Welcome Noah to the Team

We’d like to introduce you to the newest member of our team, Noah Stokes. Noah is a well-known member of the design community and we couldn’t be happier to have him on board. You’ve no doubt seen his awesome work at Bold, read his thoughts on Twitter (@motherfuton), and heard his podcast, The Mother Futon News. For those of you who may not be quite a familiar with him, or perhaps those of you that would like to get to know him better, here is a little more about Noah.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do for Creative Market.

Let’s see. I’m a husband and a dad to three boys. I live in a town called San Luis Obispo on the central coast of California. I am a designer here at Creative Market. I work with all of our teams, providing design support when needed.

What were you doing before you joined the team and how did you and Creative Market “find each other”?

Before Creative Market I ran a web studio for 6 years called Bold. I did everything from design to development and sales to business development. Gerren and I had a serendipitous email exchange one day and a few short weeks later I closed up shop and was a part of the Creative Market team.

When not at work, what do you do for fun?

I have a lot of hobbies I enjoy, but not that much time to enjoy them. San Luis Obispo has a moderate climate so outdoor activities are possible year round. I enjoy running and mountain biking, playing basketball, and surfing. I’m a huge fan of music and have been playing guitar for over 25 years. Time permitting, I like to sneak away for a motorcycle ride up the coast.

Do you have any go-to music when you’re working?

Great question! I always have music playing. Always. I’m a binge listener, so I grab hold of a new album and listen to it until my ears bleed, then I move on to the next one. My staples however are the stuff I grew up with: Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Prince, Pink Floyd, Foo Fighters, Oasis. I guess that’s more rock than pop, but I am unashamedly willing to admit that I am a huge fan of Taylor Swift and all things #pForm related!

Have you seen any products here on the site that you especially like?

Oh my, where do I start? There are so many great resources on CM, it’s hard to pick just one. Lately I’ve been obsessing over some of these great patterns folks are creating, like these fresh lemons, jungle flowers, tropical patterns, and tropical florals

    

What inspires you creatively?

Work that has soul. By that I mean work where you can tell the designer spent time on the details, the intangibles, the teeny tiny little things that make the design stand up and say, “Hello, how you doing?” I like knowing thought was put in throughout the process of the creation.

Any parting words of wisdom?

You know how everyone talks about doing what you love? Quit your job, do what you love… in most cases that isn’t realistic. One of the things I love about Creative Market is that it’s enabling creatives to do what they’re passionate about and earn money while doing it. And while that income may not fulfill your monetary needs immediately, don’t give up. It’s a slow build. Keep going, keep working, keep creating great design. It’ll pay off, you’ll see.

Welcome Noah to the Team

Welcome Jeremy to the Team

Around these parts, our engineering team is pretty much magical. Those folks can make miracles happen at lightning speeds, and we’re happy to announce that with the latest addition of Jeremy Koerber, the ops team is approaching maximum warp. That’s right folks, we’ve got a new engineer with all kinds of sweet skills! We’re already impressed with the awesomeness we’ve seen from Jeremy, and we can’t wait for you to meet him.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do for Creative Market.

I’m a longtime San francisco Bay Area resident and web infrastructure geek. I got my start at Allposters.com in the early “dot-bomb” era, and was fortunate enough to experience some truly explosive growth of that site right through the dot com fallout and quite a few years thereafter. Since then, I’ve been working with web startups to help them grow and automate their infrastructure. My first (and current) major project at Creative Market is to help migrate the website from traditional colo into the cloud.

What were you doing before you joined the team and how did you and Creative Market “find each other”?

Prior to joining the CM team, I was working as a solutions architect for a software company called Scalr, a leader in the Cloud Management Portal space. I was introduced to Creative Market through a longtime friend and colleague, Zack Onisko. After learning about the company’s culture and technical vision, I felt thoroughly compelled to come aboard.

When not at work, what do you do for fun?

Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time with my three year old son, Kai, on our trampoline. I also love hiking, making dance mixes, and occasionally taking my powered-paraglider out for a spin.

Do you have any go-to music when you’re working?

My music tastes are all over the map, but I’ve really been enjoying Claire and Röyksopp for motivation lately.

Have you seen any products here on the site that you especially like?

All I can say is there isn’t much on the site that I don’t like! I don’t come from a design background, so seeing all of these amazing design assets is really cool. I love working for a company that is involved in such fun, yet completely practical, products. I also love the fact that this is a place where new design talent can be surfaced organically.

What inspires you creatively?

That’s a tough one, but I’d have to say I’m moved most by the intricacies of nature, music, and numbers; especially when they all come together in some meaningful way.

Any parting words of wisdom?

Take candy from strangers. Take it all.

