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

Hi Devin, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I think the story behind why I started my own business will sound pretty similar to a lot of other creatives. I was stuck in a rotating door of sub optimal positions where I was undervalued and underpaid. So, at a certain point I decided that I needed to take my work into my own hands and start doing what I thought was best for my growth as a designer. I woke up one day and came to the conclusion that if anyone is gonna tell me what to do, it might as well be me.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think something that has really set me apart from other colleagues or professionals in my area is the amount of effort I put in to ensure that I’m working with clients to empower their success. I always try to ensure that the client or entity I’m working with gets exactly what they imagined. Even if they can’t always put those ideas and concepts into words. Thanks to that effort I have been able to work with some super cool clients from Airports to TV shows. It’s a really rewarding feeling to see something you made out in the wild.

Like most good things in life it definitely wasn’t easy. Creating a design business and working as a contract worker has all sorts of ups and downs. Luckily I had nothing but support from friends and family and thanks to them I was able to push through the hard times and come out the other side. Along the way I learned a lot about what I wanted as as a designer as well as how to present myself as my own brand.

I think if I wanted the world to know anything about my story, it’s that I never could have done half of what I’ve been able to accomplish without all the positive connections I’ve made in my life. No practice or marketing will ever make up for the benefit of surrounding yourself with good people. Those who wish to see you fail don’t deserve to be around when you succeed.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Arizona is a treasure trove of amazing sites, activities, and flavors. Given an entire week we’re gonna tear up the whole state and get our fill of awesome foods and fun. Right now the weather is turning and it’s the perfect time to enjoy tons of outdoor events that are often ruined by 100+ degree heat. A trip to Flagstaff is on the list for sure. Changing leaves, gondola rides to the top of Snowbowl, pizza at Fratelli’s. A dream.

Of course we’re hitting up the valley for all it’s worth. Sporting events, concerts, Topgolf, Round 1, there’s no shortage of things to do and places to eat. A couple musts would have to include All Pierogi Kitchen in Gilbert, Korean BBQ at Tempe Marketplace, and maybe a trip down to Chandler for some Elbow’s Mac N’ Cheese.

With a whole week at our disposal we could even head out to Prescott and enjoy some of the trails and lakes they have to provide. Of course no trip to Prescott would be complete without a trip to Park Plaza downtown and a short hop over to Founding Fathers to enjoy AZ’s largest self serve taproom.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
None of what I’ve been able to accomplish would have been possible without the unconditional support of my loving wife. She has been my biggest cheerleader, and my harshest critic when I needed her most. If it weren’t for her I likely never would have made the jump from print shop thrall to my own boss. In addition to my incredible wife, I would be amiss if I didn’t give some credit to my two Paw-some employees. So huge shoutout to Cooper, my Pawject Manager, and Cheddar, my Jr. Pawject Manager for always being there when I need a good pet, a cuddle, or a good walk.

Website: https://www.devinfox.com/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devinrfox

Image Credits
All images provided were either taken or created by myself.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.