Meet Kwasi Frempong | Owner of KAF Designs

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

Hi Kwasi, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
I’d have to say that within the graphic design industry, non-graphic designers have no idea how much hard work goes into the most seemingly simple designs. In the early stages of doing graphic design, I would look at certain magazines and logos and wonder why they were getting so much for something I could replicate so easily. It wasn’t until I realized that replicating things is easy, innovating is not. Innovation requires building something that is both new and useful, and that is one major thing that is lost on so many people outside of the realm of graphic design. What people don’t see are the years it took for the designer to gain the skills and to build up their brand to a point where they could take on certain projects. They do not see the amount of research into a business’s history one has to conduct, the countless meetings that designers have with their clients to gauge what the client is looking for and needs, and the unseen drafts that the designer goes through in order to arrive at the final product. These are the things that are not readily visible when looking at the final product, and as such, it is easy to misjudge the designer’s work as “simple” and “easy.” This line of work, like many others, requires time, hard work, and lots of research, and it should be viewed.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
One thing that I believe sets me apart is my versatility when it comes to my craft. As a graphic designer, I am often advised to find my niche within this area and to not stray outside of it. However, I’ve found that there is a whole world to be discovered when I try out all the different areas within this craft. I have created logos, flyers, t-shirt designs, mock-ups, and created designs through so many different mediums. I think my ability to operate in these different areas helps set me apart as somebody who can service others in more than one capacity.

Honestly, things just kind of flowed into me having my own business. What I mean by that is there was not really a day that I sat down and planned out how it would look like for me to have a business. I had always been interested in fashion design and art, via the medium of sketching, and so when I started working at my job, I made magazine-styled flyers as a part of our social media outreach group. From then, I also started making flyers for a local faith based group. My experience in these areas helped build up my skills and before I knew it, people were asking me to make logos and flyers for their businesses. So it came by no surprise that I thought it would be a good idea to simply make a business out of it.

It was most definitely not easy to get to where I am now. Having no technical nor formal training in this area, a lot of what I learned was through trial and error and watching how other graphic designers operated. I would have to say that trial and error and experimentation were my best friends as that is how I personally learn the best.

One thing that I want people to know about my story is that I never walked the road alone. My community always had my back, my family was always there for me, and Jesus was closer than anyone could ever be. It would be a gross misstatement to say that I got here by myself, or that anybody can go through the rigors of life by themselves. I also want people to know that my brand is ever evolving. The beauty of this business is the limitless potential for new applications of graphic design, especially as technology opens new doors of opportunity. You can expect for there to always be something new in the works.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If somebody were visiting me and I had to give them the royal tour, the itinerary would look something like this:

Breakfast at “Dix Coney Island”: I’d recommend the steak and eggs, I’ve never had it, but it looks amazing!

Take a Walk through the Denton Square: There are so many neat places on the square, we can visit the library, which has books on almost every topic, there’s an antiques model weapon shop, a toy shop, and so many other attractions

Lunch at “La Sabrosita”: They have the BEST authentic tacos in all of Denton, I would recommend the Lengua or pork tacos

Dinner at “Hanabi Ramen”: Their “Kara Miso” is spicy, warm, and filled with delicious bites of pork slices, bonito flakes, and delicious veggies. For a side, I would recommend the Tako Yaki, it’s to die for.

Lastly, we’d end the night with Beth Marie’s Ice Cream, where they have over 50 different ice cream flavors to choose from.

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?
I want to give a huge shoutout to my community in Denton, especially to my brothers Daniel and Billy for always being by my side and helping me through many tough spots. I wouldn’t be here without GOD blessing me with yall!

Website: kafdesigns.squarespace.com

Instagram: @official_kaf_designs

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/kwasi-frempong

Image Credits
Stock Elements are sourced from Canva.com and smartmockups.com