Welcome Jeremy to the Team

Welcome Tyler to the Team

Tyler Dorman may be one of the most well-connected fellows you’ll ever meet. No matter what industry the Creative Market team is chatting about or what area of the world they’re discussing, Tyler is sure to chime in with, “I know a guy who works there” or “I know a guy who lives down there”. If you walk down the streets of San Francisco with Tyler, you will, without a doubt, run into one or more of his old friends. He’s just that kind of guy; the kind of guy everyone wants to be friends with. This means he’s the absolute perfect person to head up partnerships here at Creative Market!

We’ve already had the pleasure of meeting and working with so many awesome people since Tyler joined the team, not the least of which is Tyler himself. So, while you likely already know Tyler, here are a few fun facts that may be new to you.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do for Creative Market.

I was born in Atlanta, GA, grew up on the San Francisco bay peninsula, and now live in Marin County with my wife and three dogs (2 Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and 1 mutt that looks like “that dog from Little Rascals“). I have a love for all things creative and began my interest in design while studying skateboard ads and graphic art as a youth. 

I head up partnerships at Creative Market, which means I help develop meaningful ways to work with our surrounding community of designers and brands.

 

What were you doing before you joined the team and how did you and Creative Market “find each other”?

I’ve spent most of my career working with startups in San Francisco as a generalist. Most recently I headed up New Business for a small UX Design Studio called 17FEET. The design team got acquired by Google, so it was time to find my next thing.

I first met Creative Market’s founders as a venture capitalist; I can proudly say I helped close an early investment in the company. It’s so impressive to see all the positive things that have happened since, most of which had little to do with making a capital investment in the company.

When not at work, what do you do for fun?

I keep a relaxed schedule outside of work and try not to make too many plans. Usually I’m just tinkering on a home project, hanging out with my family and friends, and for sure hunting down good food and music. I try to do active things with my dogs and wife. Sometimes I get to break out the ol’ skateboard or surfboard for some fun. I also love a good road trip up or down the California coast.

Do you have any go-to music when you’re working?

Instrumental hip hop or Jazz seems to do the trick most days – usual hip hop suspects like JDilla, Madlib, and House Shoes. But really, I’m shuffling genres all day long to keep thing interesting. Soul, Funk, Electronic and of course the never ending supply of indie hits. You can check out some of my likes on Sound Cloud to get a better sense of things (tbdorman). And don’t for get WWOZ and Wah Wah 45s radio!

Have you seen any products here on the site that you especially like?

It’s hard to say what products I especially like. There’s a lot of quality to peruse here on Creative Market. I guess I would say I like seeing products that are outliers in style and use stuff that’s not visually the same as other products and/or are functionally different. Not a very clear answer, huh? Sorry about that. 

What inspires you creatively?

The excitement of starting something and completing it and then sharing it with others. I really like how creative things can sometimes start unpredictable conversations. I see a lot of that happening on Creative Market, which is super rad. 

 

Any parting words of wisdom?

Always be a good neighbor.

Welcome Tyler to the Team

Welcome Beth to the Team

Today we have the pleasure of introducing you to a woman who likely doesn’t even need an introduction in this space. She’s a musician, a writer, a designer, and a typography enthusiast. She’s got a beautiful Creative Market shop, she’s written numerous Creative Market blog posts, and she’s been active in Creative Market Discussions since the day they opened up. She’s Beth Rufener, and we’re so excited to announce that she’s now an official member of the Creative Market team.

Beth recently joined our team as a customer support specialist & discussions guru, and boy are we glad she’s here! For those of you who may not know her, or those of you that would like to get to know her better, here’s a little more info on Beth.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do for Creative Market.

I do customer support, and I’m often assisting on the discussion threads as well. I love design, and I love sharing design knowledge. I’ve gleaned a lot of knowledge from others, so it’s been great to give back. Design, in one form or another, has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I hope my design experience can benefit the support team and the community in a positive way.

What were you doing before you joined the team and how did you and Creative Market “find each other”?

I was one of those unsuspecting people who was lured in by the sweet little in free credits before Creative Market launched; unsuspecting, in that I never knew what a great experience it would turn out to be. I went from thinking, “I was rejected once; I’ll never be good enough to open a shop anywhere,” to “What? No review process? I think I’ll try…” So, since early 2013, I’ve been busy growing my shop here. After the discussions launched, I began chatting there (a lot) and getting more involved in the community. There’s really a fantastic community here. It has been a super fun, incredibly amazing learning experience.

When not at work, what do you do for fun?

