We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Aric Dohm. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Aric below.
Aric, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I have always been attracted to logo design. When I was in high school, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I would create these collages all over my notebooks of my favorite bands and skateboard companies. There was actually more ink on the outside of the notebook than on the inside. I pretty much new I wasn’t going to be a scientist, doctor, or mathematician, I just liked to doodle, I’m pretty sure I had ADD but who diagnosed that back in 1990 in Watertown, South Dakota…I guess you could say I was considered a problem child. Didn’t get the best grades, but somehow I managed to pull off graduating. My Mom actually hung a huge banner in front of our house after the commencement ceremony, “Miracle on 8th Avenue” It was actually pretty funny. After graduating, I decided to move out west. I put my landing gear down in Lake Tahoe, California where I decided to be a snowboard bum for a few months…22 years later, I was still there, but I had successfully taken college courses in Marketing & Design and launched a skateboard company named Hades Skateboards, because I was so edgy like that at the time. I designed the logo and brand identity, graphics, magazine ads, MySpace posts, (yeah I said MySpace, remember that?) and designed the website. We had a pretty good following and I guess, people really dug the stuff, because I did sell a lot of it. But then that came to an end, but that’s another story.
I started working with a few printing companies doing logos and graphics for businesses. Once again, people liked the work I was doing so I kept getting busier getting my own clients, but I didn’t actually have a name for my company, I ended up doing a few t-shirt graphics for a buddy of mine who owns a restaurant in Tahoe, and he wrote a check and asked me who to make it out to, I told him my closest friends call me Cash, but he then said, “Aric, you do great work and I believe in you, pick a name for your company and that’s who I’m going to make the check out too”, well, rent was due and I needed to get that thing cashed so “Cutting Edge Design” was born. What a terrible name, I know! I thought of it on the spot and pretty much hated that name ever since, so in 2020, I rebranded as Dohm Design Company, because that sounds so much better, right?
Aric, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I create first impressions, that is exactly what I do. When someone first comes to your business, or you’re at one of those business card passing out networking thingy’s, the first thing a potential client or partner sees is how you present your business to the world through the colors you use, the type you’ve chosen, oh yeah, and your logo, and will start to form an opinion about you and your business. I’m sorry, but if your favorite colors are baby blue and pink, I would hope that you wouldn’t open that Harley Davidson shop you’ve been thinking about using that color palette, you probably won’t make it very long. Believe it or not, it’s not necessarily what you like that is best for your business, but what your customer base likes that is going to drive these people through your doors. It’s my job to guide you on that journey. I take a look at your target market and see what they like, I take a look at your closest competition, and see what they’ve done, then carefully craft a brand identity that will work for you and your business that appeals to your people, and accurately identifies what you stand for and do. I am proud that I have successfully helped companies get off the ground, I call them all friends now. I create custom designs and logos that will make you proud to present your company to the public.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Stay local, in this day and age, there are a lot of options for creative design. Sites that promise $5 logos are from over seas and really won’t take the time to get to know you or your business, and that’s exactly what you will get, a $5 logo. That is how you end up with that baby blue and pink logo for your Harley Davidson shop. Definitely shop around, but go with a design company that is in your area. A designer that lives by you will know the local demographic and be more in tune with who your market is and what will work for you and your business. Support your local creative community!
: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Perfection. I am my own worst critic. I will sit and look at a project I’m working on for hours on end making sure the spacing is correct, the logo is perfect, the blue color is the perfect hue of blue, I really want to make sure that when I give you your files that you are going to be using moving forward with your business, they have my stamp of approval.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dohmdesigncompany.com
- Instagram: @dohm_design_company
- Facebook: @dohmdesigncompany
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aricdohm/