It was as a student at Spice Valley Middle School that Dejon Simons first discovered he had a talent for drawing. In his spare time he would copy images he had seen or sketch graffiti posters for his classmates. Yet, like many artists with other ambitions, his gift remained a hobby and nothing more.

"Back then it was just a side talent I possessed, because my original career dream was to be a marine biologist," says Mr. Simons, now 22, "I had always played around in Photoshop , but it was just for fun, it was just a talent I had."

Now, years after he started doodling in his notebooks, the talented young Bermudian has taken his knack for drawing into business. Last year he started a new venture called Fusedesigns, which creates everything from corporate logos, to posters and CD album covers.

"My niche for graphic design didn't really hit me until I was taking a web design course at Bermuda College in 2006/7 and I believe my dad actually gave me the idea to get into it," he explained. After searching for colleges abroad where he could pursue his talent, he settled on New England Institute of Technology in Rhode Island.

"I started to notice word was going around about how I do great tattoos so one day I just thought, 'Hey maybe I can make some money off of this', and I just never stopped."

It took the next year and a half for Mr. Simons to come up with a name for the business and to settle on a logo. After launching earlier this year, the business is now branching in to the fashion world with custom clothing. It has even expanded in to the US, with Mr. Simons' close friend Ellzy Ratteray recruiting new clients in Atlanta, where he lives.

"I do all the designing myself, but I am tutoring him online with Photoshop and Illustrator. I may work with just him but I also have family and friends that recommend me for a great deal of work so in a way it all somewhat ties into each other and I am grateful."

By now, Mr. Simons is well acquainted with the challenges facing new entrepreneurs like himself.

"I find it good and bad at times, it's a 50/50 relationship. Just like in any business you are going to have times that are great and then there will be other times when you have a work drought," he says.

"It's much harder for the smaller guys to get out there when your competition are bigger and better design agencies...which come with an extensive and much more aggressive portfolio than companies like mine.

"These agencies are well funded and have the facilities to do everything they create, but on the other hand they don't offer or give the time of day to do certain projects like Fusedesigns."

Still the difficulties of owning a small business are nothing compared to what the young man has already overcome.

In 2004, a horrific bicycle accident left Dejon - then only 16 - with third-degree burns on 97 percent of his body.

Though initially not expected to survive the ordeal, Dejon beat the odds and became a leading advocate for road safety in Bermuda.

Now, in addition to starting his graphic design firm, Dejon joined fatherhood last year with the birth of his son Kali.

For more information on Fusedesigns, or to see a portfolio, visit www.fusedesigning.com