Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Tepler.
Hi Chris, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
We started our business sort of by accident. We were living in Minnesota and planning a Disney vacation and made some world showcase passports for us to use during our time at EPCOT. They were so much fun to use on our park visit and people would even stop and compliment us on them.
So that got us thinking…what if we decided to share them so others could enjoy them on their vacations? And we gave it a try and put the passports on an Etsy shop just to see how things would go. And slowly but surely we started selling them and got some great reviews so we thought maybe we are on to something.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not been smooth, there have been lots of unexpected challenges on this journey but so far it has been worth it. Neither of us has a business background so those parts are the most challenging. Chris is a graphic designer so he approaches everything from the creative side while Andy is more analytical being a project manager so he has a better handle on the business and financial side of the business. We make a good team and our skills balance each other nicely.
So far we have learned a lot, and still do on a daily basis, but that is all part of life and doing something new. The challenges and roadblocks are a bit scary sometimes but there is also a ton of exciting and fun parts which are rewarding and motivating. But that is true with any new venture, there will be uncertainty and stress but also lots of fun and excitement along the way.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Chris studied graphic design and photography in college and has over 25 years of experience working in the graphic design field. He has worked for a variety of companies, small and large, from small design firms and ad agencies, to mid-size media and technology companies and now works for a large financial service company as an art director. He works with designers across the country on projects ranging from web design to publications, and social media promotions.
Working on a small creative team in a large company can sometimes be a challenge when we are the only creative people on an entire project but that is where the sweet spot of making the most impact can live. Our perspective as an outsider on a project can be a huge advantage sometimes. We don’t get bogged down in all the project details and politics so we can offer a fresh perspective and unique solution to our clients.
This ability to work with others as a team is vital to our own business since we are teaming with others to help us navigate this new business opportunity. Each person bringing their expertise to find the best way to solve a problem and create the best solution is what we strive for each day.
We realize no one has all the right answers so finding the right people to help you on your journey is critical to our success and also helps us focus on what we do best, creative work and project management. That way we can leave the other business duties to those more experienced in those areas. It really is a win-win situation for us.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
We just moved to Orlando from Minneapolis just last fall so have been here for about 6 months. It can be a little daunting sometimes to move to a new place and new region of the country but we relish in the fact that we can create our own lives here on our own terms. There are so many things to do here we really enjoy our new life and like the challenge of figuring out how to do things and “find our way” in our new home.
I mean we would also be remiss to not mention the weather, this is a huge change from the snowy winters of the upper Midwest so we do miss that part…a little anyway.
The traffic is definitely a change for us. Even though we lived in a large city the traffic here is different and we are also still trying to find things so that makes it a little extra challenging.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chrandydesigns.com
- Instagram: @chrandydesigns
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chrandydesigns
- Pinterest: chrandydesigns
Image Credits
Chris Tepler and Andy Kylan
