Elegance, class, sophistication, clean-cut, clear and concise does not even begin to describe the designs that emanate from the stables of Cregital Design Agency. They certainly have a way of drawing you in, telling you the story of that which it set out to promote. Amazingly, the founder is a trained Industrial Chemist. Today, startupnigeria.net unveils the man behind the mask.
Can we meet you please?
My name is Evans Akanno and I’m the Founder/CEO of Cregital Design Agency. I am from Imo State and studied Industrial Chemistry at Imo State University. During my time there, I also did an industrial attachment with NNPC. After graduation, I started freelance design for about a year. While at it, I started a full time role at Jumia just after their launch in 2012; then, Konga for another year before I decided to start Evans Akanno Creative Design Agency which is now Cregital Design Agency.
What motivated you to found Cregital Design Agency?
Right after University, I started out as a freelancer doing jobs for small and large businesses alike. I had started with the intention of delivering clean and beautiful design for my clients. I realized that a lot of the design being splashed around were so poorly done that I had to find a way to change that. The more I kept doing it, the more my vision expanded. The birth of Cregital was more of a rebrand than starting out an entirely new company. We still offer the same services, but our dreams are bigger.
I studied your designs, they have a way of sending a message without necessarily cluttering the senses, does your company offer any other service to the public?
Apart from web design we also offer branding and online marketing but we have intentions of delving into other areas like photography, videography, web and mobile app development
Wow, you have got an enormous task ahead of you; so far what has the journey been like for you?
Starting out is never easy and all the funds that have gone into getting Cregital off the ground came from my personal savings. Finding office space was a nightmare and because a lot of our work is done online, constant electricity was a must. Now that has been sorted out, the biggest problem we are facing right now is consistent Internet service. We have tried pretty much every service provider in Lagos and they have all failed one way or another; then the issue of hiring the right kind of people. It’s been hard finding people that understand the kind of design we do, in terms of precision, attention to detail and generally what looks or doesn’t look good.
What is the public perception and how have they received you?
The reception has been encouraging so far; a lot of people are watching to see what we can do and we hope we keep surpassing their expectations. We’ve received honourable mentions from Awards for our website design, we were featured in Punch not too long ago and have been referenced on a number of tech blogs.
What area do you think the government can come in to boost the startup industry?
Helping fund hubs and create an environment where entrepreneurship is encouraged.
Thank you so much for giving us a sneak peek into your world. Before you go, do you have any advice for someone interested in founding a startup?
Trust your instinct. It involves very long hours, uncertainty and making a few mistakes here and there, but the fruit of it is worth it.