An Inspired Chat with Elvis Torres of Cleveland

We recently had the chance to connect with Elvis Torres and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Elvis, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What battle are you avoiding?
Currently I’m avoiding the battle against A.I. (artificial intelligence) that many of my colleagues are waging. As the design industry continues to evolve there are two sides of this battle developing, the side that is adapting to A.I. and finding ways to integrate it into their workflow, and the side that is resisting. I choose to be a part of the former, as I feel it’s important as a designer to stay on top of emerging technologies to stay relevant in the field. There was once a time when designers resisted using digital tools for layout and type, those same digital tools are basic requirements in every art school across the country now.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Elvis Torres, an independent freelance graphic designer, US Army veteran, and entrepreneur who began my journey as a self-taught artist before earning my formal education. My first designs earned me recognition locally including winning two Ohio state design awards as well as a clientele base that included over 500 local Ohio businesses. I’ve since branched out to offer services such as video animation, brand design, and marketing services to entrepreneurs across the nation.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
When I was a child I held a belief that the work your parents do set a precedent for your life and career. My mother worked in a local government position, and my father worked sales in the private sector. I assumed that after my military career I would end up following those footsteps in some capacity as either an employee of the local government or for a private business, but after finding my talent for design, and developing it through education and on-the-job training. I took the path of being an entrepreneur, creating a new lane for my family going forward.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Definitely, after graduating from Kent State I felt I was ready to design in the corporate world. Unfortunately though, I wasn’t getting nearly the employment prospects I expected with my education and work background. With prospects low and my freelance clients not needing consistent work I nearly closed up shop and pursued a different career route. Work was slow and I found myself working a minimum wage delivery job to make ends meet. Instead of ending my design journey though, I decided to pivot. I started posting my work, reaching out to local businesses, and telling business owners frankly what they were doing wrong and letting them know what I had to offer. After taking this new approach the phone started ringing again, business was picking up and I found a new market of growing businesses that needed expert design beyond what was being offered by designers online and A.I. programs.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies that is widely spread in design is that template based economical design is what all business owners are looking for. While there is a large market for low-budget template based design, there is still a place for highly personal custom human design that comes with larger budgets and more creative freedom. Every business does not want to look the same and every business has different needs and pain-points in reaching their audience that templates or A.I. programs cannot remedy. The one-size-fits-all method that is so prevalent in the design world will always be around but it’s important not to forget about the boutique client that wants a personal human touch on every part of their brand and is willing to pay for that level of service.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
If I chose to retire tomorrow I think the aspect of my business that will be missed the most is the trust I build with each of my clients. When a business owner decides to work with me they get assurance that I will give attention to every small detail of our work like it’s my own and that they can trust me to complete every project with attention and care allowing them to focus on the macro aspects of their business. Knowing that they can trust me to not only complete the task but to hit the mark with precision, minimal oversight, and minimal revision is important.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://elvistorresdesign.com
• Instagram: @elvistorresdesign
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elvis-torres-11a930122/
• Twitter: @elvistorresdesign
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552494133096

Image Credits
Chris Goody