Ron Braunagel of Torque Design

With Friend Fridays, we showcase some great entrepreneurs who call The Network Hub home. One such individual is Ron Braunagel from Torque Design.

1. Tell us a little about yourself and what you do.

I’m a graphic artist with about 30 years experience in the field. My business is called Torque Design.

2. What makes your company different or special?

What makes my company and services I offer special is the depth of experience I bring to each project. I’ve obviously been around a lot of design trends and changes in the business world, so I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. I’m pretty good at spotting the strengths and weaknesses in a business’s current marketing strategy (or lack thereof). But more importantly, I’m pretty adept at this point in my career in a seeing the opportunities that are just waiting to be exploited from a marketing perspective.

3. How did you get started?

I began my career by enrolling in the now defunct MacKay Technical Institute 3 month full time program in design waaaaaaaaay back in 1988. Those Macs had 6 inch monochromatic screens and a whopping 2 MB of RAM! I then embarked upon a program of self-education by studying the history of graphic design and slowly learning the craft… and believe me, I’m still learning.

4. What are you currently working on?

At present I’m working on packaging for a Texas-based distiller (no they won’t ship free samples to me). I’ve also just completed an in-store video presentation which showcases the products and services of a local restaurant. In addition to that I’m creating all-weather sidewalk signage using high-end graphics printed on vinyl and mounted on Komacell – sort of like enhanced sandwich boards.

My favourite thing to do is work with startup companies to realize their ‘world’ through visual design and brand strategy. It’s really exciting to be able to help ‘flesh out’ someone’s vision.

5. What made you decide to cowork at The Network Hub?

I decided to relocate from my home office to the Hub for reasons of work/life separation. I don’t even have a computer at home right now and I’m enjoying all the books I’m reading and the old movies I’ve always wanted to get around to watching but never did. I also like the buzz of the Hub, the different ages of my fellow Hubbers and the B2B marketing potential.

6. Any advice you have for other entrepreneurs and small business owners?

My advice to entrepreneurs and small business owners has remained the same for many years now and it is as follows: mediocrity is full, but excellence is wide open.