A graphic Stephen Obisanya designed and photographed for his Artisans & Trade podcast. It features the Staten Island based hip-hop duo called Local Fish. (Courtesy of Stephen Obisanya)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A self-taught documentary photographer, content creator, podcaster and lover of all things design and branding, Stephen Obisanya, 32, knew the time was right amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020 to help small businesses gain exposure.
At the onset of the pandemic, he launched an arts podcast and education platform — Artisans & Trade — targeting emerging creative entrepreneurs with insights from a variety of guests, from local, renowned artists to international and high-caliber experts, including Emmy award-winning designer Chris Do.
“From the conversations I was having on the podcast to personal conversations with colleagues, it became apparent that there were a handful of things that often prevented creatives and entrepreneurs from seeing their visions through,” said Obisanya. “… Some of these obstacles include defining a clear communication/messaging strategy, low-quality and uninspiring images and videos, branding and design capabilities, marketing and much more.”
This led to the October 2021 launch of Artisans & Trade Studio — an online business to complement the existing podcast of the same name — because Obisanya wanted to help small businesses “stand out.”
“I feel that Staten Island, in its current phase of reimagining itself, is in need of a business that is looking to reimagine what is possible for the future. … The studio aims to help local creatives and small businesses get to where they want to go, in a smarter and elegant manner,” Obisanya said.(Courtesy of Stephen Obisanya)
“There is a need for a creative studio, like Artisans & Trade Studio, on Staten Island, because independent creatives and businesses [i.e. small family-owned businesses to franchise stores with locations here in the borough] are always looking for the advantage, to stand out, to have an authentic identity that speaks to their mission and translates into recognition and sales,” said Obisanya of his inspiration for launching Artisans & Trade Studio.
“I feel that Staten Island, in its current phase of reimagining itself, is in need of a business that is looking to reimagine what is possible for the future. … The studio aims to help local creatives and small businesses get to where they want to go, in a smarter and elegant manner,” Obisanya added.
FACTS ABOUT BRANDING
Branding/visual identity can mean a number of things for different businesses. For this reason, Obisanya works one-on-one with entrepenuaers to devise ways to best promote and brand their business.
His work includes creating logos, photography, video, marketing materials and more.
“For a new small business, branding might include creating a new business name, new logo, messaging — how to position and communicate what they do — stationery design and more,” he said. “For others, branding might mean new company-aligned photographs and/or creative videos that best captivate the story of their company and the real impact of the work they do. It might mean making sure their website design is properly aligned with and functions to accomplish the goals they have set for their business.”
Photos taken by Stephen Obisanya for Brooklyn-based chef Violeta Palchik during one of her brunch events. (Courtesy of Stephen Obisanya)
PUTTING HIS TALENTS TO USE
Obisanya’s creative journey began when he transitioned from a medical school route to following his passion for writing, fashion and photography.
“I co-founded a successful online men’s lifestyle publication, which provided me the opportunity to collaborate with startup fashion brands and entrepreneurs. I photographed and wrote advertorials, created content for web and social media, and documented the journey every step of the way,” he said.
After a few years, he pivoted toward documentary photography, which taught him how to tell impactful narratives with images and video.
Photos taken by Stephen Obisanya for Brooklyn-based chef Violeta Palchik during one of her brunch events. (Courtesy of Stephen Obisanya)
“This has been the core of my professional work as I continue to take on projects that are near and dear to me. Early on, as I delved into documentary photography, I grew passionate about design and branding,” he said, noting he worked as a digital media strategist for a nonprofit organization where he designed print documents and managed the development of its first website.
ARTISAN & TRADE STUDIO AT A GLANCE
Website: https://www.artisansandtradestudio.com/
Instagram: @artisansandtrade
New Businesses in Focus is a weekly column that relates the stories of new Staten Island business owners. If you have a new business on Staten Island, e-mail porpora@siadvance.com.
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