Hidden Gems: Meet Ardavan Javid of Graphicwise

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ardavan Javid. 

Hi Ardavan, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
As an entrepreneur with a keen sense for design, I was always fascinated by just how much a business’ image can influence its trajectory, and how a well-thought-out brand can build an unbreakable bond with its customer base. 

Even as a kid I always questioned why my parents purchased a certain brand of cereal, why they had subconsciously pledged allegiance to a particular car maker, and why they kept booking flights with the same airliner even though they weren’t enrolled in any type of rewards program. 

So, when it came time in the late 1990s to pursue a career as a weatherman on NBC4 in Los Angeles (yes, I majored in meteorology) or chase my passion as a branding expert/designer, I chose the latter. 

My twin brother Kevin and I established our design agency called Graphicwise out of our apartment in Glendale, CA, and decided to do whatever it took to grow it. It wasn’t easy, but with enough persistence, perseverance, and patience, we were able to secure a handful of Fortune500 companies, celebrities, and startups as clients. And the rest is history. 

After 20 years in business, the same growth principles apply today. We never took our foot off the gas and weathered numerous ebbs and flows. Most importantly we had to keep up with the times… learn web design and hire the sharpest content creators and digital marketing experts to serve a new generation of clients. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
There is no such thing as a smooth road when running a small business. There are daily challenges and dumpster fires that I have to put out on a weekly basis. It’s easy to fold and let those problems derail me, But I see every challenge as a learning opportunity. I thank my competitors and my critics because it fuels me to do better. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Graphicwise?
I never considered myself an artist, rather an entrepreneur with an eye and talent for design. So, when we formed Graphicwise, it was our goal to shed subjective feelings and opinions in leu of objectivity and results for our clients. 

We create brands, design logos, websites, and consumer packaging – utilizing focus-group market research to ensure our work is well received by the intended audience. We also create and strategize advertising and digital marketing campaigns for our clients. 

Graphicwise works with a wide range of companies, celebrities, and startups that appreciate and value the importance of good branding. We have worked with hundreds of clients in the entertainment, consumer goods, legal, self-help, sports, nutritional, medical, therapeutic, hospitality, and transportation verticals. 

Last year, I caught the eye of my business idol Marcus Lemonis of CNBC’s ‘The Profit’ and more recently the host of HGTV’s ‘The Renovator’. He taped an episode of his show at our office and brought us in as his design experts. The experience, and more importantly the validation and trust he put in me, and Kevin was life-changing. 

If you compared me (or Kevin) to Don Draper of the digital age, I would thank you for the comparison! 

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
I’ve learned that small companies such as mine should always be willing to pivot. That we should always understand the circumstances and roll with the punches. While business was down all across the board for many of our competitors (and some even had to close down), 2020 and 2021 shaped up as two of the most profitable years in our 20-year history. 

Contact Info:

• Website: graphicwise.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/graphicwise
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/graphicwise
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/graphicwise

Image Credits
Austin Henry Wallace