Alum builds Zerflin, a global design firm
As a college student, Benjamin Jancewicz ’04 looked for a Christian college with a solid engineering program. As a sophomore at Messiah, however, he soon realized that art and design always had held a special place in his heart. The child of missionaries, he’d grown up in Kawawachikamach, a First Nations village in northern Quebec. With little to do, he spent time filling his sketchbooks and playing around with the Microsoft Paint program on his father’s computer.
One professor who encouraged Jancewicz to follow his passion was Angela Hare, dean of the School of Science, Engineering and Health.
“I’ve taught thousands of Messiah students over the years,” said Hare. “Benjamin is one whose passion and character stands out.”
Once he switched his major, he had to catch up on the necessary design classes. He also started his own design agency, Zerflin, which continues to this day.
“I had to hustle to get everything for a graphic design major,” said Jancewicz. “That work ethic stayed with me as I kicked Zerflin into higher gear.”
As a new business owner, he connected with new clients by offering his services for a small fee—or even for free. He even met clients in the dining hall between classes. “Whenever I was assigned a project where I had to invent a company to design for, I did my best to find an actual company that would let me do their designs for free in exchange for classwork,” he said.
Today, Zerflin and its staff of 10 offer many services such as branding, print pieces and Web. “We’ve redesigned government websites, built national branding campaigns, designed and built apps and have had our work sent around the globe,” said Jancewicz, whose artwork has been sold to companies in France, Sweden and the U.K.
The majority of the company’s income comes from large consulting companies or real estate businesses that don’t have their own graphic design departments. The rest of the client base comes from small shops, independent artists, musicians and entrepreneurs.
Outside the agency, Jancewicz works on his own art, which has been shown at more than 140 venues and 17 galleries, all in a span of little more than two years. His personal art is interrelated with Zerflin’s, with an emphasis on typography.
“I’m hoping we can continue to grow the company to the point where we can sustain more people financially and do more pro bono projects,” he said about the agency’s future. “Doing work for free has always brought me great joy, and I’d love to have the company to the point where I’d be able to design for those in need, still have my bills paid and have the freedom to create more art. It’s a lofty goal, but I think we’ll get there.”
— Maddie Waller ’18