We had the good fortune of connecting with Christian Gonzales and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christian, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Creativity Design Group was founded on the belief that exceeding the customer’s needs is crucial when working on every project. We have realized that many of our competitors seemed to put money ahead of customer’s needs, and that many small businesses and startups needed a digital marketing/graphic design solution that was hyper-focused on specific aspects. When we work with each new customer, we ask specific questions related to what they are looking for and what their end goal is when their project is completed. We’ve had clients in the past who have left their former design companies due to feeling that they were “ripped off” or “took their money” after their projects were completed; when they came to CDG, they saw all of that change! When companies fail to understand what their customers want, they are merely taking their money.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Creativity Design Group was founded in late 2016 to offer fully customized digital marketing and graphic design solutions for startup companies and small businesses. Many design firms fail to understand the budget limitations of people who fall into these categories, and CDG wanted to step and offer value packed solutions that do not carry a heavy price tag. I studied web and graphic design at the now-defunct Art Institute of Houston, graduating in 2014 and knew at the time that I wanted to start a business. Not believing I could do it at the time, I worked for a few different firms only to realize that I felt unfulfilled in my career. I didn’t think I was going to be a business owner until at least 10 years later after graduating, but that ended up happening much sooner than I expected. Starting a business was not easy, as being a fresh face in a crowded world full of established companies causes one to be overlooked and overshadowed by who were much bigger players at the time. Thankfully, I had some connections who needed our services ahead of time and were able to establish a customer base almost immediately upon starting CDG. After that, they started sending us referrals to help grow our customer base even more and in such a short amount of time! But before all of that, I worked at jobs that had poor management and respect for their employees and I learned that I did not want CDG to follow the same paths these companies followed; we wanted CDG to be a firm that truly cares about everyone involved, with customers being our full center of attention!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Houston is more a business-focused city rather than a fun city, so I would have to invite this friend to town when something fun is actually happening here. That time would have to be during March, when the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo is currently happening and runs for nearly a month. The event has several fun aspects to it, such as concerts from great country music stars, endless BBQ, and several fun rides at the rodeo’s carnival. Now, if I were to invite this friend during the fall then I would have to recommend the Texas Renaissance Festival in Todd Mission, just northwest of Houston. It is a fun venue that is only open from October to December with a strong medieval theme; it has a lot of great food and fun plays/skits!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Tillman Fertitta’s “Shut Up and Listen” played a role in helping me understand the importance of focusing on the customer’s needs over profits. Fertitta, the owner of Landry’s, Inc. and the Houston Rockets, wrote this book specifically to help businesspeople understand what it takes to be successful, and after reading the book from cover to cover, I learned that putting the customer first is the cornerstone to success for any business. When a customer needs something special, you never say “No” to them unless it is something that your company just does not offer in terms of products or services. Accommodating your customers is key to running a 5 star business; how you provide solutions to your customers’ issues or problems is what sets you different from the rest.

Website: https://www.creativitydesigngroup.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativitydesigngroup

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/creativity-design-group/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/cdg_houston

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cdghouston

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/creativity-design-group-houston

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTtQ70vEhZby3j8vTsqDQ9Q

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