Spotlight: Charlie Pratt

Charlie Pratt is a Senior Art Director for Precocity. He has been working with our clients since 2013 and his talents are often utilized over multiple projects at one time.

Tell us about yourself, Charlie!

How long have you been working in the creative space of IT?

I am going on ten years in this business now, which is crazy to say aloud. I graduated college in the winter of 2002 with a degree in audio engineering. I spent a few happy years working as a recording engineer and composer, but always felt I needed a broader creative challenge, so finally I stormed off into the world of visual design. I did not know anything, really. Photoshop and a dream, you might say.

In 2006, I finagled my way into my first design job at a regional marketing firm, where I spent two years learning as much as I could and trying on as many creative hats as I could. After that, I struck out on my own and ran my own one-man shop, where I learned the most about client relationships and shepherding projects from start to finish. In 2012, I got a wonderful opportunity to work for a small San Francisco design & development shop called Bold. From there I went to work for Design Centric in Dallas, which eventually led me to Precocity.

Along the way, I have co-founded three companies of my own, two, which are successful and still in business and one, which was an abject failure. My entrepreneurial nature keeps my professional mind sharp.

What drives you to do what you do? What motivates you?

My creative drive has always been a part of me. I have been playing music, writing, and drawing as long as I can remember. It is a faithful old friend, and I am extremely grateful for it.

My motivation comes from people, period. Having worked in a number of creative ecosystems, I find that for me it is not so much about the work but about the people I work for and work with. No matter what I do, I look for happy, collaborative teams working together to solve problems. I feel like I could do any job in the world if I have that—it is a rare and precious thing.

What hobbies do you have outside of work?

I have been a guitarist for nearly twenty-five years. Four years working in the music industry helped me realize I did not want it as my profession. Therefore, I became a designer and music went back to the hobby zone. Other stuff I like: watching sports, documentaries, gaming, scuba diving, and relaxing at home with my wife, Katie.

Tell us something that might surprise us about you.

I wrote and self-published a book about six years ago. It is a memoir about growing up in my family in the South. It sold very poorly and got me in big trouble with some of my family members, but I would not change a thing, because that book is why I ended up meeting my wife.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

From a professional standpoint, I am most proud of staying true to myself through a tumultuous career path and ending up where I am today. I am also very proud of the companies and products I’ve helped create.

Personally, I am proudest of my marriage, family, and friends. That’s the good stuff.