Small graphic design company is finding its place in Vancouver
Bryan Helfrich and Patrick Hildreth don’t just care about the future of Vancouver, they are designing it.
Together, the two are Tribe 2 Studios, a Main Street graphic design shop founded in 2004.
Tribe 2 is growing slowly but steadily, and the pair credit local businesses with much of their success. They’ve worked with the Vancouver Farmers Market, Prestige Development, Vancouver’s Downtown Association and Beige Blond salon.
"There are so many design companies out there that are all about appealing to the largest number of people," Hildreth said. "In that process, things get dulled down, the creativity is gone."
The beginning
Helfrich, 30, and Hildreth, 35, met in 2002 working at Rose’s Deli downtown, where Hildreth managed the kitchen. The two hit it off immediately and discovered many shared values and passions.
"One of our strongest passions was getting out of the restaurant industry," Hildreth said, laughing.
Both were working as freelance designers, and Elie Kassab, president of Prestige Development and former owner and operator of Rose’s Deli downtown, recognized Hildreth’s passion for graphics, said Tammie Ferguson, senior vice president of Prestige.
Along with managing the kitchen, Hildreth designed all of the graphics for the restaurant, the commercial development company and several of its area cinemas. Prestige supplied him with a computer that could be used for the restaurant’s inventory and design. Tribe 2 still does the majority of Prestige’s graphic work, Ferguson said.
"We have nothing but good things to say," she said. "We’re very proud of them for following their passion, which definitely shows in their work."
Prestige was instrumental in getting Tribe 2 off the ground, giving the company steady work to help ease into the transition of running a business, Helfrich said.
At first, the guys worked out of Hildreth’s studio apartment and used their own computers. They didn’t take out loans, and it was a smooth start, he said.
Neither had much in the way of formal graphics training, just bulking up on the latest software when it came time to start the business.
"It was a real grass roots thing," Hildreth said. "It just came together, but it was a weird shift to make – taking our passion for art and figuring out how to run a business."
Their first client was the farmers market, a huge step as far as exposure, they said. Market Master Robert Ray said their imagination and creativity was completely in synch with the vision of the market, which recently renewed Tribe 2’s contract. And their energy for Vancouver’s revitalization is unmatched, he said.
"There’s no way that anybody could possibly imitate that kind of enthusiasm," Ray said. "They’re genuine Vancouverites. Every passion they have is wanting what’s best for Vancouver."
Helfrich and Hildreth soon added the VDA and Uptown Village Association to their client base. Working with Vancouver-based Spectrum Arts, Tribe 2 produced the Downtown Walking Map for the associations.
Downtown Association President Celinda Rupert said the Helfrich and Hildreth literally went door to door rallying support for the map.
"They blew the doors off the whole project," she said. "That’s the kind of business they are. They’re helpful with graphic ideas and really helped launch the VDA to the next level of professionalism and redefined who we are."
Hildreth sits on the association’s promotions committee.
The pair estimates that at least 95 percent of Tribe 2’s business comes from word of mouth.
"We like it that way," Hildreth said. "When people come to us, they already know what we’re about."
The goal is to grow the studio into a small creative team with strengths other than their own, Hildreth said.
"We’re not a big, stuffy firm," he said. "That’s not the plan. The business was really about creating a lifestyle for us that can utilize our strengths and talents. It’s not about the bottom line."
On the tip
Tribe 2’s philosophy is centered on the community, and the community appears to be ready for it.
"We couldn’t be at a better place at a better time," Hildreth said, adding, "There are so many entrepreneurs our age who want something fresh and unique. We filled a niche."
Tribe 2 has about 50 clients on its roster, and word is spreading. The shop’s revenue has quadrupled over the year before.
Websites start at $2,000 to $3,000 and the price escalates with complexity and time. And once customers come for smaller items like business cards, Helfrich said, they often come back for other products.
Their designs are inspired by the scenes in New York, Los Angeles and Sweden, and their fresh approach translates to better products for their customers, they say.
"We provide an opportunity for a small business to compete with the big boys," Hildreth said. "It’s time for a new paradigm in design."