When I’m not assisting customers or designing, I’m probably spending time with my husband and two children, growing my Creative Market Shop, Ornaments of Grace, listening to music, reading, writing, drawing letters, or gazing at some form of typography. I also enjoy playing the violin and singing, sometimes with my family and friends from church, when there’s time. When the weather is favorable, my husband and I like to take our children outside for walks.

Do you have any go-to music when you’re working?

I really enjoy classical and sacred music, especially from the Baroque period. I think its mathematical nature subliminally helps organize all my crazy ideas. Bach chorales are great for relaxation. Vivaldi is energizing and seems to help creativity. Sometimes, when I’m lettering, I’ll listen to any of Jane Austen’s novels from Librivox. Also, my family and I really enjoy the Piano Guys.

Have you seen any products here on the site that you especially like?

Vintage Design Co. is hands down the coolest shop ever. I love all of Laura Worthington’s fonts, and I admire anyone who can paint with watercolors.

Favorite product? It would have to be a font (I’m a little typographically biased) but there are too many to choose from! I’ve got a whole collection of the ones I love.

What inspires you creatively?

I’m pretty old-school, so old things, such as witty regency-era prose, illuminated manuscripts, and weathered wood, inspire me. I also enjoy reading and soaking in Bach’s perfect harmony. Music is a big source of inspiration for me. Typography and hand-lettering also get the creative juices flowing.

Any parting words of wisdom?

Work hard, be nice, stay humble, and never stop learning and sharing.

Welcome Beth to the Team

Welcome Domenic to the Team

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of interacting with our support team, you know they’re some of the most awesome folks around. Recently we went on the hunt to increase the size of that wonderful team, and lucky for us, we found the perfect guy to welcome on board. We’d like you to meet Domenic.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do for Creative Market.

I was born in Chicago, IL and now reside in Jacksonville, FL. I work in customer support with a great team, focusing on making sure all of our customers and shop owners have a positive experience every time they visit our site.

What were you doing before you joined the team and how did you and Creative Market “find each other”?

Before joining Creative Market, I was a full-time musician. I was gigging about 4-5 days a week, playing everything from bar venues to private engagements. In addition to that, I was in school at the Art Institute for Graphic & Web Design. I found out about Creative Market through a developer that I follow online. After speaking with Ken, our director of customer support, I knew this was a perfect fit.

When not at work, what do you do for fun?

I love hanging out with my dog, Emmy, and my grandfather. I also enjoy going to concerts, watching sports, and cooking.

Do you have any go-to music when you’re working?

Yes, I love music! I am a huge fan of The Beatles and Dave Matthews Band.

Have you seen any products here on the site that you especially like?

Yes, everything! It’s hard to choose just one thing with all of the talented shop owners at Creative Market.

What inspires you creatively?

I find inspiration in everyday life. Anything can really motivate me to design or pick up the guitar.

Any parting words of wisdom?

Be kind.

Welcome Domenic to the Team

Welcome Chris to the Team

As you know, our developer team has been growing lately. What you may not know, is we’ve recently had the pleasure of adding Chris Madrigal to that team. Chris is an all around awesome guy and one heck of a dev. We’re so glad he’s here, and we can’t wait for all of you to get to know him better.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do for Creative Market.

I’m a huge fan of “things done right”; for me, every pixel matters. Here at Creative Market, I’ll be focusing on making sure everything you see looks beautiful and pixel perfect.

What were you doing before you joined the team and how did you and Creative Market “find each other”?

Before Creative Market, I was working with a web design company based in Santa Cruz. We worked mostly with private clients to create PHP and NodeJS web applications.

I first heard about Creative Market through my friend Tyler Dorman. After learning more about the company, I quickly realized this was a perfect fit.

When not at work, what do you do for fun?

I love being outdoors! Fun for me is being out in the water, on a surfboard, during a good swell, in a non-crowded break! If it’s winter, and there’s snow on the ground, you can find me on a snowboard in Tahoe. I also love warm summer days that give me the freedom to take my family camping and fishing.

Do you have any go-to music when you’re working?

It really depends on my mood, ranging from Beach House, Radiohead, Thievery Corporation, Gramatik, and Band of Horses. Of course, I can always be in the mood for some old school reggae!

Have you seen any products here on the site that you especially like?

There are so many great products and I have only seen a fraction of them. Photography has always been a hobby of mine, so I can really appreciate the amazing photography that Creative Market has to offer. Being a Costa Rican native, I feel especially drawn to the nature and animal categories.

What inspires you creatively?

I get inspired by doing things I’ve never done before. Whether it’s a new sport, activity, or design, whenever I’m challenged my creativity starts flowing.

Any parting words of wisdom?

I’ll leave you with a quote:

“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.”

– Franklin D. Roosevelt

Welcome Chris to the Team