Today we’d like to introduce you to Ramon Peralta.
Hi Ramon, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Born to immigrants, I had no choice but to work at my father’s auto repair business from a very young age, which kept me off the streets and helped me contribute. When my father exited from the business, I realized how my dad’s lack of financial literacy had put him at a disadvantage. This experience would make a tremendous impact on my own passion for entrepreneurship many years later.
I served on the original start-up team behind the initial launch of priceline.com in 1998, and while many saw financial gain during the dot com era, I found myself part of a massive layoff during the Great Recession of 2008.
It was during this difficult time that I decided to use my severance package to start a business dedicated to helping others launch their brands, and Peralta Design was born.
Today, having built an award-winning digital agency from the ground up, I am a published author and TEDx speaker. I hold an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Bridgeport for my business success and philanthropy. I have appeared on the Today Show, NPR, Forbes and have been hired to speak by universities, banks, and business incubators about the power of branding. I also serve on various non-profit boards and in his free time, speaks to at-risk youth, encouraging them to dream big. In addition, I serve as Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.’s first Chief Creative Advisor.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not dreaming big enough early on led me to believe a home-based business was all that was in store for my fledgling design company. In the first year, a large Dallas, TX-based client I had landed was going to pay us a visit, and I had to think quickly on my feet. It was at this point that I decided that I needed to make a good impression, and so I invested in a 6-month contract with a local pre-furnished office leasing company. For $200/month, I was able to use this new office for five days a month. The day my client was scheduled to visit, I prepared my office with personal items to make it look like my own; I practiced my name with the shared receptionist and put on my best blazer. I waited anxiously all day until my phone rang at 5:30pm. My client informed me that he would not be making it up to see me after all. I now found myself with an office space contract that I couldn’t get out of. This ended up being another blessing in disguise because the simple fact that I had to get professionally dressed once a week to work from this new office gave me the faith I needed to “feel” like I could make it. That was almost 15 years ago. Today, our staff of 10 full-time employees work in over 3,000 square feet of Class A office space. It’s beyond my wildest dreams!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Today, having built an award-winning digital agency from the ground up, At Peralta Design, We Launch Brands®. We focus on three main areas: Branding, Web Development and Digital Marketing. We recently were selected to brand the South Fulton Downtown Development District just south of Atlanta. We also count the SIAC on Peachtree as a client and have a strategic partner in Moulou Vision, an Atlanta-based video production company.
Ramon is a published author and TEDx speaker. He has been hired to speak by universities, banks, and business incubators about the power of branding. He also serves on various non-profit boards and in his free time, speaks to at-risk youth, encouraging them to dream big.
Ramon also enjoys serving as a business mentor to many small businesses through various accelerator programs and provides guidance even when they may not be able to afford the agency’s full suite of services. Ramon’s own brand story of overcoming adversity and using failure as a pathway to success inspires entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and students alike.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Helping others who are just starting out on their journey makes me happy. I love to see the enthusiasm in a young business owner’s eyes and find it very rewarding to develop growth strategies for their business.
Seeing my children thrive as young adults, taking long walks with my wife on warm summer nights, taking my Porsche 911 along a winding country road, and playing 18 holes on exotic golf courses around the world are all things that make me happy. I am a truly blessed man and am grateful for the team we have and the brand we’ve built.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.peraltadesign.com
- Instagram: @peraltadesign and @ramonperalta1906
