Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in design services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Cory Andres, Owner of Studio ANDRZ, located in Phoenix, AZ, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I own and operate STUDIO ANDRZ, a Multi-disciplinary design studio focused on e-commerce with primary customers in the Sports & Lifestyle space.
Tell us about yourself
I really got into design in middle school. This is when I was getting into skateboarding and music and would emulate the album covers and deck designs by drawing on a sketch pad. As I grew older, I learned that most of these designs weren't done by hand but by computer. Photoshop, to be exact. After totally downloading PS legally, I started my first side gig in high school doing myspace website page layouts for artists and bands. I went to college for design and graduated in 2014. From then until 2020, I jumped around from marketing to creative design teams, learning the ins and outs of UI / UX and web design.
I worked as a designer in some corporate and agency settings, where each was fueled by office politics, the end dollar, and noncreative decision-makers. I felt like I was under appreciated & owned by my employers, and I wanted to get as far away from that as possible. The FREEDOM & TIME motivates me the most! I am able to work fully the way I want to work, in the spaces I want to work in while being as creative as I can be.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Being able to say, "I make a living by creating art," will always be at the top of my list.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Taxes. No, but seriously it's all noncreative type of work that comes along with owning and operating a business. The vetting of potential contractors, running payroll, A billion calls, etc.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Engage every day! I think talking to fellow creatives, freelancers, and business owners daily keep you grounded. Spitballing ideas, gaining feedback, and just shooting the sh*t with people in the same space as you... generates a sense of community you can fall back on.
- Share your work! Your next big breakthrough client is just a share or post away, even if you don't think it's fully completed. (Sharing the process is bonus points too!)
- Take Risks! Try that new software, work with that new friend, go to that design event, take a chance on that new designer, try that new technique, etc.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.studioandrz.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cory_andresmn/
Dribble: https://dribbble.com/coryandres
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coryandres/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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