about me.
I do brand strategy and design, I'm also a business owner and family guy, living and working in Old Towne Orange, CA. I've been blissfully self-employed for over 11 years now, operating CrossGrain Creative Studios - a boutique marketing company with a knack for bringing out the unique personality of each client. My focus in business has always been on developing long-term relationships with clients and vendors who share some of my core values. Lately I've found myself stepping outside of the role of graphic designer and stepping into the role of marketing strategist, business consultant and overall “idea guy.” [more about work]
Growing up in a family print and design business, I like to say that being an entrepreneur was bred into me. Other than working the family business, I have only had one “official job” in my life. That lasted about three weeks. Though my background is in print design, I have been smitten by everything web. Now accounting for more than two-thirds of my work, I enjoy the challenge of mashing cool technology with good design.
So, yeah, I'm kind of a nerd. I enjoy geeking out over the latest technology and have been called an early adopter, especially when it comes to anything Apple.
Recently I’ve had a couple of requests for personal coaching, specifically in the areas of organization and business planning for creatives. I'm not sure where this will lead, but if it’s something that interests you, feel free to drop me a line.
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people and books.
Author Charlie “tremendous” Jones once said, “The biggest difference in your life today and a year from now will be the people you meet and the books you read, the people you meet and the books you read." How true.
meet people.
Relationships are so important to me. Not only have I had the pleasure of meeting and working with some amazing people over the years, my heart sings when I can help people connect with each other.
To help further this passion for people, I’m involved in a couple of fun side projects… [more about meeting people]
Jelly!
Okay, so maybe I didn't start the original, but I have opened up my office for the OC Chapter. Jelly! is a once a month coworking day where people bring a laptop, something fun to work on and a desire to collaborate with others. More info at WorkAtJelly.com or JellyOC.
Orange Creatives
My neighborhood, Old Towne Orange, is filled with all these creative types. But because we’re all so busy designing, programming, photographing or being otherwise creative, we hardly know each other. So, I started Orange Creatives to build a network of all the creative professionals here in the immediate area. Check out OrangeCreatives.com for more info.
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read books.
My nickname growing up was "Fast-Talking Luke." So, as you can imagine, the idea of reading vs. running my mouth was somewhat of a struggle. But what started as an agonizing chore has now become a real joy…[more about books]
Here in Orange, those that know me are used to seeing me every morning with my headphones in, book open. I try to spend at least an hour every day doing some old school reading - that’s right, ink on paper. And what I’ve discovered is that it’s really amazing how many good books there are and how few people these days have read any of them. Want to know what I’ve been reading? Visit my Shelfari.
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personal.
I’m originally from Montana, but I’ve spent most of my life in Orange County. At 21, I married my first girlfriend and we have enjoyed 10 years of marriage (and counting!). We have two beautiful sons and live less than a mile from the studio. I enjoy a very nice walk to work in the mornings. I'm all about keeping things simple and making decisions that support our quality of life. [more about my leisure time]
My hobbies of late include reading, cooking, backpacking, photography and playing Tinkertoys with my kid. I've also been known to obsess over coffee with my friend Robent. Last year we spent far too many hours perfecting the coffee at the office. For the record we use Capricorn Coffee and a Gaggia machine.
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find me online.