Meet Luis Carmona | Entrepreneur / Designer

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

Hi Luis, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
The most important lesson that I have learned is that you must have passion for whatever it is that you are doing. Without passion, no matter what you are trying to achieve, it will feel like the most arduous task ever. Passion is what fuels the fire to keep going despite adversity. It is what gets you through those all-nighters to kickstart your business. What I have learned is that passion cannot be taught. You either have it or you don’t. And having passion is what differentiates the people that do what they do because they have to from those that do what they do because they love to.

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?
I have always been an entrepreneur at heart, ever since I was a child. Now as an adult, I am living my dream of being an entrepreneur and continuing to push myself to grow as a person and a business owner. As the owner of both a boutique creative agency, CARMONA CREATIVE, and an interior designer firm, VERDE Interior Design, I have the unique advantage of working with commercial clients through every aspect of their business. From branding and logo design, to the interior design of their space to a marketing plan that includes public relations, social media and digital marketing, I am able to merge the services offered from my two businesses and provide a seamless partnership for my clients. In most cases, a client can get interior design services with one company and the creative needs for their business with another company. In this case, I provide a one-stop shop.

I am very fortunate that I have years of experience working on the client and agency side of the creative industry which has helped me curate the services I offer based on what I have heard and learned from past clients. Running two businesses comes with its challenges, as one can imagine. That is when having nearly two decades of experience and being surrounded by a team of people with complementing talent helps you push through and succeed. Honing in on what you are good at and what you have passion for is key to running a successful business.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am a bit more low key when it comes to going out, but I do love to explore new parts of the city. I am a planner so any time friends visit, there is always an itinerary prepared. For dinner, I stick to places that I know so I can vouch for the good food and chill ambiance. R+D Kitchen is one of my favorite places to go. The pared down menu makes ordering easy and the small tables are ideal for conversation amongst a small group of friends. Hugo’s Invitados in Las Colinas or North Italia in Legacy West are two of my dining staples. I don’t drink alcohol so we typically do not end up at a bar, but luckily my friends love a good latte as much as a good cocktail. Pax & Beneficia in Las Colinas or Davis Street Espresso are great local coffee shops.

As for things to do, museums are always high on the list. The Modern in Fort Worth of the Nasher Sculpture Center are always solid choices. Catching a concert or sporting event could also be on the itinerary. Sometimes having friends over our place is the perfect getaway. My partner and I love to host and cook dinner with our friends, just having a ton of laughs and great conversation. We have a full liquor bar and coffee station to offer our guests so we have both ends of the spectrum covered.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
All of the people that surround me and support all of my endeavors deserve recognition. From my mother and partner who believe in me unequivocally to the close knit group of entrepreneurial friends that I count on to share ideas and receive constructive feedback on any business venture. It truly takes a village to build and maintain a successful business and I definitely do not do it alone.

Website: www.carmonacreative.com and www.verdeid.com

Instagram: @ljcarmona, @carmonacreative and @verdeidstudio

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisjcarmona/