Meet Desi and Angelina Butler | Brand Development Specialists

We had the good fortune of connecting with Desi and Angelina Butler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Desi and Angelina, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk is not only a great board game, it is the very foundation from which our business was established.

In the beginning of August 2019, we were waking up every weekday, making the dreaded Denver morning commute to our corporate office, and doing the same, mundane tasks. Do you remember being a child and the exhilarating excitement you felt thinking about what you were going to be when you grew up? Whether you were going to soar among the stars as an astronaut or sing your way into the hearts of millions, you just knew you were destined for greatness. Well, we had somehow found ourselves totally void of that passion and drive we once felt when we were young. Upon the realization that we had become stagnant and unhappy, we knew that a drastic change needed to be made. It was time to take a chance and finally start fighting for our happiness. True happiness, to us, meant doing something that made a difference in our lives, as well as the lives of others. We wanted to pave a new career path that allowed us to inspire smiles daily, challenge ourselves creatively, and uplift our community – all while getting to be our authentic selves. In order to accomplish all of this, we knew we needed to take a huge risk and quit our corporate jobs to follow our dreams of becoming business owners. Of course, this was much easier said than done, but we gave it our all and, by the end of August 2019, our worlds had been completely transformed. It’s really quite crazy to think that in the span of one month, we went from what felt like an incomplete reality to starting up our own business, PRYDE Designs. In fact, PRYDE Designs isn’t just a women-owned web design, marketing, and brand development agency – it is proof that, oftentimes, the reward is worth the risk.

If there is one thing we’d like you to take away from us today, it is that life is too short to have regrets. As scary as some opportunities may be to take, sometimes you have to trust in yourself, take a deep breath, and make the plunge. Even in the most difficult of times, when we weren’t sure if our business would make it, we felt a powerful sense of pride that we had believed in ourselves enough to try.

There’s no doubt that taking risks gave us a newfound sense of purpose, but it also opened the door for us to be an asset to business owners who want to take their businesses to the next level.

What should our readers know about your business?
PRYDE Designs is an award-winning, women-owned brand development agency that specializes in web design, marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), advertising, social media management, custom logo design, branding and more.

We help small businesses build a comprehensive brand identity and get the exposure they need to capture and convert more paying customers. We’re happy to work with both service and product-based industries, as well as non-profits.

We understand the science and psychology behind building a successful brand. We offer complete brand kits that include custom logo concepts, premium fonts, refined color palettes, business card designs, brand style guides, and social media graphics. We design and build custom websites that are eye-catching and functional on all devices. Our team uses professional design software to create custom graphics that can span from logos all the way to full vehicle wraps. We develop and implement unique marketing, SEO, and social media strategies that establish brand recognition, generate leads, and drive website traffic.

Above anything else, we’re known for the quality of work we put out, in addition to the love and care we put into each and every project. We really do take PRYDE in what we do. Although we are up against companies who have been established for more than 15 years, we are getting the PRYDE Design’s name out there and local businesses are taking notice of our zealousness for creative web design and brand development.

Our driving force is not simply our own success, but the success of the businesses, small and large, who continue to trust us with their vision. From the beginning, we have poured our hearts into every project and it is our promise to never lose that special spark of intensity (or insanity?) that sets us apart from every other web design company out there. At PRYDE Designs, we are proud of the work we do, we are proud of what we stand for, and we are proud of believing in a better future for ourselves and others.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Wow, where do we even begin?! There’s so much fun to be had in Denver and its surrounding areas. Our idea of a perfect week-long experience would begin with an excursion through Meow Wolf Convergence Station (gotta’ hit them with the weird and wacky first). Traveling through different dimensions can really get an appetite going, so we’d definitely head to Adrift tiki bar to share a tomahawk steak board and a Voodoo Witchdoctor Funk punch bowl.

Day two will start with breakfast burritos at our beloved Colorado staple, Sam’s No. 3, followed by a breathtaking afternoon spent exploring the stunning and newly renovated Denver Art Museum. Later, we’ll go on a bike ride to the beautiful City Park to watch the sunset. The magnificent fountain light show, paired with the occasional adorable turtle sighting, will surely put a smile on anyone’s face.

The adventure for the third day is a no-brainer – we’re stocking up on sunscreen, then off to Water World to zip down all the water slides we can handle. After spending all day in the hot sun, we’ll need to cool down with some Eskimo Bros. Cookie Monster nitro ice cream. They also have tons of other delicious flavors to choose from such as Nutella Oreo, Limoncello, Mole, Mango Sorbet, Vermont Maple and more.

Day number four begins with an Annihilator coffee from Dutch Bros, then straight to the RiNo district to check out some cool shops and graffiti. When our feet are tired from walking, we’ll stop by the Lakeview Lounge to shoot some pool. Finally, finish the evening with a mouthwatering dinner at the Root Down. Skipping out on dessert will not be an option, as their Banana Cream Pie with cocoa nib tuile, smoke sea salt, and black sesame whip, is like a symphony of flavors in your mouth!

The fifth and final day of the trip will be the best ending to an awesome, eventful week. We’ll invite all of our close Denver friends to join us for sushi at one of our favorite spots, Sushi Hai. The Mile Hai, Mango, Firecracker, and Tidal Wave rolls are phenomenal. Indeed, we wouldn’t be able to leave without having a couple servings of Mango and Vanilla Mochi ice cream. Afterwards, we all go for a night out on the town. Denver nightlife is brilliant and the music scene is, in our opinion, one of the top music scenes in the nation. There’s something for everybody!

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?
Without even a moment’s hesitation, we know exactly who we’d like to dedicate this shoutout to: all the amazing individuals who entrusted us with their businesses. Without them, our own success would not have been possible. We understand that it took a certain amount of courage for them to willingly put their businesses in our hands and we are forever grateful. In a day and age where we are surrounded by constant negativity, it is refreshing to meet and work alongside so many positive, goal-oriented, and kind-hearted people. It’s unbelievably exciting to work with business owners of all shapes, sizes, ages, ethnicities, social classes, gender identities, sexual orientations, and religious backgrounds. Time and time again, we have been inspired by their stories and it truly lights a fire within us to keep pushing through whatever struggles may come our way. Every project that they grant us is not merely another check to cash in, it is an opportunity to learn and grow in our profession.

From the bottom of our hearts, we want to take this significant moment to thank our devoted and faithful clients. – You lovely souls are the reason our business continues to thrive. We appreciate you beyond words. Much love, PRYDE fam!

Website: https://www.prydedesigns.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prydedesigns/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pryde-designs

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/prydedesignsco

Image Credits
Christian Butler