Leif Derrickson started his creative career in 2006 as a graphic designer working at Walsworth Publishing Company.  During his first years of employment at Walsworth, he worked in the art department setting artwork for yearbook covers.  Here he learned techniques for embossing die set up, silk screening, hot foil and four-color print.  Wanting to advance his career, he applied to join the Creative Services department.  However, it was suggested to him to go back to college and complete an associates degree before advancing to his role.  In 2011, Leif began his second college career at North Central Missouri College.

By the end of the second semester, Leif had decided to take his college career further by pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri.  In this time, he worked numerous part-time and full-time jobs while completing his studies.  In 2013, Leif started a position at National Audio Company as an Audio Mastering Engineer.  Along with managing voice over productions for talking books for the blind, mastering commercial audio for cassette tape distribution, and categorizing analog to digital recordings; Leif also assisted with marketing and branding for the company.  Creating apparel, web-design mock-ups, photography and social media posts. 

In the summer of 2015, Leif Derrickson completed his degree in Electronic Arts with a minor in Marketing at Missouri State University.  After a brief break from college, Leif then continued his studies online taking courses in HTML / CSS and web-design with the goal of becoming more diverse as a designer. In 2017, Leif felt that it was time to move on from NAC, and took a position back at Walsworth Publishing company in the Creative Services department for a season. Realizing that his calling was elsewhere, Leif permanently said goodbye to the Walsworth family and set off to advance his career.  

Between 2018 and 2021, Leif’s journey was tumultuous.  At this time, he worked a number of small jobs while also taking on freelance creative work.  Wanting to stretch his creative muscle in new ways, Leif was inspired to try his hand at carpentry.  In the summer of 2018, Leif began working for a master carpenter in Springfield, Missouri.  While here, he quickly learned and took on the responsibility of preparing reclaimed and milled lumber, as well as assembling furniture and cabinetry.  By the winter of 2018/2019, the carpenter had run out of work and Leif had to move on.  

In the spring of 2019, Leif moved to Portland, Oregon in hopes of finding a more lucrative opportunity. Not wanting to stay unemployed, however, he took on a crew position at Rick’s Custom Fencing and Decking to supplement his income while he searched for a position in his career.  Still working nights and weekends taking on freelance work, Leif began working with a Denver, Colorado Marketing start-up called Above the Fold branding.  Between this agency and other freelance work, Leif was able to comfortably leave Rick’s Custom Fencing.  In December 2019, Leif also began working with Clay Banks Studio International. 

Through the pandemic years, Leif remained working in freelance and contract roles.  Unfortunately, the uncertainty of those early months forced Leif to move back to Missouri.  He was able to maintain his relationships abroad and wait out the economic uncertainty.  With the pandemic easing and the global economy opening back up, Leif packed what he could fit on the back of his Suzuki V-Strom and made the trip to Los Angeles, California where he would work more closely with Clay Banks Studio International as Creative and Technical Lead.  Here he designed and produced fully interactive live streamed classes.  As well as handled marketing materials and fully re-designing the CBSI website. In September 2021, Leif began a position at Newegg, Inc. in their marketing department as a graphic designer. This position offered Leif many new opportunities and challenges.  Where he quickly worked on projects ranging from digital banners and motion graphics, to managing product photoshoots, rebranding, designing, and building Newegg Business’ landing page, as well as taking the lead on producing digital assets, photoshoots, brand, and designing the landing page for Neweggs 2022 May the 4th giveaway promotion.  Leif even helped train co-workers on motion graphics best practices for distribution on eCommerce sites.

Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, Newegg Inc. was experiencing a major lay-off due to financial struggles and Leif was let go for lack of funding.  A week later, he began working as a contractor for Firefighters First Credit Union on a 6 month contract.  In this position, he directed video shoots, produced multiple company videos, coordinated with firefighter and natural disaster content creators / vendors, and produced digitized interactive versions of print brochures for distribution electronically. 

Leif Derrickson is currently based in North Hollywood, California where he continues his career as a Multimedia Graphic Web designer.  While also furthering his education into the field of UX design.