Daily Inspiration: Meet CrayonCrate LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to CrayonCrate LLC.

Hi CrayonCrate LLC, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey into design started in high school, where I was always sketching in my notebook instead of focusing on traditional subjects. While many friends headed to big-name schools, I attended community college still searching for direction. Everything changed after taking a graphic design class with Mrs. Gardner, who helped me realize design was my future.

I later transferred to Woodbury University, earned my BFA in Graphic Design in 2008, made the Dean’s List, and interned at a media/publication company. After graduating, I entered web design, creating websites and Myspace pages in the entertainment industry before expanding my work across industries ranging from salons and bakeries to professional athletes and Grammy-winning artists.

As digital design evolved, I moved into mobile app design, front-end development, and eventually UI/UX and product design. Over the past 10+ years, I’ve designed for the legal and home service industries, led teams as a Director of Design, and created experiences for website builders and CRM platforms. Today, I serve as Creative Director at énove digital agency while also leading graphic design for an event planning company.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The short answer is no… lol.

I didn’t have the clear, straightforward path that many of my high school friends seemed to have. Most of them knew exactly what they wanted to do by junior or senior year, while I graduated unsure of what came next for me. I spent time taking GE courses at two community colleges before eventually discovering graphic design as a path I could truly pursue.

One of the biggest challenges was telling my parents. Coming from a family with a CPA and a doctor, pursuing a career in design wasn’t immediately accepted. It took time to convince them this could become a real career. Early on, the grind was tough—taking small jobs wherever I could and constantly trying to prove myself. I even had someone dismiss both me and the degree I had earned, which was discouraging at the time.

Over the years, I built resilience, stayed focused, and kept pushing forward despite the negativity. Eventually, my parents saw how passionate I was and became some of my biggest supporters. A huge part of my success comes from their encouragement and their belief in me to become the best in my field.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I started in graphic design and began my professional career designing websites. I’ve spent most of my career sharpening my website design skills. I had the amazing opportunity to lead a team of designers (some in LA and NY). A few years ago, I decided to pivot into product design where I help build the user interface of our customer relationship management platform aka CRM. While that is my full-time gig, my own business is tailored toward graphic and web design, art direction, branding, UI design, and UX design.

I think I’m most proud of my growth over the last 10 years. In the last decade, I’ve learned to balance my time management, become an effective and caring leader, and sharpen my mindset and work ethic. When combined, I feel that it’s a strong formula for me to become more polished professionally, but personally as a husband and father.

What does success mean to you?
Success, to me, isn’t about having everything figured out early or following a perfect path. It’s about continuing forward even when the direction isn’t clear, believing in your passion when others may not understand it yet, and staying committed through doubt, setbacks, and uncertainty.

My journey taught me that success is built through resilience, growth, and persistence. It’s turning uncertainty into purpose, proving to yourself that your passion has value, and creating opportunities through hard work and consistency. Success is also being able to evolve—growing from graphic design into web, product, and creative leadership while continuing to learn and adapt along the way.

Most importantly, success is earning the trust and support of the people closest to you, inspiring others through your story, and building a career that feels meaningful and authentic to who you are.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.crayoncrate.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crayoncrate
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066851504095#

Image Credits
Mikel Tan