We were lucky to catch up with Phillip Ortiz recently and have shared our conversation below.

Phillip , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

As a business owner and creative, I work to combine beauty and solutions for my clients. We all know the world travels at such a fast pace. That pressure and space can quickly erode into cheap, quick and disposable solutions. We have somehow bought into the the belief that it has to run that way. I have found much success in going slower, taking deep dives into story, relational depth and solutions that reach deeper than just a quick exchange. The art I create, the brands I help to develop, even the products I design are opportunities to communicate beauty and offer up as much creative potential as I can. Things that last take time, time requires energy and focus. I work to build a deep level of trust and understanding with my clients, and in that space we work as a team to make brands, images, products and experiences, both beautiful and useful. What is amazing as that moving slower for the sake of clarity creates greater success, deeper customer satisfaction and client loyalty.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My name is Phillip Ortiz, I live outside of Kansas City with my wife, 4 kids and our miniature dachshund named “Happy”. I am a graphic designer, illustrator and fine artist. I have ran and worked in my own design and illustration company called Peel, for over
12 years. I have been in the industry for 20 years. I specialize in corporate brand strategy and implementation, design campaigns, package design, album art, marketing collateral, and apparel design. I illustrate children’s books and other various products
and services. I am also an owner and the illustrator for Hometown Hats, based out of Lubbock Texas. I also recently started mentoring and teaching artists in their craft. Regardless of the visual problem, I bring as much creativity as a can to solving my clients
needs. A lot of designers rely on a style or trends to create their work. Although both of these matter, I have found that if I truly catch the heart and vision of my client and what they want to achieve I can not only solve the problem in a creative way but
really satisfy the vision of any project. In the simplest terms, I design for solutions and for my clients… not for myself. It’s not about what I like, it’s about what works, what communicates best, and what reaches the farthest. I have a passion for creativity,
for looking at things broadly and from every angle. Then narrowing down the details and specifics…and it all matters… customer, nuance, style, colors, language and layout. I often joke that, I want my clients to “want to get the finish work tattooed on their
arm” because they are so proud of it. Creativity is not first about limits, but about possibilities. I love helping others find those possibilities. For me, I can’t express how much I love a finished product and a well branded campaign… it’s like a feast for
the eyes…a “Thanksgiving” table where you can share with those you have invited. When it comes to design, art, and illustration…”the eye eats first.” Another key to successful work is building a strong relationship with my clients, seeing people as people.
I build a framework of honesty and integrity at the start of every interaction. We can only solve the problem if we look at it critically. One of the biggest road blocks with creative people is taking things personally, once you learn to get past that, you
can work together for a better outcome. If my work is about me, then I am less teachable. if my work is about the success of my client than there is freedom to change what is not working.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn…saying “yes” to every project and assuming I need to do it for less money…creating from need. I started out with little to no capital. I picked up several clients before I officially jumped in the water of working entirely for myself.
The week I jumped, the clients fell through. I spent the next three years just trying to keep my head above water. I was a panic designer… desperate, so I said yes to anything and almost any price…I was not aware of my own value….since I felt “low,” I designed
“low.” I became a technician… not thinking and planning for who I wanted to be and what work I wanted to do, I just did what came. I learned a ton from that process, and man I could hustle… but I had it backwards…I was creating from need and not from identity.
It wasn’t until my life collided with two coaches…an art and business coach and a life and business coach. I spent several yearns simply reframing the truth of who I was, the value I offered, who I wanted to reach and why. They helped me set aside the limitations
to see the possibilities. I reframed everything… so here is what is crazy…I have deep faith…as I changed, my work changed. As I saw my value and new clients showed up that saw my value. As I shifted from being a slave in my work to owning it like an heir…everything
shifted. Three of my best client told me I was too cheap and literally asked me to raise me prices. That year I had a 65% increase in my business simply from renewing my heart and mind and grasping my own value in my own identity. They say that sales is all
about mindsets…I think most of being an entrepreneur is about mindsets. Yes, you have to be skilled in your craft, yes, you have to market, yes, you need real data, but how you see yourself, how you see your work and how you offer it is the foundation for
everything else.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I think every entrepreneur needs a coach of some kind. The nature of the creative entrepreneur is to step into risky waters and even go alone…but no one should go alone. Have people who can help you look at things differently, see your weaknesses, hold you accountable to your goals and plans…this is huge. Find someone in your field, find someone who knows about the things you aren’t skilled at…get advice, seek real criticism and feedback. I promise you will grow faster. Often times we feel like “imposters” so we hide, but really, we need to learn the in’s and out’s of business, of our craft and of our value, we need someone to speak truth, to remind us of who we are. We have great things in us and they are even greater when others can help us see them. I know I am being very simple and practical here, but being an entrepreneur is complicated enough.. so we need a “plumb line” and good people in our corner. Go and find a business and life coach.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.peel-creative.com, www.philliportiz.com, www.hometownhats.co ( it is co not com)
• Facebook: @philliportizart @peelcreativephilliportiz
• Youtube: @philliportizart

Image Credits
Photos of myself and painting of trees by Cherish Andrea Photo. Photo of Xebec package design courtesy of Xebec. Hometown Hats image courtesy of Hometown Hats Mathew’s Effects Images courtesy of Matthew’ Effects I am not sure the best way to write those out, so feel free to edit and adjust anything..