quaint little country town. People actually drove their fine cars down that dirt road to find me, so that I could paint their signs. Today, that country road is paved and has improved drainage, but I live in Austin now and people come to my office studio. Exibir menos

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  The Baton Rouge Metro

  Jan 1984 - Nov 1984

  Advertising Account Executive

  I began my career in Commercial Art and Advertising under publisher - Lee Wesley in Advertising Account Executive Sales, and producing ADs for publishing content. My mentor was Clay "Rico" Ricard (now deceased). I was a real green horn then and was completely naïve about the business and how much money I should have been making. Like most Artists, we got used to design logos and ads and only made pennies for our designs. For African Americans the business was very cruel to us, and we were sifted out, and did not earn nearly what we should have earned. Most AA (African-Americans) ended up in commission sales, no salary, no base, and no gas card. We helped market many businesses, but today, many AA artists have failed, and if they did not become DIVERSE and continue in Computer Graphics, or CAD most left the industry. But the lesson in this story is (HOW) I got my (first) job in Advertising? -- RICO discovered me on North Blvd. in downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He had relocated from Atlanta, Georgia. Anyway, I was walking down the street with my huge portfolio - trying to find my way to the nearest bus stop. I did not have a car, I had just left a job interview - walking in high heels, and sweating! That morning, RICO pulled over to the curve in his Volkswagen Beetle, and said - "Hello young lady, it's very hot out here today, would you like some help with that portfolio, or would you like a ride?" -- I had just had an interview with a graphics company, and didn't get that job, and was feeling really low. But in the south, what Rico did (offering me a ride) -- that was called -- being neighborly. Besides that, he was really interested in what I had in my huge portfolio. From that point, we got acquainted on that bus stop, and went straight to his office at the Baton Rouge Metro. I met Mr. Lee Wesley, presented my portfolio, and I got hired the same day! -- Fate. [Proverb] -- "Don't worry about not having the vehicle, when it's time the vehicle will come to you!" Exibir menos

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  National Income Life Insurance Company

  Jan 1990 - Jan 1991

  Insurance Agent

  Insurance Sales Home Service Life Agent. Field work. Cold Calling. Appointment Setting, Collections and lite book-keeping.

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  The Baton Rouge Weekly Press Newspaper

  Jul 1995 - Jan 2002

  Advertising Account Executive

  I continued my career in print media working as a type-setter, and then progressed to account executive sales in advertising. at the BR Weekly press my most successful sales account was landing a full page full color AD from Albertsons' grocery. That account booked for one year. My commission was fabulous.

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  The Houston Sun Newspaper

  Jan 1998 - Jan 1998

  Advertising Account Executive

  Account Executive Advertising Sales. I knew Lionel Roberson (now deceased), and Dorris Ellis for a short period of time. My most successful account was Al Colbert and JJ. Ball Tax Services. They were just getting out of college and bought advertising from Dorris. Under training with Dorris - she told me to -- "lock the door and don't let them out until they signed" -- and it worked! That was my first successful account in Houston. It was unconventional, but it earned me RESPECT. -- One year later Al Colbert & J. J. Ball bought 100-1000 spots of TV Advertising from V.K. Baker & Associates. -- I was the appointment setter who lined them up with Virginia Baker. She produced their first TV broadcast-commercial and ran it on cable network! -- It's all about the leads, all about... "the leads!" Today their Tax Service is a nationwide franchise. I feel great knowing that I had a piece in helping to grow their AWARENESS, which ultimately lead to their continued SUCCESS, and that kind of success comes with knowing that you have (the ability or the gift) of advertising in commercial marketing! I learned that people don't always know what's best for them, especially when they are new in business. You have to roll over them with a hot pressing iron and steam out the wrinkles so that they can shine! -- Because if they don't "SHINE" -- their (most potential clients) will never "SEE" them! Exibir menos

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  The Houston Niche Magazine

  Mar 2000 - Jan 2001

  Publisher/Editor

  Houston Niche was my first published newspaper. Rag-tabloid featuring community news, grass roots events and local small business advertising. Duties included: Advertising, account executive SALES & Collections, Writing, publishing, type-setting, editing, proof-reading, field work and community interaction, lay-out/paste-up, graphic design, photo-journalism, and public relations. In 2000 this paper started out as a family business. Our major accounts included NAACP, and local multi-media production companies seeking contract-writers and photographers. The sun set on The Houston Niche Magazine in 2001. I wrote the slogan for this one - "Houston Get Your Niche!" Exibir menos

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  V. K. Baker & Associates - Cable Broadcast Productions

  Jan 2001 - Mar 2008

  Appointment Setter

  Duties included: Cold-calling and setting appointments for TV Producers. Produce and Qualify BONIFIED-LEADS. Email media-packages to potential business clients for Virginia Baker-Simpson.

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  ITT Technical Institute - Houston West Campus

  Nov 2008 - Jun 2009

  Computer Lab Assistant

  LRC Help Desk: Provided customer service and assistance to students with computer log-in, tutoring in Auto CAD and Language Arts. Also cataloged books and magazines, stocked books and periodicals in campus library - Learning Resource Center/computer lab. (Note: This position was a temporary student - work study/intern position.) The job ended when I transferred to another college.

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  Secure One - Security & Investigations

  Jan 2009 - Jan 2010

  Security Guard

  As a Floater, I covered three posts, which was -- Goodman Honda on 59 South Freeway, and servicing two Marriot Courtyard Hotels in Greens Point. Duties included: Protecting and guarding my posts; recording data and keeping a daily log; delivering hand bills to hotel guests, covering parking lots and recording license plates, counting vehicles on lot; checking I.D.s; escorting employees to gate; receiving packages at gate.

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  Crystal's Artworks in Austin

  Jan 2011 - Jan 2014

  Art Designer

  Entrepreneur - Business Owner. Art Illustrations Art Gallery Studio Freelance Graphics Portraits

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  Time Warner Cable

  Jan 2011 - Jun 2012

  Field Auditor/ Home Service Sales

  Sub-contracted through D&B Solutions -- 12224 Roxie Drive, Austin, TX. to provide leads for home service cable networking, and to audit or up-date listings provided by Time Warner Cable. Duties included door-to-door canvassing, collecting information and payments from clients, and to qualify leads to increase home-service sales. What I enjoyed most about field-contracting is FREEDOM!

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  Reliable Facilities Services/Texas Dept. of Transportation

  Jul 2013 - Jan 2014

  Mtn. Contractor

  Former Contractor for general servicing of government state buildings.

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  ReWork Project

  Jan 2016 - Jan 2017

  Woodworker

  Woodwork & Assembly of Tables