Name: Russ Perry
Age: 36
Title: CEO & Founder of Design Pickle
Married/Single: married
Kids: three beautiful daughters ages 3, 7 and 13.
City you live in: Scottsdale, AZ
A typical day in my life includes…
wake up a little before 5 am. Hit my morning routines of Core 4. Drop the girls off at school. A well orchestrated day of team updates. An afternoon workout (either an outdoor run or a heavy Olympic lifting session). Pick up all the kids early. Early dinner outside enjoying perfect Spring or late Fall AZ weather. Wind down with journaling, work around the house, or if it’s a weekend – an hour of Skyrim.
I was born…
in Miami, Arizona. Yes, there is a Miami in Arizona.
My favorite thing about Arizona…
the people. I am an Arizona native, but it seems most people I meet are from somewhere else. Everywhere I go, there is a vibe of openness and connection. This is very unique to Arizona and one of the reasons I love to call it my home. You can experience, learn, see and do so much.
I’m listening to…
channeling my inner millennial and loving the new Billie Ellish album.
My family…
is diverse, hilarious, filled with strong women, proud to live in Arizona, entrepreneurs, educators, parents, and a total inspiration to me!
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be…
Leonardo Da Vinci. There are a lot of modern day people that could land on this list, but I’m fascinated with the historic impact his role had with the arts and sciences, as well as his non-stop innovations considering the limitations of the time. I have a custom suit designed with The Vitruvian Man printed as the jacket liner – a symbol of the intersection of mathematics and art.
One thing I cannot live without…
Andrew WK’s album, I Get Wet. This album was a pivotal collection of music growing up, including the title track, Party Hard. To this very day, I continue to rock to this album and its hard pounding, piano-driven melodies.
When I was younger, I wanted to be…
an astronaut. Space Camp, and all of the glorious 80’s movies featuring young kids finding themselves in space (Flight of the Navigator, The Last Starfighter, Explorers), inspired me to work hard on the prerequisites to pursue this career. I would design my own (cardboard) computers, studied hard at math and science, and even begun the process as I got older to apply for the Air Force Academy. Somewhere along the lines, my ideas shifted towards engineering and design – but I am excited private industry could make my dreams a reality without having to commit my life to the outcome (only a large sum of money, which I’m patiently saving for).
I’m inspired by…
Takashi Murakami, a Japanese modern/contemporary artist. Murakami has lived a life raised in the post-World War II Japanese generation until the present day exploring the arts and boundaries of expression. His work ranges from children’s books to music albums (notably the Kanye West Graduation album) to high-fashion. He inspires me with the dedication to his craft and his ability to express himself across mediums, cultures, and time horizons.
The one person who motivates me is…
my wife, Mika Perry. She is a creator, a writer, an amazing mother, my trusted advisor, stunningly beautiful, hilarious and has supported me and our family from day zero. She maintains focus and clarity (something that doesn’t come naturally to me) – and through the last 10+ years of marriage, I have seen her accomplish some incredible things, but just as important, the small daily accomplishments driving our family and marriage forward often inspire me the most.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be…
for the world to embrace and pursue a deeper spiritual connection with themselves and the world we live in (both known and unknown). This is an all-encompassing statement, but I firmly believe most, if not all of our problems stem from the lack of awareness and empathy for ourselves, which then leads to disinterest in others and our planet. I am a Christian and find that there’s no better way to grow internally through this spiritual framework. The more I understand myself, the more I can connect with and support others. I’d also include the pursuit of the sciences, environmental, and humanitarian causes – without any spiritual requirements. No matter what you believe – we got one shot on this Earth. Let’s make it matter!
The perfect day would be…
no arguments, tears, or objections getting the kids ready for bed. Date night at Ocean Club. A boxing lesson – or learning another new physical challenge. Attending Impact Church with the whole family, again, with no arguments.
My first job was…
delivering Pepsi in Southeastern Arizona one hot summer. At the age of 14, I was driven to work by my grandfather at 4 am to stock delivery trucks and fill the shelves at the local grocery and convenience stores. It was exhausting, it was no fun – at all –, and it taught me a few life lessons of getting to bed early to work hard in the morning, a value I still hold close to this day.
My favorite escape…
Japan – I travel there at least once a year to reset and refocus. My wife and her family are from Japan, subsequently, my children are part Japanese and we absolutely love the food and the culture. I highly recommend anyone to take a trip to this part of the world. The people, the onsens (Japanese hot springs), the culture, and the food are second to none!
My life…
is filled with incredible people and experiences and overall so much abundance. I didn’t always believe in or even understand the word abundance, but it’s a concept that’s radically changed my life and who I believe myself to be.
More about Russ…
Russ Perry is the Founder and CEO of Design Pickle, the #1 flat-rate, unlimited graphic design service in the world. Founded in 2015, Design Pickle was born from the idea that everybody needs access to seamless, reliable and professional graphic design on a consistent basis. Russ has successfully scaled Design Pickle from 2 employees to over 200, with thousands of global clients and over $10 million in annual recurring revenue. He is now leveraging his entrepreneurial experience with trainings and events for other business owners, starting with PICKLECON, the conference for creative entrepreneurs, coming to Scottsdale this May.
