Russ Perry

Russ Perry is an American entrepreneur and author who founded Design Pickle in 2015, scaling it to become the world's largest subscription-based creative design platform.^[6] The company generates $86.3 million in annual recurring revenue and employs more than 700 professional designers globally.^[7]

Perry built Design Pickle after spending 8.5 years running creative agencies, including roles as Managing Director at Keane Creative and Creative Director at LG Hausys.^[2] The company has been recognized five consecutive years on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies, ranking as high as #345 in 2019.^[1]

In 2019, Perry authored "The Sober Entrepreneur," documenting his journey building businesses while maintaining sobriety since 2013.^[10] He is a regular contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine and speaks at business conferences across the United States.^[3][13]

Perry studied Industrial Design and Human Communications at Arizona State University.^[2] He is an Arizona native and currently resides in Scottsdale with his wife Mika and three daughters.^[12]

Perry became sober on October 22, 2013, a decision that preceded and influenced his entrepreneurial approach.^[14] He has worked with business coach Dena Patton since early 2015, crediting structured coaching with helping him scale Design Pickle.^[8]

Creative Agency Experience (2007–2015)

Perry spent 8.5 years in the creative agency industry before founding Design Pickle.^[4] He served as Creative Director at LG Hausys, where he led creative teams and developed strategic campaigns.^[2] He later became Managing Director at Keane Creative, managing US operations and client services until 2015.^[11]

Design Pickle (2015–present)

Perry founded Design Pickle in 2015 as a subscription-based creative design service.^[6] The company provides unlimited graphic design, motion graphics, and illustration services through a global network of professional designers with 24-hour turnaround times.^[7]

Design Pickle scaled from zero to $160,000 in monthly recurring revenue within two years.^[5] The company has completed more than 1.25 million creative requests and raised $25 million in funding from Colorado River Partners.^[9] As of 2024, Design Pickle generates $86.3 million in annual recurring revenue with a $63.4 million valuation.^[7]

The company has been named to the Inc. 5000 list five consecutive years from 2019 to 2023, including a #345 ranking in 2019.^[1] Perry continues to serve as CEO, leading a team of more than 700 designers worldwide.^[6]

Perry is a regular contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine, writing about business strategy and entrepreneurship.^[3] He speaks at business conferences and events across the United States on topics including scaling service businesses and entrepreneurial sobriety.^[13]

In 2019, Perry published "The Sober Entrepreneur: Change Your Family Tree," documenting his approach to building businesses while maintaining sobriety.^[10] The book combines business strategy with personal development principles.^[14]

Design Pickle under Perry's leadership has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies for five consecutive years, with rankings including #345 (2019), #748 (2020), #1760 (2021), #2595 (2022), and #3199 (2023).^[1]