Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexis Vazquez.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I think my passion has always been design – aesthetics overall, maybe. I was in high school when I got onto the yearbook staff and started designing layouts. I fell in love with being the one to dictate what looked like what, and where things were placed, and what colors worked well together. So, I decided to pursue writing! – wait for what? – Yeah. I look back and smile at how lost I was. I loved writing for personal reasons, but writing stories just weren’t my deal. So, I decided to study nursing, because dude, I love people and want to help them! – tires screech – You’re kidding right? Nope. Don’t worry, it lasted just one semester. I failed Chemistry real good. I decided, after three changes to my major (and still just pursuing an AA degree) that maybe I’d just finish 60 of any credits and graduate. So, I did. Graduated and then, twiddled my thumbs for about eight months, when I decided that I wanted to go to SCAD. But with my 2.75 GPA, that just wasn’t happening. And what experience did I have – what skill did I have that could possibly get me into one of the top art schools in the southeast? I’d gathered some pictures I’d snapped with my camera over the years, put together the stories I’d written for the Herald, submitted my app, prayed and let it go. And then, I got accepted. SCAD didn’t offer me any money, but they handed me the opportunity of a lifetime. So, I started looking for apartments, started looking at the area, started applying for loans. And then, on April 16, 2013 – my best friend’s dad (a doctor) found something on my neck. Two biopsies later, I found out I had thyroid cancer and SCAD wasn’t gonna happen. Hey, at least I’d gotten into FIU! – sigh – But I said, “no, man – there has to be a way I can still attend this freaking dope school.” And there was. A year a half later, I earned my BFA in Visual Communications from my dream school. Oh, and not to worry about the cancer – I’m a cancer survivor, baby!
And here’s where it gets good.
I had left my retail job for a receptionists position at a Coral Gables advertising agency – a dream workplace, but not the ideal job. But hey! Anything to get my foot in the door. So, I started designing for friends and acquaintances from my reception desk. And little by little, went building a small, but somewhat versatile portfolio. When HR broke to me that they wouldn’t even look at me twice at the agency for a creative position – a year after sitting for eight hours a day – I cried. A lot. I thought this was how people moved up. Right? So, I had to leave – and off I went to be the lead graphic designer at a small paper/stationery storefront in South Miami. And what a learning experience this job wound up being. I was there six months before I was let go… fired, if you will. I won’t get into it, but I cried again. A lot. For about two weeks, I was applying for anything. PetSmart, Publix Deli (bro, hahaha), schools, more pet stores… nothing worked out. I mean, I was qualified… right?
This is where God is like “Yes, you were qualified – to be a designer, girl!”
I got my first retainer client right after leaving the paper store – and off I went to design on my own. I kept looking for work, and instead, I was getting design inquiries from local small businesses, local entrepreneurs, friends with podcasts, friends with music backgrounds needing logos.
It’s been three years since I paid a visit to my dad’s accountant and opened an LLC – Alexis Elisa Creative. I was doing it – following my path. Following my dream. Doing my own thing. One client turned into three, turned into six, turned into over 20. 2018 was a year of growth… exponential growth. At 12:00 am on January 1, 2018, I launched my rebrand – Tremendo Design Company. It was a name that felt right – not too serious, very Miami, and just… me! Why Tremendo? Check out this definition: TREMENDO: (ADJ.) QUE PRODUCE UN FUERTE SENTIMIENTO DE SOBRECOGIMIENTO. | TREMENDOUS: (ADJ.) PRODUCES A STRONG FEELING OF EXCITEMENT OR AWE.
It’s the first thing you see when you go to my website; this definition. THIS is how clients should feel when I give them their stuff – how they should feel when we work together. Like “Wow, this works is a bomb, it’s tremendous, it’s amazing!” And here I am, three years later, doing it. As an entrepreneur, the highs are high and the lows are low, but wow, is it worth it. I wouldn’t rather be doing anything else.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
HA! Far from smooth. Like I said, the highs are high, and the lows are low. One month, you get a client that’s like, willing to drop $2,500 on their project, and then one month, you’re like “Fine, go get your $75 logo from Fiver, I don’t care…”
The main struggle of a designer – of anyone in the creative field, is leveling with people who don’t think your price is worth the work you do. It is so hard to convince someone of your value if they don’t see it from the beginning. The best advice I can give to this is super cliche, but: know your worth, and then add tax. It’s something I still struggle with. When someone questions my worth, I do too, man!
I started at a lower hourly rate than what I’m charging now. Start with a number that makes you feel comfortable. Don’t be afraid of that wiggle room. Negotiate in the beginning – get that business – sacrifice what you can – take a little loss to add to your portfolio. And then, once you’ve got stuff to show, choose where you’ll continue to do that without sacrificing your income. By that I mean, don’t discount yourself – don’t discount your services, but maybe design for a non-profit. No more free work – no more discounts for people “because it’s expensive” – NO GIRL, THAT’S YOUR PRICE! They don’t want to pay? Go find someone else. But always, always make room/time to give back.
What should we know about Tremendo Design Company? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My specialty is branding – that means everything from logo design, to color picking, to color choices, to designing your social media ads and profile images and banners. I want to help businesses and entrepreneurs to create an aesthetic that flows throughout all of their mediums. I can provide businesses with everything they need to launch or re-launch their brand. I’ll give you two examples: You’re a new restaurant? Let’s get you set with a logo, a brand bible (a sheet(s) with your brand information for your reference later if you want to get a sign made or something), business card design, menu design, table tent design, napkin design, sticker design and social media graphics to populate your social media accounts! You’re a clothing brand looking to refresh your brand? Let’s talk about your current aesthetic, what do you want to change? Let’s add/take away x and replace it with y. You need to refresh your logo (let’s add something to it) – let’s get you new business cards to match, new tag designs for your storefront. Let’s get you some sticker designs for when you wrap the clothes in tissue. Let’s set you up with an Instagram version of your logo, a banner for FB and Linked In. Let’s set up the logo file in vector format and send for a new decal for your storefront.
I can provide everything and anything for your brand.
One experience that’s been so… tremendous and humbling has to be designing for the Latin American Association for Insurance Agencies yearly convention. I design everything from their digital invitations to their event tickets, their name badges to their large convention entryway structure. It’s such a dope project. It’s time. consuming. as. heck. but it is the most rewarding thing being able to turn everything into the project managers and know that everyone at that convention is wearing, holding, experiencing MY designs.
I try hard to make sure that as my client, the focus is on what your vision is for your brand and how and what I can do to bring that image from your head to my computer screen, and ultimately, onto whatever medium you need. I always have meetings with clients prior to starting and figure out what their vision is, ask them for inspiration – screenshots, Pinterest boards, pictures, colors – anything. Okay, this is what you want to look like? How do you want it to feel? How do you want people to feel when they see this? Let’s merge your vision with this feeling and make it happen!
It would be great to hear about any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve used and would recommend to others.
I definitely don’t do as much reading or listening as I should when it comes to the industry. I’m working on making time to do that while juggling life with a 5-month old, but here are two books I’ve loved that inspired me/lifted my spirits:
– Girlboss – Sophia Amoruso (the best book when facing struggle and wondering if sh*t can really work out… turns out, yes! YOU CAN DO IT!)
– You Are a Badass – Jen Sincero (similar to the above – if you can shift your mentality to an “I can do this, I’m a bad b-word” mentality, you’re more than halfway there).
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tremendodesign.co
- Phone: 786-269-4806
- Email: alexis@tremendodesign.co
- Instagram: instagram.com/tremendodesign.co
- Facebook: facebook.com/tremendodesignco
Image Credit:
Alexa Merico
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