Meet David Soames: Co-Owner & Creative Director at The Shop

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

Hi David, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Relationships. A lead can come from anywhere. And while this might be total common sense, it’s extremely easy to lose sight of – especially when you’re trying to start a business for the very first time. Your next-door neighbor. Your sister’s ex-boyfriend. That dude you played soccer against back in middle school. Your current client’s mother-in-law’s friend. That mom who takes her kids to the same park as you every Saturday morning. The commissioner of your fantasy football league. A lead can truly come from anywhere. So be nice. Work hard. Listen. Make great work. And check your ego at the door. After all, you never know when you might run into someone who knows someone who knows someone who needs your help.

Please tell us more about your career. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Early into my career, most of my ideas never saw the light of day. It wasn’t necessarily based on merit; rather, it was often due to simple bad luck. Budgets suddenly evaporating. Clients changing the brief in the 11th hour. Whatever the case, it was pretty deflating knowing I had some good ideas but not necessarily the good opportunities to match. Then, I stumbled across Threadless – a budding community for artists around the world. Folks were encouraged to submit t-shirt designs and based off a crowd-sourced scoring system, one could get compensated if their design was chosen. Several prints later, Threadless gave me the confidence I needed to really pursue my dreams of Art Direction. It also allowed me to meet and collaborate with some incredibly talented artists and taught me how to seek out other opportunities for success when your current one might not be giving you the chance you deserve.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Legacy Food Hall Deep Ellum Bishop Arts Klyde Warren Park The Arboretum Cowboys Golf Course Cowboys Game at AT&T Stadium (AKA Jerry World) Mavs Game at the AAC Cindi’s Restaurant / Maple Leaf Diner Neighborhood Services

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Might sound cliché, but I gotta give a shoutout to my Mom! After spending her entire career as an English teacher, she had to make the incredibly difficult decision to step away. But despite being in her 60’s, she never hesitated to turn the page on that chapter of her life and jump right into the next: starting a non-profit that knits scarves for the homeless (spreadingthewarmth.us), a tutoring business (Laureate Tutoring), and a publishing company that launched with her auto-biography (laureatelifepress.com). For a guy hoping to launch his own business, there’s nothing more inspiring & motivating than watching your mother’s success right before your start.

Website: theshopagency.com
Instagram: @theshopagency
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theshopagency
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theshopagencyTX

Image Credits
N/A