By Lindsey Murray | ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship
CYstarters Spotlight: A 14-part series highlighting student entrepreneurs pursuing their business ventures as part of the CYstarters 2024 summer cohort. Through this program, students have the unique opportunity to prioritize the development of their own startup or business idea. Each individual receives $6,500 and access to resources such as mentorship, networking opportunities, and educational sessions on entrepreneurship and business startup.
Tate Zalasky: Designing His Own Path To Success
Tate Zalasky is not new to the world of entrepreneurship. Heading into his senior year at Iowa State University, Tate Zalasky has already carved out a niche for himself in the competitive world of graphic design, specifically within the music industry.
Tate’s business, ZSIX, is not just a graphic design company; it’s a vibrant ecosystem for artists.
It’s an ambitious vision, but one that Tate has been meticulously building over the last three years.
Tate’s love for design was inspired by his father, a man who switched careers to start his own graphic design business. At the young age of 10, Tate’s father began showing him the ropes in Adobe Suite. “Once I jumped into graphic design, I never stopped, I never looked back. Design is always something that I’ve been passionate about,” he recalls.
Tate’s portfolio is now sprinkled with freelance work created for some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Republic Records and Universal Music Group. But he didn’t start there, and the journey has been winding. Having taught himself how to design in Adobe Suite after watching endless YouTube videos, he decided during his freshman year that he wanted to put his work out in the world. Setting out on a digital networking spree, he began sending out thousands of Instagram DMs to music artists, managers, and labels. With little to no response to his efforts, Tate was thrilled when a Brooklyn-based group called 41 responded asking for a cover art design. “That totally kickstarted my business,” Tate shares. “The group has flown me out to New York multiple times. They’ve signed with Republic Records, charted number one, and my art has been on those albums. I’ve got over 300 million streams with them.”
Example’s of Tate’s cover art designed for 41.
His work with this group started out as designing cover art and has transformed into a creative director position where he is doing brand photography, motion art, designing event posters, and more. This collaboration not only solidified Tate’s reputation but also expanded his client base through word of mouth. His current demographic is primarily based in New York City. “I grew up absolutely loving music. It’s definitely one of my favorite things in the world. I listen to music all day, all genres. And being in the music industry, where you can have a song that has no words and can still convey a million emotions, is incredible,” he shared.
The road to success, however, has not been without its challenges. Balancing his growing business with his academic commitments has been difficult. “I want to give the image that I’m always available and always taking on more work and that I can offer a quick turnaround. But it’s super difficult when my schoolwork also requires a lot of design work because that takes a lot of time,” he admits. Long nights and a heavy schedule are part of Tate’s day-to-day life, but he is learning to manage his schedule and be more efficient at his craft.
One of the most transformative experiences for Tate has been his participation in CYstarters, a program designed to support student entrepreneurs at Iowa State. “I haven’t ever been in an environment like this, where it’s a team of entrepreneurs. Every single person has a different passion, and being able to see people want to create things they love is super inspiring,” he reflects. The connections he’s made, the time management tips he’s learned, and the professional resources at his disposal have been invaluable.
As the summer comes to a close, Tate hopes to launch his website and be ready to take design orders by CYstarters Demo Day next Tuesday. It’s an exciting time for ZSIX, and Tate is ready to take his business even further. “What excites me the most is being able to work with other entrepreneurs and different people in different fields. There are so many people you meet every day that can change your perspective and that you can collaborate with. That’s really exciting to me,” he says.
For those looking to support Tate and his journey, follow him on Instagram at @zalaskydesign or visit his website at www.zalaskydesign.com. And don’t miss the chance to see him and other CYstarters present their business ventures on Demo Day. Let’s support our student entrepreneurs and celebrate their incredible achievements! Register to attend Demo Day at www.isupjcenter.org/event/2024-cystarters-demo-day/.
